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Gobble-Gobble, Y’all

That is Okie Talk for “pass me one of them drumsticks.”  If you haven’t noticed, they have started.  All the major stores and malls have put up their “Christmas Stuff.”

Being as I am one of those werewolf loonies that becomes somewhat moody and unruly this time of the year, I will ask the basic question:

“Got all your Christmas shopping done?”

Already my annual inferiority complex is moving in.  Every year it seems to start just a tad bit earlier than the year before.  It is caused by all these people who insist on making fun of those of us who have not yet completed their Christmas shopping.  Here it is, November, and the list of things I have NOT done is staggering.

• No … I have not completed my Christmas shopping.
• No … I have not picked out my Christmas cards.
• No … I don’t know what everyone wants this year.
• No … I have not talked to the wife about where she wants the tree.
• No … I have not the little fake people on the front lawn.
• No … I do not remember where we put the tree lights from last year.
• No … I probably will not spend the weekend shopping.

It is getting harder to remember, but I believe there was actually a time in my life, when Thanksgiving Day came literally weeks ahead of Christmas.  It still does on the calendar, but in our minds it’s become sort of a target date for seeing how everybody is doing preparing for Christmas.

I don’t know exactly when this merging of Christmas and Thanksgiving began, but it was not an idea thought up by the Pilgrims, this much I know.  At least I don’t think so?  I think it was Sears, Lowe’s, Home Depot or China-Mart if you want to know the truth.  Last I heard, the Pilgrims took their Holidays, one day at a time.

Back in those days, the days of the Pilgrims.  The Pilgrims got together for a big dinner and then, while the women Pilgrims were cleaning up the kitchen, the men Pilgrims went into the den and watched the Cowboys lose to the forty-niners or something like that?  Nowadays, attitudes are different, much, much different.  We are in such a hurry to get it all over with.

A woman answered a knock on her back door and saw a beggar standing there.  “Lady” he said, “I am hungry.  I have not eaten in two days.  Could you give me something to eat?” The lady replied, “Well, I don’t have anything but these drumsticks left over from Thanksgiving dinner yesterday.” The beggar said, “That would be fine.” So the lady said, “Okay, drop by tomorrow, right now we are working on our Christmas Card List.”

It used to be that Christmas didn’t begin moving into the spotlight until around the 10^th of December.  By that time of the month, it was permissible for children to start asking about getting the tree and later on it was considered all right to begin the job of purchasing gifts for the rest of the family.  And the other important people in your life, immediate family, friends, associates at work, the Cable TV guy.

Funny, I hardly see anybody anymore who admits shopping as late as the middle of December.  But it is common to know people who have all of their buying done by the weekend of Thanksgiving and many already have completed that annual task of revising the Christmas Card List, based on who dropped them the previous December by the 29^th of November.

I sort of think that the very best way to observe Thanksgiving Day is not to discuss Christmas.  It takes some of the fun out of Thanksgiving Day when the whole family sits at the table and makes all the Christmas plans, before the pumpkin pie is served.

Thanksgiving is a time for homecomings, love and good tidings should abound.  Play with the Grand-baby in the pile of leaves in the backyard, pet the dog, sit down and really talk to the child who is home from college and with you on the Holiday.

This Thanksgiving, gather with the family and bask in the glow of all the wonderful things that God has provided for you.  Take a quick mental inventory of all the riches he has given you that you should be thankful for.  God’s word says, 2 Cor 4:15 … For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many rebound to the glory of God.

One last thing:  This year I have made up my mind, I will not do one thing about Christmas on Thanksgiving Day.  Not one thing!  Christmas will come soon enough.

God Bless.

Fifty Plates To Feed My Brother

If you are still here?  If you want to take a Turkey Test you can find one here … I got half of them.  Gobble-Gobble Y’all.

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