Happy Thanksgiving

to all my American family and friends.

November 27 - 1835: James Pratt and John Smith are hanged in London; they are the last two to be executed for sodomy in England.

Happy American Thanksgiving 2013

These days Norman Rockwell is looked at rather cynically as portraying an Americana that did not exist - an idealized, sanitized version of how things were.  But as with any artist - and make no mistake Rockwell was an artist - behind many of his works lies a message beyond the idealism and sentimentality.  In this 1945 cover for Saturday Evening Post his Thanksgiving message was not about turkey, big family dinners or even giving communal thanks.  Look at the face of this mother and tell me what she is giving thanks for?

I only wish that every mother - no everyone, American, Canadian, British, whatever nationality - could give thanks today for the safe return of their loved ones from one of our modern battlefields.

To my American friends and family Happy Thanksgiving.

November 28 - 1814:  The Times in London is printed by automatic, steam powered presses built by the German inventors Friedrich Koenig and Andreas Friedrich Bauer; the beginning of the availability of newspapers to a mass audience.


 

Happy American Thanksgiving

To my American Family and Friends

Happy Thanksgiving

22 November - 1837:  William Lyon Mackenzie calls for a rebellion against the United Kingdom in his essay "To the People of Upper Canada", published in his newspaper The Constitution.

For Those Who Gather Today

For my family and friend in the United States I wish you all the happiest of Thanksgivings as you gather with your families and friends.

This particular video is not available for embeding but is worth clicking to on YouTube for the incredible voice of Jussi Björling.

To think that there once was a time when in America - and Canada - people watched programmes like The Voice of Firestone every Sunday night and heard great classical singers in operatic arias and what is now known as cross over music.

And my wish for all those who are "gathered together" and indeed for all those I love and care for is echoed in this card from Vintage Holiday Crafts:  May your joys be as countless as the golden grains.

24 novembre/November - Giorno del Ringraziamento (Festa Americana)

For My American Friends and Family

The Happiest of Thanksgivings to you all.

This and many other wonderful vintage images are at Vintage Holiday Images and Cards.

25 novembre - Santa Caterina d'Alessandria

For All My American Friends

Auguri di Santo Sgeveno!


And for a lovely Italian take on that most American of festas GB of Italian Notebook explains my greeting here!

26 novembre - San Leonardo da Porto Maurizio