Happy Thanksgivikkah

It's Thanksgiving in the U.S. of A. - a day set aside since Abraham Lincoln's tenure as president of these United States.  Traditionally celebrated by gathering the family and eating a large meal.  It's one part harvest festival, one part family reunion, and one part nostalgia.

Or, one could argue cynically that it has become about political posturing and the kick off to capitalistic orgy of holiday shopping and aggressive marketing.

It's a day of rest in our house. We relax a bit before continuing back into the annual season of Salvation Army fundraising - the kettles and bell ringers  - and toy and food basket distribution and nursing home and hospital and prison visitations and, and, and...

We don't consume the traditional Thanksgiving meal in our house.  When my wife was pregnant with our daughter she ate some chicken that made her terribly ill.  It wasn't the chicken, mind you... it was the pregnancy - but we have not, since that day, had any poultry prepared in our house.  Chicken Cornish Hen, Duck, Goose, Turkey... they're all verboten.  So we have ersatz thanksgiving meals.  Last year we had steak.  This year we had corned beef and cabbage - and green bean casserole; you cannot escape green bean casserole.

Later tonight we'll set up our Christmas tree and string it up with lights and decorations. And since Thanksgiving and Hanukkah overlap this year (for the first time in a long time and the last time in a very, very, very long time...) we'll light the first and second candles of our menorah to celebrate the rededication of the Jewish Temple.

I tend to be a little grumpy and cynical about the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I recognize this about myself - and I accept it, but I try to keep it in check - at least a little.  I'm not anti-holidays (that is "holy-days").  So Happy Thanksgivikkah (or Hanugiving, if you prefer) to you and you and you.