pass the turkey

OK, maybe I'm just a traditionalist, but whatever happened to Thanksgiving? It's like it doesn't even exist anymore. I know Christmas has been creeping up on it for years, but there was always some kind of unwritten law that said, "We don't go full bore till after Thanksgiving." Let the Pilgrims and Indians play their football game first and when the clock winds down to double zero, then wheel out Santa Claus.

That has been infringed on over the last few years, but this year seems to be different. It's as if the bulldozers came through and opened a freeway right past Thanksgiving. The marketing world just passed the turkey, stepped in your cranberries and splattered sweet potato all over the curb in the mad rush to Christmas. Aren't there enough shopping days in December to get the message across? Can't we hang on until 4:00 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving (or whatever insane hour stores are opening these days on Friday) before bombarding people with the X-Box 360 and whatever else the hot toy may be this year?

I realize there's no big money in Thanksgiving presents. Hallmark isn't making a windfall on Thanksgiving cards either. It's the grocery stores and John Madden, and you can only market so many 10 legged turkeys. Larry the Cable Guy's been checking out the gift possibilities already out there and it's got him a little ticked as well. "I keep seeing these Hickory Farms baskets in stores that you can buy as gifts. What kinda gift is that? I guess nothing says 'Happy Birthday Jesus' like a 2 foot meat stick and some spicy mustard! This world is nuttier than squirrel poop!" I encourage you to follow the link to his website, if for no other reason than to check out his Christmas light display. Still, can we hold back the rush and just pause for a day, and give thanks for all we have, before we go out and get more?