Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re taking time away from your family and friends to read this, then I demand you walk away and go spend time with loved ones. I don’t have anything interesting to say anyway.In fact, if I wasn’t trying to post every single day for this dumb National Blog Posting Month, I wouldn’t be writing anything today. But I am, so I am.Anyway, Thanksgiving is well-known for turkey, football, family, and now, unfortunately, shopping. Here are just a few of the interesting things from Thanksgivings past:--1621: Hearty Pilgrims and cool-ass Indians gather for the first Thanksgiving. Later they watch as Lions beat the Bears by three touchdowns. Not really. I just made that up. The Bears won, not the Lions, but I didn't think you'd believe me that it happened if I said the Bears won.--1863: President Abraham Lincoln, through unilateral executive action (the horror!), proclaims the last Thursday in November to be Thanksgiving.--1920: The department store Gimbels is the first department store to launch a Thanksgiving Day parade. Four years later, Macy’s will follow suit. Although Macy’s is still around, Gimbels went out of business in 1986. The parade still exists, but now it’s called the Dunkin’ Donuts Parade.--1939: President Franklin Roosevelt causes a Thanksgiving crisis when he announces in August of that year that Thanksgiving will be the fourth Thursday in November, instead of the fifth (last) Thursday. Angry Republicans charge FDR as being disrespectful toward Lincoln’s memory.The country overall is torn though as the Thanksgiving observance issue crosses party lines. Twenty-three states choose to celebrate Thanksgiving according to the old tradition, and twenty-two states choose to celebrate according to FDR’s decree. Texas, Mississippi and Colorado decide to celebrate both days!--1965: Arlo Guthrie is arrested in Stockbridge, Georgia for littering. The events that followed inspire him to write Alice’s Restaurant, an eighteen-minute song protesting the Vietnam War that many radio stations play as a Thanksgiving tradition.--Every year ever: Uncle Bob eats too much at Thanksgiving dinner, then settles into a recliner, loosens his belt, and exclaims, “I’m as stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey.”That's all for today, because Thanksgiving isn't about reading or writing blogs. It's about spending time with your family.Happy Thanksgiving!PREVIOUS POST: It's Thanksgiving, Not Turkey DayIF YOU LIKED THIS POST I BET YOU'LL ALSO LIKE: Turkey Facts to Amaze Your Guests+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Hey, did you like reading this? If so, you should Share it on Facebook so you can bring joy to others. You can also find tons of other posts by me here. And you can like my Facebook page, Brett Baker Writes. Please.
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