Tryptophan Junkie!

Tomorrow is one of the best holidays in human civilization - Thanksgiving.

Ostensibly, Thanksgiving is a traditional American feast started by the pilgrims back in the 1600's. They would gorge on roasted turkey, yams and corn (all American staples previously unknown to the British pilgrims) and give thanks for their bountiful harvest.

These days, the holiday is an excuse to gather the family together, eat a mountain of food and snooze in front of one of the many American Footballs games that go on.

It's a wonderful holiday. Totally non-commercialised and centred around a very positive thought - simply giving thanks for everything you have.

In my office, I see colleagues from all over America rub their hands at the thought of turkey and stuffing. Immigrants such as myself, whether they're from England, China, Korea or Bangladesh, still find enthusiasm for this most American of holidays.

Because it's about family, food and festivities - without the presents or religious connotations associated with Christmas - the holiday has a wonderfully broad appeal. In fact, the only demographic who aren't too thrilled about 'Turkey Day' are the Native Americans.

Which is understandable really.

Tryptophan Tots

Most of what I know about Thanksgiving, I learnt from watching tots in costume perform the traditional Thanksgiving day pageant type thing.


This is a primary school tradition, retelling of the publicly accepted 'Thanksgiving mythos' which paints a heartwarming picture of shivering, starving pilgrims being welcomed to America by the Native Americans and fed on their delicious native foodstuffs.

It tactfully ends before the Jeffrey-Archeresque 'twist in the tail' - in which the rescued pilgrims turn around, steal all the Indian's land and drive them to the brink of extinction.

It's not quite Disney material - and it's the reason why Native Americans generally feel a bit cynical when families gather to celebrate the kindness that saw the pilgrims through their first winter in America.

Tryptohan Tuck

In keeping with the pilgrim theme, traditional Thanksgiving food is strictly American. And we don't mean 'American' as in burgers and fries or pizza.

American in the sense that the foods prepared for the Thanksgiving table are generally native to North America. That's why they roast a turkey, since the big bird was discovered by the pilgrims and only brought over to Europe later (where it replaced the goose as the centrepiece of the Christmas feast.)

So you'll enjoy:

Roast Turkey.
Cranberry Sauce
Pecan Pie
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Corn
Pumpkin Pie

All the sort of foods the pilgrims might have enjoyed as they adapted to life across the Atlantic.

Tryptophan Traditions

There are other fantastic Thanksgiving traditions.

In New York, the world famous Macy's store has had it's Thanksgiving Day Parade every year since 1924. It's famous for the massive floating balloons, made to resemble famous characters like Felix the Cat, being led through the streets of Manhattan. Last year, New Yorkers could gaze up at Snoopy, Pikachu and the Energizer Bunny floating above them.

The 'Turkey Day Game' is a football must - a friendly game of American Football that has become something of a television tradition (to enjoy while digesting turkey.) Three games are played by the NFL teams - know as the 'Thanksgiving Classic.' Almost as much of a tradition as the games themselves are the teams which feature - always including home games by the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

The National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board traditionally roll up to the White House at this time of year too, to request a 'Presidential Pardon' for one lucky turkey. Instead of thinking 'I'm stuffed!' this lucky bird gets to dodge the dinner table and live out his days in a petting zoo in Disneyland.

Plus he gets to meet the president!

Happy Turkey Day!

All things considered, it's a wonderful American holiday and one of the reasons I absolutely adore living in the United States.

And what will I be thankful for this year?

• Well, the continued health of my friends and family.
• The fact that I've finally achieved my dream and got to move to America.
• My great job in the radio business.
• Having bank statements printed in black for a change.

But most of all, I'm grateful for another significant event which happened to coincide with Thanksgiving 2007. It's my forth wedding anniversary.

And that's something to be very thankful for indeed!

In fact, if I was a good spin doctor, I'd say it's very nice for the people of America to make our wedding anniversary a national holiday!

It's even nicer for every household in the United States to toast our marriage with a feast of turkey and stuffing.

Happy Turkey Day, everybody!