Thanksgiving is tomorrow – one of the most delicious days of the year! I love Thanksgiving. For me, it’s a no-stress holiday. It’s all about hanging out with my family and eating enormous amounts of turkey. What could be better?

Everyone has their own Thanksgiving traditions. For a lot of people, those traditions involve turkey, pumpkin pie, and football. There’s nothing too unusual about that. But Thanksgiving also involves traditions that are actually very weird – but we’re so used to them that we don’t give them a second thought. Here’s a quick list of those weird events:

  • Breaking the wishbone – You know the drill. You extract the wishbone out of the turkey carcass, and then two people pull it apart. The person who ends up with the bigger piece will have his or her wish come true. I did this when I was a kid and I remember taking it very seriously. But now that I think about it, it’s pretty strange. (I’m still willing to give it a try, though!)
  • Santa is the star – At the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade (another tradition), Santa makes his big appearance. He’s the star of the event. It wouldn’t be the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade without him! But think about it… why is he there? It’s a Thanksgiving parade – not a Christmas parade. Santa is kind of overstepping his boundaries, if you ask me.
  • Presidential pardon – Many different presidents (including Kennedy, Nixon, and Regan) have decided to spare the life of a turkey that was delivered to the White House for Thanksgiving dinner. George H. W. Bush was the first president to make it an official event, and it’s been a tradition ever since. Every year, one special turkey receives a presidential pardon. I’m happy for those turkeys. But yeah, this is strange.
  • Shopping like crazy – I know there are good sales the day after Thanksgiving (and even the day OF Thanksgiving). But the fervor and ferocity with which people shop makes the whole thing pretty weird and a little terrifying. Be careful out there!
  • James Bond marathon – I actually don’t think there’s a James Bond movie marathon on TV tomorrow, which really surprises me. Because for some reason, James Bond movies are usually shown during Thanksgiving. What do the amazing adventures of a British Secret Service agent have to do with a family gathering and a big turkey dinner? Nothing, really. But James Bond movies are great, so I think we should just accept this and move on.

Can you think of any other weird Thanksgiving traditions? If so, please feel free to share them in the Comments section below!

And have a very happy Thanksgiving!

 

Myers, D. (2015, November 6). Are these Thanksgiving traditions actually really weird? The Daily Meal. Retrieved from http://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/these-thanksgiving-traditions-are-actually-pretty-weird-when-you-think-about-it