Thanksgiving Day is coming up soon. Thursday, November 28th, I think. It's an American holidy, but people all over the world can celebrate it. Or at least those in the northern hemisphere, since it is a harvest festival as well. On this day, Americans give thanks -- to whatever god they believe in or to whomever they owe their life -- for all the big and little things in life. It's also when Americans donate a lot of money to charities.
The tradition started with the pilgrims way back in America's early days and eventually became a national holiday in the United States. You don't have to be a Christian or an American to celebrate Thanksgiving. That's why it's a special holiday.
Every US citizen that grew up here knows the story of the pilgrims. They fled Europe to get away from religious persecution and got stranded at Plymouth Rock. A bitter winter came and they nearly starved to death, but a tribe of kind indians helped feed the hungry pilgrim (who later paid the indians back by stealing their women and infecting their tribes with smallpox). The pilgrims were truly thankful to be alive and thus started the tradition of Thanksgiving.
What they don't teach in school is that the pilgrims supposedly landed at Plymouth Rock not just because they were lost (they wanted to go to the Carolinas, where it was warmer and had good harbors), but because they ran out of beer. That's right, the pilgrims made landfall because they drank all their brewskies.
Now, this has nothing to do with not wanting to be sober. Beer was important back then. Much like rum was a staple of racketeers in the Carribean, beer was also a staple part of a sailor's diet due to the high grain content.
So the pilgrims made a hasty landing so they could make more beer. There was one significant problem -- they didn't have any hops, the flower used to flavor beer. Thus began the legacy of American beer. The pilgrims had to make do with whatever fermentables they could find, such as pumpkins, apples and corn.
This Thanksgiving Day, go out and grab a six-pack or two of your family's favorite microbrew or a local brew if you don't have a favorite (support the Home team!), or tell your parents to get some if you're under age. This year, be thankful that you aren't the pilgrims. Be thankful you can drink good beer (just don't let Uncle Sam see you), unlike the pilgrims. If you want to add a little historical flavor, get some pumpkin beer, though I hear it's not very good.
Thanksgiving was about the beer just as much as it was about the food and survival. If it wasn't for beer, there would be no Thanksgiving Day. So this Thanksgiving, end grace not with an "Amen," but instead with a "cheers!"
Be thankful! Be happy! Be drunk! But above all else, be safe this Thanksgiving Day. Don't drink and drive.
