Thanksgiving Makes No Sense

[PhuturePriest]

So in order to be thankful for what we have, we gather round, eat the same quality of food we are already accustomed to but in ridiculous quantities, and then eat until we risk vomiting. How is eating the same quality of food in mass quantities making anyone more thankful for what we have? Wouldn't it make more sense if we rather fasted all day on bread and water in order to remind us of how good we have it on a regular basis?

 

I point this out for 2 reasons: 1. it makes no sense and you can't deny it, and 2. Thanksgiving is the worst holiday of the year and I take pleasure in showing why, starting with the fact that its entire premise fails.

 

Halloween ftw.

Edited September 7, 2014 by The Phetus

[truthfinder]

So in order to be thankful for what we have, we gather round, eat the same quality of food we are already accustomed to but in ridiculous quantities, and then eat until we risk vomiting. How is eating the same quality of food in mass quantities making anyone more thankful for what we have? Wouldn't it make more sense if we rather fasted all day on bread and water in order to remind us of how good we have it on a regular basis?

 

I point this out for 2 reasons: 1. it makes no sense and you can't deny it, and 2. Thanksgiving is the worst holiday of the year and I take pleasure in showing why, starting with the fact that its entire premise fails.

 

Halloween ftw.

You can make the same arguments about Christmas (celebrating the birth of our Lord in a humble stable in poverty with mass consumerism devoid of any real religious practice), Valentines, and yes, Halloween.

[PhuturePriest]

You can make the same arguments about Christmas (celebrating the birth of our Lord in a humble stable in poverty with mass consumerism devoid of any real religious practice), Valentines, and yes, Halloween.

 

Christmas has most certainly been hijacked by the secular culture with consumerism, and it is sad. Halloween, though its traditions have certainly evolved, and you can forget about its purpose if you focus solely on the festivities, the traditions in themselves do not detract from the Feast Day (Or is it a solemnity?), whereas the traditions for Thanksgiving are inherently counter-productive to what Thanksgiving wishes to achieve.

 

This is not mentioning the fact that All Hallows Eve is a Christian holiday and feast day, whereas Thanksgiving is a secular one, thus making your point null anyway.

 

Ergo, Halloween is clearly superior and Thanksgiving clearly makes no sense.

Edited September 7, 2014 by The Phetus

[Archaeology cat]

Thanksgiving is the best food holiday. Everyone loves pumpkin pie.

[PhuturePriest]

Thanksgiving is the best food holiday. Everyone loves pumpkin pie.

 

It's a good holiday if you like stuffing yourself and doing nothing all day. I hate the feeling of being full, and I hate doing nothing. It is therefore the worst holiday in the world to me. Furthermore, again, it fails at its purpose of a holiday. We should at least have the decency to stop calling it Thanksgiving, because its sole purpose is to over-eat and watch the Lions lose.

[Nihil Obstat]

The Anglican Ordinariate in Canada celebrates Harvest Thanksgiving as a sort of optional feast day.

Proper thanksgiving though, not the weird American version that is practically during Advent. :|

[IcePrincessKRS]

It's a good holiday if you like stuffing yourself and doing nothing all day. I hate the feeling of being full, and I hate doing nothing. It is therefore the worst holiday in the world to me. Furthermore, again, it fails at its purpose of a holiday. We should at least have the decency to stop calling it Thanksgiving, because its sole purpose is to over-eat and watch the Lions lose.

 

Doing nothing? You've clearly never put any effort into preparing a Thanksgiving celebration nor it's cleanup.

[PhuturePriest]

Doing nothing? You've clearly never put any effort into preparing a Thanksgiving celebration nor it's cleanup.

 

I help with the preparations every year, sometimes for quite a lot of people. It's a lot of work, but with effective help it's not an insurmountable task. It certainly beats driving to work in traffic, anyway.

[IcePrincessKRS]

I help with the preparations every year, sometimes for quite a lot of people. It's a lot of work, but with effective help it's not an insurmountable task. It certainly beats driving to work in traffic, anyway.

 

So, how does that equal "doing nothing"?

[CatherineM]

I do both Canadian and American thanksgivings here.

[PhuturePriest]

So, how does that equal "doing nothing"?

 

I don't really count making lots of food to continue spoiling ourselves in the name of giving thanks for how spoiled we are as work. :|

[truthfinder]

Well, I think you could argue that it has indeed been hijacked.  I'm pretty sure there weren't Puritans sitting around drinking beer and stuffing their faces like what's done today.  Partaking of the harvest, though, is not wrong as a means of giving thanks for its plenitude.  

[PhuturePriest]

Well, I think you could argue that it has indeed been hijacked.  I'm pretty sure there weren't Puritans sitting around drinking beer and stuffing their faces like what's done today.  Partaking of the harvest, though, is not wrong as a means of giving thanks for its plenitude.  

 

What harvest? Everything is manufactured in factories. The entire purpose of over 90% of corn crops is to turn it into high fructose corn syrup. :P

[Ash Wednesday]

People have the choice to NOT gorge themselves on Thanksgiving. I don't. 

But if you want to fast, go right ahead. Some members of my family get involved in soup kitchens and do charity work. 

 

Personally, though, given that in Church tradition we fast throughout the year -- I enjoy being Thankful by having food that is especially delicious and reserved for special occasions. Last year I celebrated my first Thanksgiving in years with my family which made it all the more meaningful because I live so far away from them. 

 

I've prepared two full Thanksgiving dinners and one Christmas turkey dinner. It's a bit like a little badge of honor, kind of like bomber airplanes that have stamps of conquered targets on the side -- my bomber would have three little turkey stamps.

 

 

Halloween is pretty great, though.

 

There's room for love to go around, why not love ALL the holidays!?

 

 

[IcePrincessKRS]

I don't really count making lots of food to continue spoiling ourselves in the name of giving thanks for how spoiled we are as work. :|

 

I consider it a labor of love for my family and a job well done because I'm a fantastic cook. One of the best Thanksgivings I've had in recent years I spent the day cooking with my brother while the rest of my family hung out and played football or soccer in the backyard. Just because there's a bunch of food around doesn't mean you have to make a glutton of yourself.