Thanksgiving

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   mbuggiehposted 11 years ago

   
   "There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat saleratus biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American."
   
   Such were the words of American author O. Henry---best know for his clever short stories.
   
   Do you share O. Henry's sentiments?

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      Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Except for the Canadians... it is purely American. Maybe he meant purely North American?

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   mbuggiehposted 11 years ago

   So, is a day of national thanksgiving something borne of our (US and Canadian) colonial experiences?

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      Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well that is what we've been told since the time we could say "turkey". Have you heard something different?

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         mbuggiehposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Nope...just wondering what it is about a nation and a people that makes them stop once a year and be thankful.

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            Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Shame? lol
            We should be thankful. Not to be cliche, but we do have so, so much. Our poor have air conditioners and refrigerators with food... most the time. Our rich have enough money to fund entire countries. We have an abundance. I think even more appropriate than just saying thanks is living it. I have this desire to give back this Thanksgiving, but I fear it would be easier to not rock anyone's boat than to make every one climb aboard. Doesn't working in a soup kitchen or some other way of helping seem like such a better alternative? I mean you could eat any day, right?
            
            
            Here's something I thought you might find interesting.
            
            http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article … py_schools

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               bBereanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               For many it is the coordination of schedules facilitating time with extended family that mandates participation on that particular day.  Many of those involved may have the day off from work, further increasing the likelihood they can attend. 
               
               Regarding assisting at soup kitchens, there is generally no shortage of volunteers on holidays.  Assistance is more needed throughout the year, and particularly in difficult weather when utilization of these programs is high, yet only the most determined of volunteers will make the effort to get there to help.  Arranging to assist on a day like that would maximize the positive impact for the time offered.

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                  Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, I was talking about my own family though. lol
                  I have wanted to do something different for a few years now... I end up working on Thanksgiving, and making the meal (and cleaning up after... the wretched ingrates! lol)
                  But Im always afraid if I ask if we could do something new, they'd give me flack. Not that I wouldn't bring it up anyway, it's just that by the time TG comes around, I give into the idea of the norm.
                  
                  I did look into serving and they do seem to have volunteers months in advance. I have a connection this year... maybe I could find an in. I would really like for my kids to see there is something better than just receiving.

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                     bBereanposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     Neither you, nor they, are likely to regret it.  Very rewarding.  Perhaps they will find they want to do it more often, or it may inspire them to assist folks in other ways.

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                        Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

                        The problem is, I make such good stuffing. I think they will cry if they don't get it on time. lol
                        I should send them a fb msg now. My son just got married. She is a very sweet girl. Im half worried she will say yes, and maybe not want to. Ill ask my husband to ask them. lol

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   Hui (蕙)posted 11 years ago

   Why does "turkey" become a typical food for this Day? Chinese Moon Day, the day with the fullest and brightest moon for the whole year, is as much as Thanksgiving in North America. It is for family reunion and to thank a lot, and moon cake is the necessary food.
   
   Moon Cake
   

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      Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      haha, we had those cakes when we were in China... the first one we had was sweet so we thought they were all going to be sweet. Later we had one with an egg in it... we weren't really prepared for the egg.

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         Hui (蕙)posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         It is generally a sweet food, but not so much. There are various brands from different places. Egg one is typically Guangdong or Cantonese style. I do not like it. I like Beijing type.

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            Beth37posted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Yes, we were in Guangdong so I guess that makes sense. lol

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      mbuggiehposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Why turkey?
      
      Great question...so I did some research and here is what I found:
      
      http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_ … urkey.html

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         Hui (蕙)posted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Great!!! I have thought that there must've been an interesting or meaningful or just common-life-style story behind, but now I know that it is just for FEAST to BE THANKFUL. And I also know from this link that SWANS and PEACOCKS used to be served.

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            mbuggiehposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Why do you think it is not meaningful?
            
            Thanksgiving and its traditions---including turkey dinners, find their meaning in Anglo-American cultural traditions; traditions that are as meaningful to the cultures in which they evolved.
            
            How can a feast of thanksgiving be lacking meaning? How can a day devoted to family and thanks be lacking meaning?
            
            I am not understanding.

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               Hui (蕙)posted 11 years agoin reply to this

               I did not say the DAY is not meaningful. Of course it is meaningful, the Day and the story behind it. I meant the article with your link above is not meaningful. How do you understand words?
               
               The link below provided by Writer Fox is a little more meaningful with my original question of "why turkey": people thanked the abundance..., or just because it is from the first feast centuries ago.

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   Writer Foxposted 11 years ago

   Here is a Q/A which explains the history of Thanksgiving:
   http://fritzisaacs.hubpages.com/questio … anksgiving

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      Hui (蕙)posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Helpful with my question "why turkey"---to thank abundance, or just because it is from the first celebration centuries ago.
      I knew the story about the Day, but I am curious at the unique food.

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         Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         That's explained in the link to my Hub from the Q/A.  Basically, wild turkeys were served at the first Thanksgiving meal.  So was venison (deer meat).  Because it is easier to find turkey for the holiday meal today, that's the menu item of choice.
         

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            wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Although I was able to confirm that William Branford, governor of the colony of Plymouth at the time, sent 5 men out fowling, I was never found anything indicating just what their hunting trip produced.  Geese, Swan, doves - could have been anything or even nothing.
            
            Are there diaries or "official" records of the menu that day that I did not find?

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               Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               This is from William Bradford's Journal:
               
               "All ye somer ther was no want. And now begane to come in store of foule, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besids water foule, ther was great store of wild Turkies, of which they tooke many, besids venison, &c"

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                  wildernessposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  Thanks!  I'll have to check that out and see if I can get a useful quote.  Tie that one to Thanksgiving and it should do perfectly!

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                     Writer Foxposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                     What is it you are doing?

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