So, one of the unique experiences I had while living overseas for almost two years came in November 2006 when I was working in Egypt. The magazine that I was writing for was run (and largely staffed) by Americans.
In late November, my editor, who happened to be a Canadian ex-pat, swung by my desk and asked, “So… you going to the boss’ place tonight?”
After a few minutes of vacantly staring at each other, he caved and explained. “The publishers are having a Thanksgiving dinner for all staff tonight at their place. I’m guessing the vacant look was because no one told you”.
To which I responded “Well, yes… but the vacant look had more to do with the fact that Thanksgiving was a month ago. Will they even let me in, given that I’m Canadian?”
We had a laugh about it and then he explained that, yes, the event was open to all and that even some of the Egyptian staffers were attending (another post may go into detail about the Egyptians/Candied Yams dichotomy). So, out of curiosity more than anything else, I attended.
See, I’d always had this opinion about American Thanksgiving and the fact that it’s historically ridiculous. There’s no way anyone would be celebrating a successful harvest at the end of November, and that fact remains entrenched in my nicely-conditioned Canadian brain.
But here’s something they don’t teach you in your grade seven Canadian history class…
American Thanksgiving rules.
It is way better than Canadian Thanksgiving. So good, that one attendance was enough to completely overlook blatant historical inaccuracy.
Imagine this, my fellow Canadians… in one day you get to jam in all of the following events:
- Thanksgiving dinner
- The Santa Claus Parade
- Trimming the Christmas tree
- Several daytime football games (and meaningful ones, since it’s late in the season)
Oh yeah, and then, to top it off, you get a dry-run for Boxing Day the very next day. All of this, PLUS a four-day weekend and you still get that day off in October for Columbus Day or whatever bogus long-weekend they claim to be celebrating south of 49.
I’m sorry, but as much as the positioning of the day makes zero sense whatsoever, there’s something to be said for it being significantly better than our Thanksgiving and *probably* the second best holiday all-year, Stateside.
Consider all of this… now look back on all the specials you’ve watched in recent years or as kids. You know, the ones where they talk about the miracle of Thanksgiving and how important it is… be it “How I Met Your Mother”, “Home Improvement”, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, whatever. Look at all that, consider everything they jam into one day.
Add in the entire family.
Then add the fact that just a month later, everyone does it all again to basically tear it all down and exchange gifts and ask if you wouldn’t mind having that kind of deal up here.
Yeah, me too.
Happy Yanksgiving everyone.
In late November, my editor, who happened to be a Canadian ex-pat, swung by my desk and asked, “So… you going to the boss’ place tonight?”
After a few minutes of vacantly staring at each other, he caved and explained. “The publishers are having a Thanksgiving dinner for all staff tonight at their place. I’m guessing the vacant look was because no one told you”.
To which I responded “Well, yes… but the vacant look had more to do with the fact that Thanksgiving was a month ago. Will they even let me in, given that I’m Canadian?”
We had a laugh about it and then he explained that, yes, the event was open to all and that even some of the Egyptian staffers were attending (another post may go into detail about the Egyptians/Candied Yams dichotomy). So, out of curiosity more than anything else, I attended.
See, I’d always had this opinion about American Thanksgiving and the fact that it’s historically ridiculous. There’s no way anyone would be celebrating a successful harvest at the end of November, and that fact remains entrenched in my nicely-conditioned Canadian brain.
But here’s something they don’t teach you in your grade seven Canadian history class…
American Thanksgiving rules.
It is way better than Canadian Thanksgiving. So good, that one attendance was enough to completely overlook blatant historical inaccuracy.
Imagine this, my fellow Canadians… in one day you get to jam in all of the following events:
- Thanksgiving dinner
- The Santa Claus Parade
- Trimming the Christmas tree
- Several daytime football games (and meaningful ones, since it’s late in the season)
Oh yeah, and then, to top it off, you get a dry-run for Boxing Day the very next day. All of this, PLUS a four-day weekend and you still get that day off in October for Columbus Day or whatever bogus long-weekend they claim to be celebrating south of 49.
I’m sorry, but as much as the positioning of the day makes zero sense whatsoever, there’s something to be said for it being significantly better than our Thanksgiving and *probably* the second best holiday all-year, Stateside.
Consider all of this… now look back on all the specials you’ve watched in recent years or as kids. You know, the ones where they talk about the miracle of Thanksgiving and how important it is… be it “How I Met Your Mother”, “Home Improvement”, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, whatever. Look at all that, consider everything they jam into one day.
Add in the entire family.
Then add the fact that just a month later, everyone does it all again to basically tear it all down and exchange gifts and ask if you wouldn’t mind having that kind of deal up here.
Yeah, me too.
Happy Yanksgiving everyone.
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