Gluten-FreeThanksgiving Day of the Living Dead - Stop the Insanity (update)

CyberMonday Update:

The First Annual Grateful Gluten-Free Sunday was Wonderful. Spontaneous and tasty. Mostly, I am inspired to know that 100's of you share my Madness - resulting in a Zen-like calm in the Wheaton household and a decision to leave this post up one more day so everyone has a chance to join the rant. Channeling my inner turkey tonight.

Ommmmmm.........

I was MAD when I wrote this post. I just wanted to start some GF Turkey Soup and write about Wednesday's awesome launch of the Gluten-Free Harvest Food Share Project™

Now that will all have to wait until Monday's post.

Because right now I'm just mad. And there's a method to this madness - it's called "Black Friday".

My husband calls Thanksgiving the "forgotten holiday". He doesn't just say that just because he wants to spend more time in front of the TV watching football, or the Twilight Zone Marathon (although that may play into it a bit) For years he has complained about Christmas decorations in stores right after Halloween. We all tease him, but he's completely serious, turning off the car radio if a Christmas song plays before December 1st. This year I agree: More than ever it seems like the Thanksgiving is being squeezed out of us. Even as that (naturally gluten-free) naked bird sits on the counter waiting to be stuffed (GF of course)...yeah, like a turkey. And well before the table is even set, we've already been inundated for days. Pushed and prodded - squeezed in between ads for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. By the time we take our seats at the Thanksgiving table it's amazing we can even breathe. Desperate retailers are relentless in launching their assaults, demanding that we get into stores before the Thanksgiving sun sets on that special deal - the one that you can't live without...literally. Like everyone else, I love a bargain, but apparently there are many among us who are more than eager to push away from their Thanksgiving table to risk their lives in an effort to secure a $2.00 waffle-maker from Walmart. We've all seen the news this week, right? Stabbings in an isle at Toys R Us. A riot outside a Macy's. And my personal favorite: A woman in California who pepper-sprayed her fellow shoppers to protect her X-Box purchase. Seriously.

Twight Zone Fans, no matter what planet you're from, I'm sure you'll agree; Rod Serling couldn't make this stuff up.

So, please, before the giblet-gravy-drooling-Tryptophan Zombies take over the big box stores, the Living Dead of Thanksgiving Forgotten must be stopped!!!

Please, while there are still a few sane Thanksgiving Lovers left... (sorry, but I'm on a roll). Before Black Friday turns into Cyber-Monday, before we are buried under the Christmas Crush - can we please consider our options? How about extending our Thanksgiving Thursday into a  Grateful Gluten-Free Sunday? (Of course it need not to be gluten-free, but the writer in me couldn't resist the literation).And really, it's a natural, because for many of us the work is already done. On the menu: Leftovers. Or how about a neighborhood potluck? Who could resist? Take a moment to consider it. With the performance pressure of Thankgiving Dinner behind us, we might actually have time to be Grateful, enjoy each other's company and catch our breath.

Bottom Line: How many "Black Eyed Friday's" can we endure before Thanksgiving is reminiscent of that tube of toothpaste sitting on the counter - can't squeeze anymore out, might as well just throw it away.

OK, I feel better now. Going to have a cup of tea and a piece of Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pecan Pie. Comfort food for my gluten-free soul.

 

 

 

Comments

[Cookie]

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[Davina Stuart]

I'm with you all the way. I refuse to participate in the black Friday madness. It is insane and usually not worth the hassle. I can generally find deals nearly as good (or sometimes even better!) by paying attention and keeping my eyes open year long for the things I really actually need, not things I want just because it's a $2 waffle iron (that will likely last only a year and need to be replaced anyway...)
We prefer to have a great meal, then spend the rest of the day and weekend having movie marathons and playing games with our family and friends. Soon, if the trend continues, they'll have us skipping the meal and lining up at the stores Wednesday night if we don't put an end to this nonsense.

[Retro jordan]

I enjoyed your blogpost and the great recipes too.
Clearly many of us are like-minded in our Madness at retailers squeezing the Thanksgiving out of us.

[Deb Wheaton Not Even A Crumb]

Thanks Heather,
I enjoyed your blogpost and the great recipes too.
Clearly many of us are like-minded in our Madness at retailers squeezing the Thanksgiving out of us. And after digesting a great Thanksgiving meal we have the strength to fight back!
Take care,
Deb

[Heather Twist]

I started replying to this, but it turned into blog post:

http://eatingoffthefoodgrid.blogspot.com/2011/11/thanksgiving.html