We are just hours away now from one of America’s most favorite holidays – Thanksgiving Day. By now, its likely that your huge turkey, cranberry sauce and feast is on the menu with all the trimmings and treats that make us drool,
How about dessert? How about some Oysters?
It’s likely at your house you will also enjoy what 50 million of us prefer on Thanksgiving day and that is scrumptious pumpkin pie, of course with whipped cream. However, America prefers apple pie – ala mode just as well. I wonder who’s counting?
This weekend of course is anchored by tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Day, then on Friday, eight million of us will take part of the largest shopping day of the year – Black Friday. That is if you don’t mind the crowds and spending money.
By the time Saturday rolls around, who knows what we all may get into. For me, Saturday I will celebrate my birthday. I won’t divulge my age but, ‘Four Score and Seven’ tells it all!
Thanksgiving Day is so very special given the tradition of love, family and just being together.
It all began in 1621 when the pilgrims celebrated by giving thanks for their blessings, family and love. It’s a good bet they didn’t munch down on a turkey that day, likely they consumed venison, fowl or even seafood.
In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving was to be a national holiday and we have been celebrating ever since.
On Thanksgiving Day we all have our favorites hopefully waiting for us at the table amid the fact that 31% of us will travel home and 47% of us will hit the highways. After saying Grace and Thanksgiving, the feast is ready to consume. Do you like turkey and dressing? Those powers that be, say that 60% of us love it and others prefer ham.
For your edification tomorrow, betcha didn’t know that those female turkeys “cackle” and the males are the guys who always “gobble gobble.”
Just some information you can use at the dinner table.
Many families love to bring up a “toast” for the good of us all. Tomorrow, if you toast, it will likely be with wine, beer or whiskey. Certainly, there are those of who would rather toast with coffee or iced tea. Thanksgiving Day for me has a few favorites times of the day.
One is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade which gets underway at 8:30 and finishes at noon with Santa officially declaring ‘The Christmas Season’ is now officially here. The Macy’s 99th parade is the world’s largest and is held in New York featuring balloons, floats, the Rockettes, bands and of course Mickey and Minnie mouse all on NBC.
My second favorite time of Thanksgiving Day is that of sitting back with a plate full of turkey and dressing and watching the Dallas Cowboys meet the Detroit Lions. The Lions have played almost every Thanksgiving since 1934 and the Cowboys since 1966.
You have to search all the way back to Thanksgiving Day 1876 to find when the very first game was played. Again, another Thanksgiving Day fact – it was a college game with Princeton defeating Yale.
My third favorite of Thanksgiving Day is later in the evening or even on Friday we all love going for those LEFTOVERS with plenty of gravy.
Likely, you know from year to year what it costs you to serve Thanksgiving dinner to your family and friends.
The average costs at this point in time is $58.08 for 10 guests. Not bad, it you figure the average. However, records show that 1/3 of Americans plan to order take out or head to a nice restaurant to celebrate the holiday.
SANTA AND THE CHRISTMAS SEASON
As you know and anticipate, Santa always makes his annual appearance as the parade is winding down at near 12 Noon. We all know that when the Jolly Guy from the North Pole gives out a hearty HO HO HO – the 2025 Christmas season is now underway.
Be advised that Christmas is now officially just 29 days away.
Some of us love Santa’s annual declaration which means its time to get in the spirit and think about where all of your Christmas decorations are and when will you will put up your outside decorations. Likely, you will be watching the weather for a nice warm fall day to attach your lights etc. Don’t be like me back in 2016.
It was 73 degrees on Thanksgiving weekend when I tried to string the lights on our front yard tree which was located on a 6-foot-wall. Bad idea. I slipped and fell onto the concrete driveway and off to the Emergency Room I went with a fractured elbow, concussion and bruises. I was lucky.
So, be very careful out there and always have someone nearby to assist. PS – do not climb walls topped with mulch.
The Christmas season of course seemingly brings out those “Baa Humbug” folks like Ebenezer Scrooge that would rather just to be left alone. And that’s ok. Nothing wrong with saying Merry Christmas with a smile though.
Somewhere in the weeks or days to come, it will be time to search for your Christmas stuffed animals, Frosty the snowman, Rudolph, Bells and the list goes on and on. Lookout Mr. Garage – here we come.
For me, I miss those wonderful annual Christmas TV shows of Christmas’s past that featured Andy Williams singing – “It’s the Holiday Season!”
Very soon, all the Christmas movies will hit us like a tsunami with the coming of White Christmas, A Christmas Carol along with Ralphie’s A Christmas Story.
I remember watching “A Christmas Carol” as a new movie in 1951 at school. Scrooge was played by Alastair Sim and the movie caught my attention even at age 13. Over the many decades that followed, the movie has been recreated so many times. Pick your favorite. For me, the best of all was the movie version of 1984 featuring an incredible actor – George C. Scott as Scrooge. The channels seem to prefer the ’51 version, but 1984 which is in color, is the very best it could ever be.
So, put on a Happy Face and Smile! It’s time to count our blessings. From Mrs. T, along with our Boston Terrier Sadie May and me, we wish you and yours – Happy Thanksgiving!
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.