You don’t find out until the last paragraph that, contrary to the headline, in the end Roosevelt won.
Thanksgiving had been on the last Thursday. In a year in which that meant November 30 would be Thanksgiving (there were 5 Thursdays that year), Roosevelt changed it to the 23rd, the 4th Thursday. There was an uproar.
Three years later, he “admitted failure”, and signed a Congressional resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving would always be on the 4th Thursday, exactly what he wanted.
Of course nowadays retailers don’t wait for Thanksgiving to begin the Christmas shopping season. The Christmas decorations directly replace Halloween. It’s quaint to imagine there was a time they actually took their cues from elected officials.
Also, I agree with Peter K.: the more natural conclusion is that Roosevelt won, since Thanksgiving was indeed moved earlier.
Robert says:
Doesn’t seem like a good enough reason to tinker with a national holiday.
November 26, 2009, 1:36 amPeter K. says:
You don’t find out until the last paragraph that, contrary to the headline, in the end Roosevelt won.
Thanksgiving had been on the last Thursday. In a year in which that meant November 30 would be Thanksgiving (there were 5 Thursdays that year), Roosevelt changed it to the 23rd, the 4th Thursday. There was an uproar.
Three years later, he “admitted failure”, and signed a Congressional resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving would always be on the 4th Thursday, exactly what he wanted.
November 26, 2009, 4:13 amSoronel Haetir says:
Going by the post title I expected this to somehow be about hot dogs.
November 26, 2009, 6:36 amBama 1L says:
Of course nowadays retailers don’t wait for Thanksgiving to begin the Christmas shopping season. The Christmas decorations directly replace Halloween. It’s quaint to imagine there was a time they actually took their cues from elected officials.
Also, I agree with Peter K.: the more natural conclusion is that Roosevelt won, since Thanksgiving was indeed moved earlier.
November 26, 2009, 8:50 amgeokstr says:
Or about how the evil Frank and his ilk stole Thanksgiving this year.
November 26, 2009, 8:51 amHankP says:
And, of course, if you read the article the lesson is clear: the President should never listen to suggestions from trade industry groups.
November 26, 2009, 3:15 pm