What did you just call it?!?

Some people get upset with monikers like “Turkey Day.” But whatever the original intent of the day was, the feast has become the integral part. If Thanksgiving were simply a day to think about all the things we were thankful for, it would loose its shine pretty quickly. Family, feasting, football, and (for some) shopping have become the special elements that help us be thankful; meditation is not an American strength.

And Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. Sure there is the 4th of July, but a lot of countries have a national holiday. Halloween doesn’t really count either. A lot of countries are trying to get Halloween going and it has deeper roots than America can claim. (Do we really want to claim that holiday anyway, as fun as it can be?) Like every other holiday that started out religious, America has done its best to add traditions and elements that are secular in nature.

But is that really a terrible thing? For people who want to celebrate the religious roots of holidays, they are all still there. If anything, the other traditions just add to the richness of the experience. Who can imagine Christmas without Christmas trees and stockings? Who would really want set aside a day each year to just be thankful without a turkey dinner?

If things like “Turkey Day” make you upset, it would not due to admit that there are those of us that start playing Christmas music around the first of November, decorate as soon as is (almost) socially acceptable and really just consider Thanksgiving a part of the larger season known as “The Holidays.”

In any case, let’s just concentrate on all we are thankful for today (and every day for that matter) and not get huffy over what some people choose to call it. Tempers will likely flare enough when the Cowboys play anyway.