Too many years ago when an officer cadet at the Royal Military Academy
Sandhurst I had to study a particular General in detail as part of my
military history studies. My first choice out of a short list was Alexander
the Great and my second was Stonewall Jackson. Happily for me my first
choice was accepted and has led to a lifetime fascination of the life and
times of Alexander, his predecessors and inheritors.
However it meant that I never studied the history of the USA in any detail,
which might have been nurtured had I researched General Jackson in the
detail to which I had done with Alexander.
So much of my knowledge of your history is based on peripheral knowledge
gained over a lifetime and is not without an element or two of detail.
However there are huge holes ( "black holes" is appropriate ). One of them
is your Thanksgiving date. Oh I understand the background of its historical
beginnings but have no idea of the date -- which is obviously at this time
of year.
It approaches the vagueness of " when is Easter". Hopefully it is not a
feast that spreads it date over several days ( or even weeks like
Christmas ). One of the sad things in UK is the deterioration of the ancient
"celebration" of "Guy Fawkes Night" ( Bonfire night ) on 5 November. As a
boy and for the last 400 odd years it had been celebrated uniquely on the
night of 5 November with a preceding evening ( Mischievous Night --
probably the antecedent of your Halloween). But that was it.
On an ever increasing basis it now covers about 2 weeks by various profit
and non profit organisations having their individual "safe" nights --
augmented by the local vandals letting of illegal "bombs" from the end of
September. or it happens on the nearest weekend before or after! Quite sad
really!
It is akin to me only eating fresh strawberries when they are in season
locally at the end of June/early July.
I can now buy hot cross buns all year round in my local supermarket but I
don't -- it is a treat at Easter when I bake my own.
I am, inevitably a product of my age -- but there is so much more inherent
pleasure in events that re-occur annually, in season and briefly. If you
extend the season then the pleasure is diluted to an eventual nonentity!


Oh sorry --- there I go again! All I originally started out on was that I
didn't know the date ( fixed?) of Thanksgiving day

Trust the US to have 2 "Christmases" ( you know -- family emotional times)

If any of you were nearer I might send you a bottle of my 4 year old
strawberry "Champagne" but I have only 3 bottles left!

Happy thanksgiving to all in USA


Sorry for the ramble!



--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire, England
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"Dar V" > wrote in message
...
> So what type of wine are you having for Thanksgiving?
> I'm opening up my first bottle of cranberry wine, and at sometime this
week
> I'll open up a bottle of strawberry.
>
> Happy Thanksgiving,
> Darlene
>
>
>