ON OUR PLAYGROUND

Turkey and football. It resembles Chinese food only in the fact that you can stuff yourself and then are hungry again a short time later. We can never get enough.

And how many people after finishing dinner, loosening the belt and looking for a place to lie down have had a mother or grandmother ask, “who’s ready for pie?”

On a day when the Packers will have both turkey and lion on their banquet table, we most likely will be found in the friendly confines of a day with friends and family here in balmy North Carolina with the temperatures that have been a beautiful gift for the past few weeks.

As we gather around the dinner table, which, for some of the family back in the Midwest who are experiencing a Packers game on Thanksgiving – is the kitchen cafeteria style buffet and then a trip to the coffee tables set up all over the living room so that each bruising play is visible on the 75” television screen so big that you can see sweat coming out of the pores of the players.

The groaning is not over all the bone crunching hits on the tube, but brought forth from the women and children walking in front of the massive screen, talking endlessly about anything BUT football and running out of adult beverages.

Yes, but here in the south it’s pretty much the same. Most are pretty organized, either planning dinner late to put the focus back on what is really important about the day (football first) or hosting a splendiferous brunch that leads to a good start in the dining room and then a stampede to the living room at kickoff. And who appointed the women a part of the cooking AND cleanup crew every year?

Something about that FOX football theme jingle. Kind of sounds like the Leroy Anderson’s traditional Christmas classic “Sleigh Ride,” or is that just a strange correlation? No matter. It brings a room full of chatter to a hush and a deep seeded hunger for another helping of turkey, sausage stuffing and pumpkin pie with real whipped cream.

The day after, hands are still recovering from the high-fiving, stomachs are still recovering from the tryptophan overdose and other than having to find the Thanksgiving awl for poking another couple of holes in the beltloop, we will survive another Thanksgiving.

This year, we have a challenge set before us and the gauntlet has slapped us in the face daring us NOT to talk about politics or religion at the dining room table. Perhaps it’s time point our compass to the true north of family. Some may even, dare it be said, to sacrifice a year of football for your loved ones.

OK. That was an actual blasphemous statement in some parts of the nation. BUT… after the game. Dry your eyes Packer fans and go on with your life. Remember “your team” never cuts you a check every week – so technically you are not obligated. Just sayin.’

Bring back old stories, retell the traditional jokes, (including the bad dad jokes while your wife rolls her eyes) call the relatives who can’t be with you and celebrate the day by embracing one another in a world that is so hell-bent on tearing us all apart. Pick a movie – like Planes, Trains and Automobiles and repeat the lines you know by heart a half-second before John Candy spews it out. Sit down as a family, turn off the external devices and for one day just make it all about family.

It just may create a memory that you will never forget. And… when you think about it, what was the score of the Thanksgiving game last year? See? Not much of a memory maker.

And then, the next day, Black Friday? Another story for another column for another time. Spoiler alert: it is always a dark nightmare. It was actually named in the 80s for stores to come “out of the red” and “into the black.”

I’m sure my family will do its part to share the wealth. LOL.

Be careful out there and to all … Gobble, Gobble.