OK so my run down of this holiday is pretty cut and dry, and it might sound like I don't have as big a problem with this one as with others... But I do I dislike it more then Halloween Anyways, It's just that my Problem is with One or Two Really big Issues.
So let me brake it down for you.
History.
One issue I have with this Holiday is that No one has a good grasp on it's history. And by that I mean NO ONE. Historians can't really agree on this for the most part. We do know a few things.
#1. It was originally a harvest festival. (And thus was NEVER in November!)
#2. It was... Kind of Religious when it started, but was still a very Secular Holiday by the standards of its Day.
#3. The First One we would Recognize as a thanksgiving was in 1621. At Plymouth MS. And is the Pilgrim / Native American thing most people think about.
So other then that, every thin else is kind of fuzzy. Like we know there were Natives There but, there is some disagreement as to Which ones? But it can be Narrowed to the Patuxet Tribe. Or the Wampanoag Trip. (Maybe Both, Or Maybe both on two separate occasions)
We also know that there were celebrations before this date in other places that were called Thanksgiving Celebrations but didn't really stick around.
The Date Jumped Around allot until 1941 When my Favorite President FDR Finally set the Date. He picked the date to give the Economy a little bump at that time of year. (Or it was a Economic Decision, And i can forgive him for that)
It was Celebrated widely in the United States sense the mid-1800's. So it had been around about a hundred years by that time.
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Food.
OK so you hear this allot from would be know it alls. "Turkey was't even served at the first thanksgiving! Because the Natives would not have hunted such a docile bird, they would have thought it was Dishonorable."
Right. So I don't never know were to start with this. So I will do what I always do... Make a list. (I swear I should have called my self the magic list man)
Stupid loop holes in the above statement.
#1. The Natives Hunted Turkey... And Pretty much everything else in the area.
#2. Wile Honer might have played a part in Native Culture.. These are not Klingon's People.
#3. Wild Turkeys Are not THAT docile. And Despite Populate belief will not drowned by looking up into the rain with there mouths open. That is a Domesticated Turkey. And pretty much All domesticated Animals are Mentally Impaired compared to wild members of there species. Think about Buffalo in Comparison to Domestic Cattle.
#4. The statement ignored the fact that the English Settlers Also Provided part of the food. Most of it in fact, because they had invited the Natives as a thank you for giving them food when they were starving.
#5. This completely ignores the fact that letters of the day Clearly State there was a "Multitude of wild turkey and waterfowl served" That's pretty much a qout from a document written a few days after the feast.
There were in fact a bunch of food served that seam a little odd now.
Like. (Some of this is Redundant)
Waterfowl, Turkey, Venison (Deer), Fish, Lobster, Clams, Squash, Fruit, Berries and pumpkin.
(Yes i know that Both Berries and Pumpkin are fruits) Also the Pumpkin was roasted and not in Pie Form at the time. Umm... Pumpkin pie....
Now that being stated the Turkey was not the focal point of the meal until the late 1800's when allot of the others foods had become very hard or expensive to find. Some people contest with both Thanksgiving and Christmas that Goose or Duck was the Original Main Corse. But no.. That is more of a European thing.
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Stupid Stuff.
OK so then why do i dislike this holiday?
Well really the big reason is this. It's like most of the holiday season just feels so superficial now. Like is required.. And like it's just there to make you spend money. Yes i dig the Get together and spend some time with your family thing. But really why do you need thanksgiving for that?
The other thing is.... It just feels like a Dry Run For Christmas now days. And with the added annoyance of "Black Friday" And the Fact that the will REALLY start playing Christmas songs after Thanksgiving. (But now they have started after Halloween!) It just adds to my dislike for the holiday season.
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