New Deal Turkey?

"Although President Washington was a Virginian, the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day had seemed somehow New Englandish, tainted by Yankee sanctimony and, worse still, Federalist notions of national supremacy over states' prerogatives. Even President John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts thought a national Thanksgiving observation might be "introducing New England manners" where they were unwelcome."

"But Appomattox notwithstanding, states remained free to do as they liked about Thanksgiving, and Southern states liked to observe it when they chose. Or not at all, as in Texas during the governorship of Oran Milo Roberts, who said, "It's a damned Yankee institution anyway."

Finally, after many Thanksgiving date changes...

"FDR, who enjoyed fiddling with things, promised in 1941 to return Thanksgiving to the last Thursday in November. But history has its hold on us and Congress shoved it back to the fourth Thursday, partly because many constituents believed the pilgrims had put it there in the first place."

Shopping for A Day of Thanks

Consumers are going to be less grateful for the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner this year. Yet, for most it will be largely an inconvenience.

Thanksgiving continues to be an evolving tradition as many Americans keep re-arranging the people and re-inventing the food around the table. Yet, it remains constant, as an occasion to be with friends and family, to reflect on changes and count the positives. Who knows, perhaps even in a not so distant Thanksgiving, agricultural legislation may reflect new sensibilities and instill change where is most unwelcome. That possibility, however, may have a lot to do with what constituents believe.