My Favorite Holiday

To me it’s without question the best holiday of the year and maybe more than ever a day we should try to enjoy and savor. Thanksgiving celebrates all things good in life while of course reminding us about the sad realities that it’s not that way for everyone. There’s no real commercialization, you don’t have to worry about gifts and for most of us features the three F’s…family, food and football.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful day for so many reasons. Loved ones travel from near to far to reunite with their families and often renew traditions that have been passed down from one generation to the next. For some the day will start by taking in a high school football game as there are more than a dozen in the shore area alone, including long time rivalries Toms River South versus Lakewood and Neptune against Asbury Park. Others may chose to not watch but play a little touch football as they work up an appetite and then rationalize that it’s okay to overeat. Food will come in all directions and you will try and remind yourself that it’s not a sprint but a marathon. I always start by saying I’ll go easy on the appetizers but in truth I’ll be pretty much shot before the turkey is even sliced. Turkey of course is the day’s staple but many will offer a diverse menu that will include lasagna, ham and more sides than you can count. My favorite is stuffing with sausage…a real healthy offering that is part of the reason the average American will consume about 4,500 calories tomorrow. Are you below or above average?

Eating is not done in the form of a meal but stages and takes hours which gives you time in between to watch football on TV, including traditional games in Detroit and Dallas. Both games might be awful but who cares…they are just reasons to sit on the couch and loosen your belt. By the time the evening game featuring the Giants kicks off many will be working on desert or even leftovers. Then of course there are those who will end this great day early to get ready for Black Friday…some will begin their shopping just after midnight.

You can have the savings….I’ll take our greatest holiday tradition. It may be harder than ever to give thanks for our blessings but we should and I will.
So Happy Thanksgiving…my favorite holiday of the year.