The Gluttonous Gobbler

Lets face it America ever since we hit Plymouth Rock on the Mayflower and broke bread with the Native Americans and formed the annual Feast-Day that we call Thanksgiving we have become a nation of gluttons.

Think about it: what other day on the calendar can we gorge ourselves on everything and feel good about it?

Here is just a sampling of our gluttonous attitudes on Thanksgiving:

1. A dinner that not only includes a 20 pound bird but also a ham, a pot roast, three kinds of dressing, enough sides to make up the entire buffet at The Country Buffet down the street, four kinds of rolls and six different pies. The first Thanksgiving was no different. The meal included Lobster, rabbit, chicken, fish, squashes, beans, chestnuts, hickory nuts, onions, leeks, dried fruits, maple syrup and honey, radishes, cabbage, carrots, eggs, and goat cheese are thought to have made up the first Thanksgiving feast and it lasted three days!
2. Not one, not two but now THREE nationally televised professional football games starting here in Alaska at 8:30 am.
3. The festival that is affectionately known as the Thanksgiving Day Parade put on by Macy’s. They have a 30 story Sponge Bob for goodness sake.
4. The entire day spent with family members that we only see once a year and sometimes for good reason.
5. In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations. There are only 115 million households according to the 2010 US Census estimate.
6. The heaviest turkey ever raised was 86 pounds, about the size of a large dog.
7. There are at least eight Turkey Trots and 5K’s in the Denver area alone.
8. The Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest holiday for air travel in the United States.
9. Remember the turkey that NFL announcer, John Madden used to give away at the annual turkey day game? It had six legs!
10. One of the busiest movie weekends of the year is Thanksgiving weekend.
11. A Turducken is a mixture of Turkey, Chicken and Duck can cost upwards of 100 dollars.

At last lets not forget one of the greatest scenes in the movie A Christmas Story (1983) when Bumpus’ hounds ate the ‘Old Man’s’ turkey (it WAS Christmas but still…)

Ralphie [Narrating] The heavenly aroma still hung in the house. But it was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!

So, America, get out and enjoy yourselves we have earned it!

Robert Forto | Team Ineka | Alaska Dog Works | Mushing Radio | Dog Works Radio | Denver Dog Works

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Dr. Robert Forto is a musher training for his first Iditarod under the Team Ineka banner and the host of the popular radio shows, Mush! You Huskies and Dog Works Radio Shows