Thanksgiving in the UK?

[jbtsax]

In just a few days we will celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings along with pumpkin pie. This is a long tradition in my country where families get together and try to be nice to one another at least one day a year. (It works if we don't discuss politics or religion. ) This article makes a pretty good argument why our cousins across the pond should have a similar holiday. Thanksgiving in the UK

 

[Jeanette]

I like the idea of it but don't agree it would delay the sale of Christmas goods,!

Jx

 

[Keep Blowing]

In just a few days we will celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings along with pumpkin pie. This is a long tradition in my country where families get together and try to be nice to one another at least one day a year. (It works if we don't discuss politics or religion. ) This article makes a pretty good argument why our cousins across the pond should have a similar holiday. Thanksgiving in the UK

That's what we used to call Sunday

 

[Tenor Viol]

Department stores in UK have always started to stock Christmas materials in September... and it tends to go nuts at start of November. There is an argument for another bank holiday somewhere in between August bank holiday and Christmas. Trafalgar Day has always seemed a reasonable choice to me - October 21, better than the idiotic suggestion of St George's Day (Apr 23) which a)sometimes would hit Easter, b) Easter could be the previous week, then c)is only a week away from the early Spring bank holiday, so you could end up with bank holidays in 3 consecutive weeks. Or, If Easter was 21 April... that's a very long weekend.

 

[Keep Blowing]

That's what we used to call Sunday

It should have said, that's how Sunday's used to be in the U.K,

 

[Halfers]

"Thanksgiving in the UK" Sounds like the ill advised comeback album the Sex Pistols never recorded!

 

[hedgehog]

we don't discuss politics or religion

Just like Café Saxophone!

Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada, on the second Monday in October. It's pretty much a harvest festival, hence the autumnal dates.

It's my favorite holiday, by far. With our friends and family, we go round the table(s) and each of us mentions something for which they are thankful.

 

[Colin the Bear]

The Indians here do Curry not Turkey

 

[Alice]

My local Sainsburys “nodded” towards Thanksgiving last year, by stocking the end of one aisle with all the imported American brands that they had in store which included marshmallows the size of pillows, Yum Yums, Pop Tarts, Oreo cookies (in the non standard flavour), breakfast cereals which have been banned here for years because of the artificial colours and flavours and some extra corn syrup... just because. I saw the hand written sign which declared “Happy Thanksgiving” and just choked. I wondered who the heck had come up with that shameful array of items and decided that it would suffice for all the American ex- pats living here. I was ashamed.

Also... Someone mentions Easter.. I’ve long held the thought that each holiday is running into the next ever since they started piping hot cross bun fumes throughout the store during the January Sales.... but chocolate manufacturers have actually made Christmas packaging for their child targeted range, which looks just like their Easter egg boxes!

 

[Alice]

In just a few days we will celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, stuffing, and all the fixings along with pumpkin pie. This is a long tradition in my country where families get together and try to be nice to one another at least one day a year. (It works if we don't discuss politics or religion. ) This article makes a pretty good argument why our cousins across the pond should have a similar holiday. Thanksgiving in the UK

I have often cooked a Thanksgiving meal, because I have a few friends in America... and it has made me feel closer to them..... I don’t eat animals though, so I have a vegetarian alternative. I love baked sweet potatoes, creamed corn and try to make everything authentic... but I would love an authentic pumpkin pie recipe, something which has been handed down through generations. I have seen recipes online but I don’t think they are quite right and there are too many variations for me to know which one is best.

 

[Greg Strange]

The Indians here do Curry not Turkey

I like a nice hot vindaloo...

Greg S.

 

[Targa]

My local Sainsburys “nodded” towards Thanksgiving last year, by stocking the end of one aisle with all the imported American brands that they had in store which included marshmallows the size of pillows, Yum Yums, Pop Tarts, Oreo cookies (in the non standard flavour), breakfast cereals which have been banned here for years because of the artificial colours and flavours and some extra corn syrup... just because. I saw the hand written sign which declared “Happy Thanksgiving” and just choked. I wondered who the heck had come up with that shameful array of items and decided that it would suffice for all the American ex- pats living here. I was ashamed.

I'd assume it wasn't for the American ex-pats so much as a 'marketing opportunity' to convince anybody that they ought to 'celebrate' it otherwise they would be missing out on something. The same as the introduction of 'mischief night' and pumpkins for Halloween which were never on display in this country years ago. I think they started being 'popular' after ET was in the cinemas.

 

[Alice]

I'd assume it wasn't for the American ex-pats so much as a 'marketing opportunity' to convince anybody that they ought to 'celebrate' it otherwise they would be missing out on something. The same as the introduction of 'mischief night' and pumpkins for Halloween which were never on display in this country years ago. I think they started being 'popular' after ET was in the cinemas.

Oh I agree! It’s definitely another little marketing ploy that’s cooked up by the company. “Primary gifting period” is what they call Christmas.
In America, people go and choose their pumpkins from the patch. Here we have to fall inside a large supermarket bin to pick one out.. and the councils complain of the waste afterwards and the farmers complain about it too.... nothing but complaining.. Halloween was never commercial here in my childhood.

 

[Jeanette]

'mischief night'

I remember this from before ET......

Jx

 

[Tenor Viol]

How it was celebrated varied in different parts of the country. Turnip Jack o’lanterns and duck apple was the limit when I was a kid

 

[6441]

Look what happened to Halloween and how bakeries in France do orange and black candy in October and many window displays try to evoke it.

 

[Halfers]

Whilst I applaud the notion that we might all try to be a little more grateful for the things we have in life, I think these things work better on a personal level, rather than the next thing for society to take on (or should that be, appropriate?..). Otherwise, as mentioned above, these things just get monopolised and it turns into a chance to sell things.

 

[MandyH]

Department stores in UK have always started to stock Christmas materials in September... and it tends to go nuts at start of November. There is an argument for another bank holiday somewhere in between August bank holiday and Christmas. Trafalgar Day has always seemed a reasonable choice to me - October 21, better than the idiotic suggestion of St George's Day (Apr 23) which a)sometimes would hit Easter, b) Easter could be the previous week, then c)is only a week away from the early Spring bank holiday, so you could end up with bank holidays in 3 consecutive weeks. Or, If Easter was 21 April... that's a very long weekend.

As indeed it is next year - Easter Sunday is 21st April!

 

[MandyH]

I read the article - I’m struggling on the practicalities of having a Bank Holiday on a Thursday - the U.K. would fall to its knees. It just isn’t cricket!!

Also, the thought of sitting around a table and saying what I’m grateful for ... it’s not the sort of thing we usually do in the U.K. and I suspect it would all sound horribly orchestrated.

I also found the argument about “which parents to visit when” a little strange. We have 2 bank holidays in the space of one week. Ideal for visiting 2 lots of parents if that’s what you want to do. But personally why can’t you visit your parents as & when you fancy it.

... which reminds me : before I had my children, I worked for directory enquiries. They were asking for volunteers to work Christmas Day. I asked “isn’t it quiet on Christmas Day?”. The response was that it was pretty quiet until after the Queen’s speech (at 3:00pm) then there was a huge surge in callers after the phone numbers of care homes, because people had decided they should wish “Great Aunt Edith” a Merry Christmas. How sad that they didn’t have the number already because they hadn’t actually called her since last Christmas!

 

[Halfers]

Also, the thought of sitting around a table and saying what I’m grateful for ... it’s not the sort of thing we usually do in the U.K. and I suspect it would all sound horribly orchestrated.

I'm grateful that you mentioned that...