Thanksgiving – a piece of America that Ireland should embrace

JOHN FAY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Thursday, November 24, 2011, 8:51 AM

Updated Thursday, November 24, 2011, 12:27 PM

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Norman Rockwell's 'Freedom from Want' - a family Thanksgiving dinner

Photo by Google Images

You'll often hear people in Ireland complain about the American influence on the culture here. I don't always disagree. American television, music and movies seem to be everywhere and a lot of it is just garbage. Anytime I see or hear Britney Spears I know they have a point.

Holidays too, are not beyond American influence. People frequently blame the changes in the way that Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick's Day and Halloween are celebrated on American influence.

In a week or two many Irish people will have their homes bedecked in flashing Santas, snowmen, sleighs, and all sorts of light displays. None of this existed here 15 years ago. Back then all you'd see was the family Christmas tree in the window of a house - there would be no outdoor decorations. Now every neighborhood is like Times Square. American influence.

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Yet, there's one American holiday tradition that refuses to leave America's shores – Thanksgiving. Yup, tomorrow is one of the biggest days of the year in America, but here it's simply Thursday, November 26. No holiday, no parades, no football (that's another sad story), no nothing. It can be the most depressing day of the year for an American in Ireland.

Instinctively all Americans know when Thanksgiving comes around. It's ingrained in our DNA. When that 4th week of November comes around you begin to salivate at the thought of the big turkey dinner, like some Pavlovian dog. Whether you're state-side or in Ireland or anywhere else for that matter you've just gotta have turkey.

It's easier said than done, however. You can't find a turkey in the stores here. All the turkeys in Ireland are earmarked for December 25. And if you have to work a full day tomorrow, there's no time to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner.

Those are obstacles, but not insurmountable ones. First, many Americans here shift their celebrations from Thursday to Saturday, when they have the time needed to prepare the dinner. Also, for those who don't have family here, a Saturday celebration makes it easier to invite over a few Irish friends to take part in Thanksgiving. (Just because it's not a holiday here, doesn't mean Irish people will turn down a nice big dinner and a couple glasses of wine.}

As for the turkey, you have to order in advance. We order from a supermarket near enough to the American embassy. They're used to us Yanks and our specific needs for turkey a month in advance of the Irish populace. When I called to place my order a couple of weeks ago, Dave the butcher heard my accent and right away stopped me with, "Thanksgiving, right?"

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sirpeter | Nov 25, 2011, 05:35 PM EST

Trust Bilgegate to ruin a perfectly good celebration.The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest.In later years, the tradition was continued by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford who planned a thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623.While initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish.The practice of holding an annual harvest festival like this did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s.Can't find where the Brit's rode to the rescue at all.Maybe the Brits sent food parcels by throwing them into the sea or something.

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Towngate | Nov 25, 2011, 05:37 AM EST

Well said Captain! John: ~ Thanks, but no thanks-giving. Keep it to yourself, like a good chap! Try and remember you are giving thanks for Britain having saved early settlers skins! How do you imagine Obama would react to being asked to establish "Thank Great Britain Day"! No, we are already infected by 'Fathers Day' and 'Mothering Sunday' from across the pond, that's quite enough, thank you!

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CaptainCon | Nov 24, 2011, 03:46 PM EST

1st rule of living in another culture. Never say the host culture should adopt your customs. Keep your heritage by all means and invite neighbours to share it but remember it isn't something you should impose. In Irish culture hospitality is very important and always has been since the earliest days of the Brehon system bit relies on hospitality being offered and received with courtesy and no guest would lecture their host on what customs should be observed.

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haasny007 | Nov 24, 2011, 01:10 PM EST

I disagree. Thanksgiving is a distinctly American holiday which is uniquely rooted in the country's history. It does not make sense to export it to other countries. Besides, Ireland and other European countries have plenty of religious holidays throughout the year which are not days off in the US.

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GeorgeDillon | Nov 24, 2011, 01:08 PM EST

Is this guy for real? Our Thanksgiving commemorates the English religious bigots known as the Puritans, people who a couple of decades after they settled here were busy massacring Irish Catholics? Commemorate these vermin? Are you crazy, Fay? Looks like you've fried your brains with the turkey.

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RedBranch | Nov 24, 2011, 10:07 AM EST

Hope you will be deep frying that turkey in peanut oil, the only way to assure juicy, succulent tasty turkey every time.

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