When I was about eleven, I remember Thanksgiving becoming my favorite holiday, displacing Christmas. I think that happened for three basic reasons: (1) I had gotten to the age where one stops getting toys for Christmas and starts getting clothes, (2) I had just become a big fan of pro football, and (3) my insatiable appetite for food had begun to kick in.
Thanksgiving remained my favorite holiday until early adulthood – about the time when I began having to plan for it myself each year. I really don’t care about turkey or many of other traditional Thanksgiving fare anymore. I eat so much of that stuff throughout the remainder of the year that, frankly, I’m starting to get sick of it. Also, the thrill that I had once gotten from watching pro football on a lazy Thursday afternoon has not just subsided, but has long since passed.
To me, Thanksgiving is now just another day off from work – albeit the beginning of a four-day weekend – that often requires more of me than a normal day at the office. It is also a day to start gearing up for another round of that rat race we call the Christmas season. Yes, I am one of those knuckleheads who begins Christmas shopping on Black Friday.
With all of that in mind, I believe Thanksgiving is due for change. First of all, I’d like to get rid of the turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, green beans, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. I say it should be replaced with stuff that actually tastes good – like tacos, roast beef sandwiches, pizza, and BLTs with thick and juicy portions of red meat. Yes, I know what you’re probably thinking, but consider this: The stuff we’ve traditionally had is just as fattening and full of calories – why not have something to truly sink your teeth into and make your mouth water?
Then I believe all of this stuff should be catered to one’s home, so that no one but those who are getting paid to do so should have to prepare any food. Holidays are supposed to relaxing, not stressful and tiring. What better way could there be to relax than to kick back and have tasty food prepared and delivered to your door?
Next, I would give pro football the boot (no pun intended). I’ve spent enough Thanksgiving afternoons watching the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys take on various opponents from around the NFL. That tradition has become so stale. I would replace pro football with college football. But I would have just one game that day – and schedule it at a time when it would not conflict with most people’s Thanksgiving meals. And to keep things fresh, I would rotate the teams, so that no team could appear on a Thanksgiving Day more than once per decade.
Finally, to prevent me and many others from tainting our Thanksgiving weekends with Christmas shopping, I’d like to see department stores close at midnight Thanksgiving Eve and remain closed until the following Monday morning. Hey, I know that would never happen, but a guy can dream can’t he? Anyway, then perhaps we would have an opportunity to get back to the original purpose of Thanksgiving – to take time to thank God for all He’s blessed us with throughout the year. Despite the current world economic situation, we are indeed fortunate.
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