Popular culture plays a huge role in the shaping of reality, as millions of Americans see in the celebration of Thanksgiving.
How Americans perceived Thanksgiving in previous generations compared to what we see today represents a distinct contrast.
Think back to the 1943 “Saturday Evening Post” illustration by 20th century painter Norman Rockwell, whose perception of Thanksgiving falls in place with extreme idealism.
The family sits at the table, all smiling and jovial, as the grandfather – decked in his Sunday best – prepares to carve the turkey, which the grandmother just removed from the oven. It depicts the homespun happiness and family togetherness most Americans cherish.
Modernize the illustration to illustrate 2017, and it may look altogether different.
If the family does not meet at a restaurant or if they’re not waiting at a big-box retailer for the “Pre-Black Friday Blowout Sale,” they’re probably bringing home the turkey they bought from one of dozens of stores that do the cooking for them. Family members will sit at the table, clad in T-shirts, all texting away on their cellphones with little notice of the food, family or anything else.
Maybe I went overboard on that depiction, but perhaps so did Mr. Rockwell. It reminds me of the mildly amusing sitcoms of the 1950s and ‘60s such as “Leave It to Beaver,” “My Three Sons,” “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” and “The Brady Bunch” – overly idealistic and sweet enough to cause a toothache.
Images on TV, movies. books and other pop culture mediums have shaped the way we perceive Thanksgiving. The ritual for many generations has involved a huge feast of turkey, side items and deserts and maybe a nice vintage wine.
Others anticipate the parades -- the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Many spend the afternoon watching football or seasonal movie classic, or perhaps falling asleep thanks to the mass quantity of food. In this age, we can also associate the holiday with shoppers who will begin a campout before sundown in hopes they can get the first crack at rock-bottom sales by big-box retailers, some of which open Thanksgiving night.
Plenty of style and image go with the observance of Thanksgiving, but none of it should matter in the long run. We live in an age when style rules over substance, which means the real meaning of a celebration gets lost in the shuffle.
Regardless how we celebrate a holiday, the real meaning should come from the heart. It may mean we have to bite our bottom lip at the dinner table when the relative we see once or twice a year rubs us the wrong way, maybe on personal differences or – as it has become so common today – an argument over politics.
The Norman Rockwell painting captures a beautiful image that puts a warm, fuzzy feeling in the hearts of many. Keep in mind, however, that it only represents a split second of activity. Perhaps the grandfather would’ve grabbed the turkey platter from the grandmother and dropped it. Maybe he would’ve griped that her recipe was too bland.
Pictures do not always tell the story.
Thanksgiving is not about a single image or ritual. It’s about the abundance of gifts and blessings God bestows on us throughout the year.
In the grand scheme, the image we see or the ritual we practice is purely symbolic. The real meaning should come from the heart.
