It happens every year. Sometime in early November we all stop measuring time in days and months, opting instead to mark its passage by a few key events: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Your Chosen December Holiday and finally – mercifully – The New Year. After January 1, we all automatically revert to the traditional Gregorian calendar.

On this theme, we’ve divided up some helpful resources into the before, during and after of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Sit back, mute your notifications and take a minute for some essential pre-holiday reading. You’ll be armed with some new factoids that just may make conversation flow a bit easier around the dinner table.

Way Before

First, a little history lesson about the multiple events that led to today’s retail-centric version of Black Friday. But with some citing holiday sales that begin as early as September, some critics question its relevance.

Black Friday Backstory

 

 

Before

Before biting into that crispy leg or drowning that slice of white meat in rich gravy, take a minute to reflect and appreciate the majestic bird we’re all about to devour.

Turkey Tales

 

 

During

Right, wrong or indifferent, if you’re someone who is planning to put the fork down and pick up the car keys this Thursday, these retailers will welcome you with open arms:

Yes, We’re Open
Sorry, We’re Eating Turkey

 

 

The Morning After

Ah, waking up to a fresh pot of coffee and the smell of…leftover stuffing quiche?! Yes please. Really, after all the effort it took to make Thanksgiving dinner you better believe those leftovers are going to get eaten!

Thirds, Anyone?

 

 

Oh and One More Thing…

You may have heard about the untimely recall of over 91,000 pounds of Jennie-O raw turkey products. We’ll let you get the facts from a reliable news source, but for our part, here’s a turkey touting an equally interesting study. Just some food for thought!