Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the USA.
Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday of November ever since President Lincoln declared it a legal holiday in 1863. But in 1941, President Franklin officially changed the day of celebration to the fourth Thursday of November.
Back in November of 1620, the Pilgrims settled in a place named Plymouth. It was near Cape Cod and with winter starting they could not plant their food. They also could not build their homes because of the cold weather. As a result, more than half of their colony died.
In 1621, an Indian taught them how to hunt and grow corn, so they were able to harvest that October. They celebrated this success and invited the Indians to their 3 day feast of Thanksgiving…
Unfortunately, this holiday (as all others seem to) is somehow beginning to lose it’s meaning. Corporate America is taking this over as they have done with most other holidays.
The Yahoo front page doesn’t have news about Thanksgiving, but rather news about surviving Black Friday.
Of course, it we weren’t forced into this, we chose it.
I remember having a tradition in my home where I would hand out a book and each person would write a blurb about what they were thankful for throughout the year. The youngest person would read out loud what everyone wrote the previous year, and the oldest person would read what everyone wrote for the current year.
The first few years were very touching and meaningful. Each of us would write of highlights in our lives for the year. But, after a few years, we began to recite the same thing over and over…”I am thankful for my family, my health” blah blah..Once it became so repetitious and meaningless, I just put the book away.
So the holiday itself seems to have gone through the same change over the years. It began as a way to be thankful for the harvest and a celebration of friendship and family, but is turning into a frenzy for shopping.
Things never stay the same… and that’s okay, you know? I used to love green bean casserole, but now I’m getting kind of tired of it. 
But my kids? They seem to like tradition. They keep asking me to bring “The Book of Giving Thanks” back again.. And also, they plan to wake early and go wait on lines the next day! (this I have to see..
)
So go ahead and enjoy those Black Friday sales if that’s your thing.
As for me? I’ll be doing my shopping online. Yep. No lines, screaming people or fights. Just me, my coffee and my two trusted friends, laying right by my feet.
Hey, have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you celebrate this day! And a successful Black Friday if you should decide to do this.
Lydia
serenityls2003@yahoo.com
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Wednesday, 25. November 2009
Happy Thanksgiving Lydia. Enjoy the day as it is meant to be for you and your family.
Cheers,
Gene
Friday, 27. November 2009
Hi Gene,
Thank you!
Tuesday, 15. December 2009
Hi Lydia!
Just dropping by to wish you Happy Holidays! I do prefer to say Merry Christmas but you just don’t know who you might upset these days
I think you should bring the book back. Tradition is something to be treasured (in some circumstances). Poor Abraham got stuck making paper chains for hours for our Christmas decorations… but there was no complaints and my family back in Australia still do it even when I am not there. I used to catch whoever arrived at my house and put them to work cutting and stapling. It is a little piece of me at Christmas when I can’t be there and it sounds like your book is creating the same thing. Sometimes a little tradition can be a blessing. 
I hope all is well with you and you are enjoying a great season. Has been a great year!
Blessings to you and yours!
Julieanne xxx
Tuesday, 15. December 2009
Very good job with your blog. Keep going on, improve it a bit for Search Engines, find some people to exchange blog links, etc., and it will grow in traffic too. Success, Teo
Wednesday, 16. December 2009
Hi Teo! Thanks for the visit and the nice compliment. I’ve been neglecting the blog for quite some time. Hoping that after the holidays I will get back to it again.
Also, thanks for the pointers about the search engines, but I don’t really mind if it isn’t publicized much. Am sure whoever, if anyone, needs to read what I write, they will be drawn to it. Life has a way of doing that.
Nice to see you here, hope everything worked out for you.…
Lydia
Wednesday, 16. December 2009
Julianne, how have you been?? I really miss you and our coffee
Oh yes, unfortunately it has become a big taboo to say MERRY CHRISTMAS — but I surely don’t mind, so feel free to say it here at anytime!
We did the book, and yes my daughter the oldest one, just loves tradition, I sort of go with the flow
Are you pretty much settled in your new home? We’re next. Closing is tomorrow.
Talk soon!
Lydia
Wednesday, 16. December 2009
Yes, life is doing it! Blessings to your daughters and the whole family!
Teo M