# Thanksgiving not a "real" holiday? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 27, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921 "2013-11-27T15:36:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/21 "2013-11-27T23:45:02Z")
Perhaps he meant that its getting weakened due to Christmas stuff ? “Come to our Christmas sale,hurry, before its too late ! oh , buy some Thanksgiven stuff too” ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/22 "2013-11-27T23:46:15Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Does anyone remember Peanuts-themed Thanksgiving greeting cards? This was in the 1960s. You were supposed to send them like Christmas cards, only they were for Thanksgiving and featured all the Peanuts characters, with a heavy emphasis on Snoopy (naturally). (Can’t remember if Woodstock was much on the scene yet.) Wish I still had some of those. > > EDIT: I remember they were put out by Hallmark. Charles Schulz had some sort of deal. I don’t remember that, but I do remember a Peanuts Halloween card that was orange and pumpkin-shaped and had was a little booklet of “Pumpkin carols” to sing for Halloween. ETA: [Here’s a picture](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ok3vBTpsRXc/Tp306Uh3sFI/AAAAAAAAB4Q/bEVPNpQ6V04/s1600/greatpumpkin2.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/23 "2013-11-27T23:50:23Z")
Yes, I remember Peanuts Halloween cards too, but I guess that was only to be expected with the Great Pumpkin and all. Hallmark put those out too. I think I had that very booklet in your link. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/24 "2013-11-28T00:36:19Z")
Because now it’s just Black Friday - Round 1. ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/25 "2013-11-28T00:51:47Z")
Thanksgiving is \*\*\*the best \*\*\*U.S. holiday, I’ve just finished cooking/prepping for what I’m bringing to the feast tomorrow and I’m looking forward to spending the day with my closest friends. Since it’s a federal holiday and almost all businesses give their employees the day off (with obvious exceptions geared towards the ‘Black Friday’ crap) it’s hard to imagine what this CNN guy meant. Even the possible explanations upthread don’t explain it for me. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/26 "2013-11-28T01:02:01Z")
Yesterday a caller on the radio said Thanksgiving was a Christian holiday and it had its roots in Christian tradition. I wish she had had a chance to expound on that because I just don’t get where she’s coming from. Maybe she has only seen Christians doing the thankful prayer thing, since this is not a diverse kind of town? Also yesterday, I got a Thanksgiving card in the mail. Huge surprise there!🙂 ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/27 "2013-11-28T01:06:14Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > A few days ago, one of the CNN news people made the statement that Thanksgiving isn’t technically a real holiday. This was followed by a change of subject. So could anyone explain to me what he could have meant? Could it be that it doesn’t fall on the same date every year? Sounds like he was putting a persecuted christian spin on things. That’s too bad, he’s more than free, in this beautiful country, to pray before he eats. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/28 "2013-11-28T03:40:55Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Until very recently, as many or more people got Thanksgiving off than Christmas. Love a cite for that factoid. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/29 "2013-11-28T04:53:45Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Maybe because it doesn’t commemorate an actual event that a date can be assigned to? Dan Savage made this point in his podcast the other day, more or less. But he was suggesting that since it’s sort of arbitrary we should move it to a better time of year. Maybe June. Not so close to Xmas, and better weather for travel. I think that idea makes a lot of sense, especiially this year with the storm and all. I wish traditions were easier to change. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/30 "2013-11-28T05:00:42Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > Dan Savage made this point in his podcast the other day, more or less. But he was suggesting that since it’s sort of arbitrary we should move it to a better time of year. Maybe June. Not so close to Xmas, and better weather for travel. The problem is, late autumn and early winter are the natural feast months, and Thanksgiving is largely a feast holiday. Winter is just when we are biologically programmed to want to store up food. The only way I could see in giving more room for Christmas would be to move Thanksgiving a bit earlier and make Christmas a lot later. Maybe End of October and early February. ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/31 "2013-11-28T05:05:39Z")
> [@Llama\_Llogophile](#): > > Dan Savage made this point in his podcast the other day, more or less. But he was suggesting that since it’s sort of arbitrary we should move it to a better time of year. Maybe June. Not so close to Xmas, and better weather for travel. > > I think that idea makes a lot of sense, especiially this year with the storm and all. I wish traditions were easier to change. 🙂 But really, I thought the point was to give thanks for the bounty of the seasons (which would have been the spring/summer/fall harvest). This wouldn’t make since at any other time of year. The growing season (and good weather) is past and we are thankful that now in November, we get to reap the benefits. Sure, today we can get anything, anywhere at anytime of year but that destroys the romance of Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/32 "2013-11-28T13:59:20Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > Yesterday a caller on the radio said Thanksgiving was a Christian holiday and it had its roots in Christian tradition. I wish she had had a chance to expound on that because I just don’t get where she’s coming from. Maybe she has only seen Christians doing the thankful prayer thing, since this is not a diverse kind of town? > > Also yesterday, I got a Thanksgiving card in the mail. Huge surprise there!🙂 Well, there is a specific historical Pilgrims feast with the Natives, and the early historical U.S. Thanksgiving proclamations did involved giving thanks to God (and sometimes more specifically, Christ), so it’s not a totally bogus statement. Just not well-informed of the prior history of harvest festivals. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/33 "2013-11-28T14:03:27Z")
“…one of the CNN news people…” = a reason to disregard. Approaching FOX News as a reason to ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/34 "2013-11-28T14:35:23Z")
Well, it’s Thursday night, and Thanksgiving is just about over on this side of the world. You guys are just gearing up. Stuffed ourselves silly we did. If you guys don’t hear from me again, it’s because I died during the night tonight. I am _so_ fucking full. Flopped right onto the bed when we got home and took a nap. I don’t know if I can eat again for the rest of the year. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/35 "2013-11-28T15:08:44Z")
It’s the only time Americans get a four-day weekend (well, those who can). Four-day weekends are almost\* the best holidays there are! “almost” courtesy of a place where November 29 and December 3, 6 and 8 are holidays. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/36 "2013-11-28T16:41:21Z")
Like many other atheists, I appreciate having Thanksgiving so I can get the whole “hang out with family & stuff myself” experience without feeling like a hypocrite. I only get to do so every few years, but I wouldn’t want to lose the opportunity. I also like the reminder to be thankful for what good fortune I’ve had. This year I’m thankful especially for health insurance. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/37 "2013-11-28T21:50:30Z")
… because it celebrates the destruction of the Native American population and seizure of their lands, and we commemorate that by stuffing ourselves silly? [/Oscar the grouch] ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/38 "2013-11-28T23:36:21Z")
…They were fluffy indigenous kittens until we came along! [/Willow Rosenberg] ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/39 "2013-11-28T23:56:10Z")
> [@tenacious\_j](#): > > Yesterday a caller on the radio said Thanksgiving was a Christian holiday and it had its roots in Christian tradition. I wish she had had a chance to expound on that because I just don’t get where she’s coming from. What do you think the Pilgrims were, buddhists? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2013, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921/40 "2013-11-28T23:58:15Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > What do you think the Pilgrims were, buddhists? The Pikgims did not invent thankfulness, harvest festivals or the specfic holiday of Thanksgiving. They were New World colonists and proto-Americans. The holiday as its roots in American history. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-not-a-real-holiday/674921.md?page=3)