Viewpoints on Thanksgiving Turkey

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By Nick Wyer
Published: November 25, 2014

Tradition Matters – Nick Wyer

Thanksgiving is a time for celebration. It’s a holiday where the primary goal is to stuff yourself full of food and be thankful for what you have. The one thing that’s synonymous with Thanksgiving is the turkey. Removing the turkey is like taking fireworks away from the Fourth of July. The bird is a symbol for the holiday. Even in households where there isn’t a turkey to eat, they
still acknowledge the fact that the primary thing that represents the holiday is a turkey.

Thanksgiving without the turkey is just dinner. It’s not like kids are in class making little pilgrims with their hands. It’s the turkey. It wasn’t until President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday when the turkey had first taken presence in the holiday dinner. The turkey may not have been at the first Thanksgiving, but by 1857, it was a mainstay during the holiday.

The turkey doesn’t necessarily have to be poultry. Even within vegetarian culture, turkey substitutes are popular around the holiday season. It’s no longer about the turkey itself, but mainly the idea of the turkey and what its representation of the holiday season entails.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t enjoy eating turkey; it’s just as ingrained in our culture as any other holiday symbol. Saying that the turkey isn’t an important part of Thanksgiving is basically like taking the idea of Santa away from Christmas. It’s there in some way, shape or form, no matter how minute its presence is. The bird itself doesn’t need to be at the dinner, just acknowledged that it’s the main symbol of the holiday. It’s just not the same without it and it just won’t happen.

An Overated Bird – Emma Pursley 

When people think Thanksgiving they automatically think of food, and more importantly, turkey. That shouldn’t be the case. Although turkey is delicious, and it is the most typical main course for Thanksgiving meals, Thanksgiving extends far past what you’re eating. Thanksgiving is a time to step back and be with those you love to appreciate the blessings you have in your lives. Thanksgiving is not about the turkey. If that were the truth then anytime someone had a turkey sandwich from Subway they would suddenly be transported to the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving becomes a person’s favorite holiday for one reason; they can eat as much as they want without being judged. Society has become so obsessed with stuffing their faces to the point of almost sickness that they ignore the real reason of Thanksgiving. Instead of taking time to be thankful for everything they have, they eat all they can and ask for second and third helpings of food they don’t really need. Some people even refer to Thanksgiving as “Turkey Day”. They completely bypass the idea of being thankful and focus only on the food.

Thanksgiving is a great holiday, and it’s one of the few times when a person’s only job is to be thankful for what they have and take the time to really appreciate their friends and family. It isn’t about the food. The food in Thanksgiving was just a way for the pilgrims and native Americans to come together. And that’s what it should still be. The food should be a tool used to accomplish the real goal of Thanksgiving, which is to make people thankful. So have a party, or don’t. Hangout with friends, or don’t. Eat turkey, or don’t. But most importantly be thankful for what you have.