It was a joyful holiday -- off from school for four days with plenty to eat, drink and be merry about! In grade school this holiday meant a closer step to Christmas, the granddaddy of all holidays in my estimation. As a little kid a Thanksgiving play at school, turkey and all the trimmings along with every meat and treat you could imagine. I would even dress-up like an Indian and antagonize not only the pilgrims but anyone else I came in contact, especially family members.
My family was always very special to me growing up in an ethnic Bronx neighborhood and we'd celebrate with a Thanksgiving dinner that would go on for three to four hours at a time. And even then you weren't sure if it was over or not. After feasting it was time to rest your gut and sometimes having to down a few swigs of Brioschi, which was some kind of whop remedy for indigestion and even a bad case of gas. Whether this product did the trick, no one could be positive. I would think of the next day -- a Friday off. No such thing back then as "Black Friday," although it still was the kick-off of Christmas.
