Happy Thanksgiving

So here's a little conundrum. You could be forgiven for thinking that the big holiday this week is a thing called "Black Friday," and that we're in the middle of something incongruously called "Black Friday Week." (What?) But the holiday is actually Thanksgiving. Yet one of the things I'll be thankful for is if some of you use my links for, well...your black friday shopping tomorrow. Kinda circular, then—you see how that goes? On the one hand I'm critical of the confusing of greed with gratitude, and on the other hand I'm just like everybody else, in that I need to make a little money too. It's not like it used to be way back in 2010. There's so much competition now.

But I'm definitely still celebrating the secular holiday (quaint little old-fashioned Thursday Thanksgiving) in the middle of the other, bigger secular holiday (sprawling, modern, big-shouldered and brawny Black Friday). I hope those of you among my countrymen are with your families—my son was at my brother's house last night and I very dearly wish I could have been with them or with other family today. I did get to have breakfast with the family of some younger friends this morning, and that was a treat. Kinda made my day.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. All that's demanded of us is that we gather, eat a good meal together, and be mindful all day of our gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. And, in spirit, to all you non-celebrants outside the United States, too.

Mike

P.S. The engraving was made after a painting by one Charles Lucy, a native of Hereford in Britain, as published in Dibby's Annual in the Summer of 1911. His obituary states that "through life [he] devoted himself, at the sacrifice of many opportunities of immediate gain, and despite much unmerited discouragement, to the higher branches of historical painting." He died at age 59 in 1873. The phrase "Pilgrim Fathers" could not be more apt; estimates vary, but worldwide there are thought to be at least 7 million and as many as 35 million people alive today who are descended from that tiny band of immigrants.

Original contents copyright 2018 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Tim Farnham: "Mike, you may be interested to know that here in the UK the retail industry has adopted Black Friday with enthusiasm and it looks like becoming Black Friday fortnight. And we don't even celebrate Thanksgiving. Best wishes, Tim."

Terry Letton: "Looks like dropping in background from another image is nothing new.  :-)  That darn sure isn’t Plymouth MA or Cape Cod behind those folks."

Mike replies: See, now isn't that annoying? Exactly what we've been talking about these last few days.

Fred Haynes: "We will know ‘the end is here’ when we start greeting each other with 'happy Black Friday!' My iPad said that should be initial caps! But this comment is more about saying Happy Thanksgiving to you Mike, and all you readers!"

Mike replies: Like this email I got this morning....

Comments

[David Evans]

I believe I see some Pilgrim Mothers in there.

[James]

Happy Thanksgiving Mike.
I made my Turkey smile this morning - told him I was sending him someplace warm for the holiday.

[Bill Poole]

Well, seeing that image was just what I needed on a Thanksgiving when my wife and I are missing the festivities because she is still recovering from surgery she had a few days back. A large copy of that engraving hung above the sofa (we called it a "couch") in my childhood home in Massachusetts. Not sure if we are descended from any of them Pilgrims, but I do know that some of my ancestors emigrated to Massachusetts in the 17th century. (We are an immigrant nation--end of sermon.) Thanks, Mike.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

Back at ya, Mike. (And best wishes for your wife's speedy recovery, Bill!)

[Tony Rowlett]

Hong Kong also celebrates "Black Friday" with great enthusiasm! So says my wife who landed there yesterday.

[Terry Letton]

Looks like dropping in background from another image is nothing new. ::))) that darnm sure isn’t Plymouth MA or Cape Cod behind those folks

[David Swinnard]

Black Friday (week, day, pre-BF too) is in full swing here in Canada too. Apparently retailers latch onto anything that will (hopefully) drive MORE SALES.

We lack the association with Thanksgiving as ours was back in October, pre-Halloween (more "sales") so it's more a prelude to Christmas shopping.

As we no longer (wife and I, not Canada as a whole) get TV through our cable connection, we've been spared that form of media advertising, but the local (small town) bi-weekly paper is many times the normal size with all the included
"sale-of-the-moment) flyers.

[Brian Stewart]

I suspect that "Black Friday Without Thanksgiving Thursday" has been exported by the US to many countries, not just the UK, as reported by Tim Farnham. It's a relatively recent phenomenon, but the Australian tech sector has adopted it with enthusiasm. I guess the retail sector anywhere will jump on anything to boost sales. Now pardon me while I go and check the Fuji prices, since it's Friday here already, not that anyone waits for Friday ...

[Michael Perini]

Happy Thanksgiving Mike, in the truest sense of the holiday.

[Keith Mitchell]

Mike we lived in Canada for a little while ten years ago and had the good fortune to spend Canadian Thanksgiving with two welcoming Canadian families. On our way home to Western Australia we stopped off in Oaxaca in Mexico and spent an American Thanksgiving with a group of expatriate Americans. All occasions were a wonderful experience for us. No religion, no gifts, just enjoying a good meal together with loving caring people. We loved it so much we now celebrate Thanksgiving here. The whole family takes it in turns to state what they have been thankful for in the last year. On one memorable occasion our 3 year old grandson said he was thankful for triangles! We also take the time to get a family group picture each year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are very evident here in Perth, the most isolated major city in the world. Happy Thanksgiving to you Mike.

[Mike Potter]

Happy Thanksgiving, Mike! I hope you had an enjoyable holiday. This was one of, probably, only two or three Thanksgivings in my 55 years of existence that I have been by myself/not with any family. Am moving to England, from Texas, in a few weeks time to join my British wife. Am looking forward to it, but have been a bit reflective, and even a bit melancholy, as I think of leaving my four children (22yr old daughter and 19yr old triplet sons) behind. All the best to you and your family, all TOP readers, and everyone else in this world. The world is a better place, in my opinion, when we realize that we need each other.

[hugh crawford]

So is William Bradford in that picture?

[hugh crawford]

That must be the Alerton family, can you imagine taking three children on an adventure like that?

[Peter Vee]

its great that Edward Steichen was there to take that picture when those hardy Pilgrims arrived.

[Casey Bisson]

I was in London not long ago when I was asked “you Americans don’t celebrate Black Friday, do you?”

I think some of my beer came out through my nose when I chuckled at the question, but it turned out that neither of us knew how it had started, or where it started first.

[Ben]

Happy Thanksgiving, Mike! We were lucky to have spent yesterday with both my and my wife’s family and fortunate to have plenty, and good, food to share.

I won’t be shopping at all today... it’s sad to hear that Black Friday has taken over the world, and surely it has clogged my inbox too. Hope you make some money on it though... you deserve it.

[Eric Perlberg]

@ Casey Bisson the term Black Friday relates to the fact that for many retailers their busiest and most profitable business comes during the run up to xmas beginning the day after (in the US) Thanksgiving. Black Friday signifies the date which begins these retailers to be in the black profit wise, hence Black Friday.

I live a few minutes walk from the Thames in the London borough of Southwark and often walk by a small, easily unnoticed plaque in the Rotherhithe section of Southwark marking the real origin of the famous voyage of the Mayflower. My thanksgiving day gift to Mike who seems to have an affection for things England are these webpages with some interesting info regarding the Mayflower and the religious dissidents who sailed on her. https://www.london-unattached.com/mayflower-pilgrim-fathers-london/ and https://southwarkheritage.wordpress.com/2017/08/14/southwarks-blue-plaque-nominees-2017-the-mayflower-pub/

[subroto mukerji]

As I sit at my desk here in Delhi, I close my eyes and try to imagine the state of mind of the Pilgrim Fathers -- their relief and their gratitude.
"The world is a better place, in my opinion, when we realize that we need each other", wrote Mike Potter, above. True. In fact, it might be even be a wee bit more than that, actually, if Andy Weir's famous short story 'The Egg' is anything to go by.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mike.

[Joe B]

Happy belated Thanksgiving. Perhaps I should say Happy Black Friday (week, day, month) as it seems to have become a national holiday. Ought to give people the day off from work to prop up the retailers.

Our Thanksgiving meal was at a communal, entire town affair. All the food was donated by the groceries in town (small town pop 6200 or so) volunteers cooked, served the meal. Long tables so everyone could share stories and create more of a family atmosphere. I like the way its done.

So its Black Friday. Nothing of interest on my list. Always tempting to go to Amazon and see the long lists of "deals" but I figure Bezos has enough money for many lifetimes, he does not need my contribution.
cheers,

[Tom]

Amazon was the carrier of Black Friday to the UK and quite probably to the rest of the world. I had an email from a Dutch store pointing out today was the day too. Bah, humbug.

[hugh crawford]

the first black friday

full detail here
https://streetsofsalem.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/pilgrim-ad-3-pants.jpg

[Chester Williams]

Happy belated Thanksgiving, Mike. Slipped my mind as we do not celebrate it down in the islands!

[Ed]

Ah, we in Holland were in full black friday fenzy. But that is only fair since AFAIK the legend is that Thanksgiving is modeled after the Pilgrim fathers (and mothers I guess) set sail from Leiden on the Mayflower and witnessed Leiden Ontzet(Leiden liberated) in the process. I bought a Anglebird 64Gb V90 SD card and the mail reply came 12 hours later due to a slight mailserver congestion (sleepless night included). I went to the local Mediamarkt and is was packed to the brim.

Greets, Ed.