We May Be Onto Something Here

I awoke moments ago from my Thanksgiving nap. Well, technically since we actually had Thanksgiving yesterday, this was my day after Thanksgiving nap, but since today is Thanksgiving for the rest of the America it's actually my Thanksgiving nap even though it's the day after our Thanksgiving. Okay, I'll stop. I know many of you are still digesting and this pattern of circular thinking might result in a feeling of queasiness....or worse: cranberry stains on computer monitors around the world.

In any case, this having Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving I believe is a concept which merits further consideration.

To begin with, our relations who had to travel were able to leave today...there's no one on the roads...they're enjoying their post Thanksgiving travels on the highways--two adults, two teenagers and a fairly large dog in a van are not the least bit stressed driving on the day after Thanksgiving (which is really Thanksgiving). That alone should be reason enough for folks to consider having their holiday ahead of schedule. Usually the trip on I-35 after Thanksgiving results in any holiday spirit being sucked from your soul. The kids in the backseat often learn words which jeopardize their chances of being on Santa's "good little boy or girl" list for at least the upcoming holiday if not for years to come.

Additionally, we didn't center our Thanksgiving meal around a football game or even a game featuring the Dallas Cowboys which could quite easily be argued no longer qualifies as football in the traditional sense. We ate when the food was ready. There was no TV on and no one was craning their neck to see a score.

Thirdly, we woke up this morning and realized everything of note was closed. So we didn't have to rush out the door at 5 a.m. (something Amy and I actually enjoy doing) to take advantage of mad post Thanksgiving sales. Tomorrow a bunch of slugs who at best have had one decent nap will grudging roll out of bed, newspaper ads in hand and lethargically immerse themselves in a sea of senselessness in hopes of being in line at JC Penny's at 5:30 a.m. to get a free Mickey Mouse snow globe. Amy and I on the other hand will have a full day's rest on these other ill prepared, still tryptophan influenced shoppers. We won't be suckered in by snow globes...we'll will head for true bargains, like...I don't know free CD-R's or something.

Plus we woke up this Thanksgiving Day (even though it's not Thanksgiving to us) and said, "Hey, we don't have to do anything!" - no cooking, no housecleaning to get ready for relatives, no rushing to Wal-Mart for parsley or some such sudden necessity, no post holiday meal clean up which no one wants to do because we're all to satiated - nothing. We did nothing but hug the kids when they went up the road to eat again with their other set of parents, and squeeze our other relations tight as they embarked on their empty highway adventures, then we read the paper.

We called other relatives...watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - did Brooke Shields look scary to anyone but me?
Then we had pie.
Later we had leftover turkey and dressing.
Then we napped.

Now I'm about to watch the Cowboys with no risk whatsoever of them spoiling my holiday....although indigestion is still a distinct possibility.