[swingdjted]

big, big bump.

If you're not from the USA, please celebrate this day anyway. It's coming up Thursday. We eat a big meal, say why we're thankful, visit in-person with extended family and friends that we haven't seen in a while, watch the in-season sport (in our case American football), drink a beer (or maybe more than one) and have a pretty good time.

Usually turkey (the common entree along with other heavy foods like mashed potatoes) and beer get us tired, so there's an unintentional but annual nap towards the end of the day, often involving a bunch of old guys packed on a couch and laying on the floor because there's not enough seating in the room where everyone gathers. Also, the younger guys go outside and attempt to play football themselves, usually including by a minor injury that makes for a good bar story - perhaps someone tripped over a garden hose because he thought he was still "in bounds" or someone made the mistake of trying to tackle in a direction that led to a parked car in the yard because there was no more room left in the driveway.

This is my favorite organized holiday of the year, by far. It's not overly ruined by consumerism; it's about thanks, which isn't religion specific, and it incorporates most if not all the good things of other holidays.

Better yet, this is the first time in a lot of years that my wife and I will not be hosting it, meaning a different part of my extended family is doing most of the work to make it all happen. That makes things more relaxing for us.

Post what you're thankful for and/or what you plan on doing or did November 15, 2012.