So yesterday was Thursday, November 21. What if Thanksgiving were yesterday? How would it have changed your life/activities/outlook? Of course, that would have happened had "Franksgiving" been kept (the moving of Thanksgiving to the third Thursday in November).Personally, I like having Thanksgiving at the end of November. It seems that Christmas has become more and more materialized over my lifetime, so much so that it's hard to - pardon the cliche - take in the true meaning of Christmas. Having Thanksgiving at the end of November is but one way of delaying the inevitability of Christmas commercials, decorations, and so forth which businesses throw at us. I like Thanksgiving. It is an overlooked holiday, but an important one. How often are we truly thankful to God for what we have? And how often can we imagine ourselves following in the footsteps of Colonial-era people feasting on the Fall harvest?
The three most important holidays in my house in order of importance are Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day. Thanksgiving is so much more than Turkey and Football. You are right though that most people see no further than that.
Then you must be celebrating Thanksgiving in an island, being overseas. I've celebrated Thanksgiving while out of the country before as well, and I believe I had to eat chicken in lieu of turkey.
Actually, because I live near an overseas military base there are quite a few Americans around. I usually have some friends over for a traditional thanksgiving meal. We also usually invite a couple of our German neighbors, most of whom think it is an awesome tradition.I get my Butterball too because I am retired I can shop on post, I just have to go to the German Zollamt and pay German VAT on everything I buy at the commissary. We have the whole spread at our house, Turkey, Cranberries, Gravy, Stuffing, Sweet Potatoes, and everything.Heck, we even get football in the evening because the games are broadcast on AFN and the early game starts at 1900. The Macy's Parade is usually on in the background when we sit down to dinner.