The long holiday weekend is upon us. Many have taken today off to be with family for one of America’s greatest holidays – Thanksgiving Day.
Even today, you can feel the warmness of it all.
This upcoming holiday weekend means time off from work, families reuniting, and the incredible feast we all love so much.
You know it so very well – turkey and ham, dressing, cranberry sauce, oyster dressing and the list goes on even to the mouthwatering scrumptious pie.
As we all await the call to the table, our incredible day will be punctuated tomorrow morning by the 100th anniversary of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade at 9 a.m.
The 2024 Parade features 17 character balloons, 22 floats, 700 clowns, and 11 Marching Bands from all over America.
Of course, SANTA CLAUS makes his trip from the North Pole to climax the parade with his HO HO HO and proclaim the 2024 Christmas Season is underway with a very jolly MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Around noon, don’t forget for over 125 years, the American Kennel Club’s National Dog Show has been held in Philadelphia and will be carried on NBC for the 22nd consecutive year at 12 noon.
Here’s your NFL schedule for tomorrow:
· Lions ( 8-2) vs Packers (4-6) 11:30 a.m. on Fox
· Cowboys (7-3) vs Commanders (4-7) 3:30 p.m. CBS
· 49ers ( 7-3) vs Seahawks (6-4) 7:20 p.m. NBC
Remember – turkey and football go together like pumpkin pie and whipped cream. Enjoy.
On this day of leisure, fine food and families gather; just for the record – for more than two centuries Thanksgiving days were celebrated by the colonies and the states.
In 1863, in the midst of the civil war, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that a national Thanksgiving Day was to be celebrated each November.
So, in concert with President Lincoln, the Big Holiday is now just hours away.
Be sure and take the time tomorrow as you gather around the table for your Thanksgiving dinner, to count your blessings and give thanks.
In fact, 70 years ago a songwriter – Irving Berlin, penned a hit song entitled with the aforementioned phrase – count your blessings. The year was 1954 when the hit made its debut in the movie “White Christmas” sung by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. The lyrics reflect what Thanksgiving is all about:
“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep I count my blessings instead of sheep and I fall asleep counting my blessings,
“When my bankroll is getting small, I think of when I had none at all and I fall asleep counting my blessings,
“I think about a nursery and picture curly heads and one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds.
“If you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep and you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.”
Tomorrow as always will be a very special day in which we all take a few moments during the day and reflect on our very own blessings of life. The long holiday weekend is just warming up as tomorrow actually sets the stage for Friday November 29 – which is my birthday, but also that crazed day that annually drives millions to the stores and shop – because it’s BLACK FRIDAY.
The huge bonanza certainly has become a huge party of the holiday weekend. Many years ago, retailers came up with the idea in order to stimulate sales and profits with unheard of sales that would begin in the wee hours of Friday morning. And – I mean the WEE HOURS.
Try getting there around 3 or 4 a.m. Millions do it ever year so they may devour the merchandise with tremendous savings attached.
There are so many Black Friday shoppers that go from the mall to every other store within the community while filling their bags with many to be Christmas gifts. In fact, many shoppers after shopping early will blow the whistle and call a much needed “time out.” This is when shoppers return home to dip into the leftovers of Thanksgiving Day and then head back out for round #2. Over the years, Black Friday sometimes changes into a 4-day event spawning more sales under the guise of: “SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.” It’s even been reported that sometimes you may even run into “CYBER MONDAY” if you look hard enough.
Amid all the glitter and excitement of this holiday weekend, I have a revelation. The day before Thanksgiving Day is one of the busiest night of the year as families and friends gather to reconnect over drinks, treats and laughter while enjoying their favorite hits of yesteryear. Why would that be?
Wednesday, November 27 since 2017 is (stand up and applause) – NATIONAL JUKEBOX DAY. If you don’t have a jukebox just improvise and play your hits on something and have fun because tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.
Finally – here are 4 Thanksgiving Day traditions:
· BREAKING THE WISHBONE – Always fun to do and even watch. Two people compete for the larger piece while breaking. The winner will have a Holiday Wish come true.
· WHO WILL TAKE THE FIRST NAP? After dinner who will retire on the couch or recliner and fall to sleep! Someone usually does.
· BREAKING OUT THE CHRISTMAS DÉCOR – After watching the Macy’s Parade and Santa Claus declaring it’s now the Christmas Season – who will look into the closet and begin thinking about beginning decorations on Friday.
· LEFTOVERS – You have to admit, those leftovers sure are delicious with more gravy and even turkey sandwiches for a few days.
So, we are just hours away for a wonderland full of family, love and a tremendous feast!
From our house to yours, I wish you and yours a wonderful and loving – HAPPY THANKSGIVING. May it be the Very Best Ever.
Mike Tussey has “retired” from a 60-plus-year career as a legendary play-by-play announcer for over 2000 football, baseball, and basketball games, including most recently for ESPN+. His career also includes a stint in law enforcement, teaching and coaching, and writing books, including the “Touchdown Saints.” He grew up in Eastern Kentucky and now lives in Florence with his wife, Jo. He has opened another “Door of Opportunity” and is now a regular columnist for the NKyTribune.