Happy Thanksgiving

To me it’s without question the best holiday of the year and 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 reality that it’s not that way everywhere and for everyone. At one time Thanksgiving was just about perfect because it was a pure holiday with little or no commercialization. If you were lucky there were some gas stations and convenience stores open but that was about it. Now unfortunately more and more retail chains have decided they can’t go a day without grabbing some cash so on a day when they should be closed their doors will be open. However for most of us tomorrow will be a day featuring four F’s….family, food, football and fun.

Thanksgiving is a wonderful day for so many reasons. Loved ones travel from near and 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 attending a high school football game while others might try and work up an extra appetite by throwing a football around in the backyard although the weather might not be ideal for that. Food comes at you in all directions and you try and remind yourself that this is not a sprint, but a marathon. I swear each year will be a different and I’ll go slowly with the appetizers but I know tomorrow I’ll be in full devouring mode before the turkey is even sliced. Turkey of course is the staple but many will offer a diverse menu that will include lasagna, ham and more sides then you can count. My favorite is stuffing with sausage, a real healthy offering that is part of the reason why the average American will consume about 4,500 calories tomorrow….so are you below or above average?

Eating is not done as a meal but rather in stages that take hours from beginning to end. In between there will be three NFL games on TV, including traditional ones in Detroit and Dallas and an evening one featuring the Jets at the Meadowlands.
That will be about the time some are finishing desert, cleaning up or driving home….or maybe even working on leftovers. Then of course there are those who will end this great holiday early to get ready for Black Friday.

You can have the savings…I’ll take our greatest holiday tradition. It may be harder than ever to give thanks for our blessings and we may have to search to find the good things in life but they are out there. Just look around your table tomorrow
and you’ll find there is something to be thankful for….friends and family. Happy Thanksgiving!