Happy Thanksgiving ...

[JudgeDredd]

... to our American cousins.

I've experienced it once and it was superb.

Let the food arrive aplenty, the beer flow and the football be crushing (for the opposition)...and have a thought for those less fortunate.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[MikeGER]

Happy double holiday (since 1888) !  enjoy your feasts :)

[Martok]

Happy Thanksgiving, all!  Here's to a day of watching football and stuffing ourselves silly.  8) 

[Greybriar]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[Staggerwing]

I give thanks to our Founding Fathers for giving us this wonderful United States of America (warts and all :D) and to those who have kept us safe from harm since.

I also give thanks to the Grogfathers who started Grogheads for giving us a place to hang our hats, quaff a few pints or a wee dram or two, talk some friendly smack-talk, and even discuss a game or two.  I'm sure I'm not alone in seeing this place as my second home.

[undercovergeek]

^ what he said

have a great time guys

(so whats your traditional Christmas lunch if the turkeys are getting it now?)

[Martok]

(so whats your traditional Christmas lunch if the turkeys are getting it now?)

Ham, Swedish sausage, broccoli, raspberry jello, mashed potatoes, and lefse.  ;D 

[undercovergeek]

(so whats your traditional Christmas lunch if the turkeys are getting it now?)

Ham, Swedish sausage, broccoli, raspberry jello, mashed potatoes, and lefse.  ;D

psssst - are you scandanavian Martok?

[Martok]

I'm Minnesotan, born and raised!  ...So yes.  8) 

[undercovergeek]

I'm Minnesotan, born and raised!  ...So yes.  8)

lol, it may sound ignorant to you guys, i dunno - is that where Scandanvians typically emigrate to in the US?

was it your folks that crossed over?

[Martok]

lol, it may sound ignorant to you guys, i dunno - is that where Scandanvians typically emigrate to in the US?

Ha, no you're hardly ignorant 'geek; indeed, I actually would've been quite surprised if you'd known.  It's just that we Minnesotans are well aware most of us are of Scandinavian descent, so we're used to joking about it amongst ourselves.  :) 

But yes, Minnesota has more people of Norwegian and Swedish stock than pretty much anywhere else in the world (not including Norway and Sweden themselves, of course).  In addition, a good percentage of folks living up in the northeastern part of the state are of Finnish descent.  About the only significant European ethnic groups in Minnesota that aren't Scandinavian are those of German and Dutch ancestry (they tend to be more in the south-central and southwest parts of the state, respectively). 

Most of my Scandinavian heritage comes from my mother's side of the family -- they're almost entirely Norwegian, with a dash of Swedish thrown in -- but I'm also Danish on my father's side as well (along with English, Irish, and German ancestry).  My mother's hometown's main celebration is Syttende Mai [link], which I attend just about every year. 

was it your folks that crossed over?

LOL, no.  It was my great-grandparents that made that journey (plus my maternal grandfather, who was five at the time). 

[undercovergeek]

lol, it may sound ignorant to you guys, i dunno - is that where Scandanvians typically emigrate to in the US?

Ha, no you're hardly ignorant 'geek; indeed, I actually would've been quite surprised if you'd known.  It's just that we Minnesotans are well aware most of us are of Scandinavian descent, so we're used to joking about it amongst ourselves.  :) 

But yes, Minnesota has more people of Norwegian and Swedish stock than pretty much anywhere else in the world (outside of Norway and Sweden themselves, of course).  In addition, a good percentage of folks living up in the northeastern part of the state are of Finnish origin.  About the only significant European ethnic groups in Minnesota that aren't Scandinavian are those of German and Dutch ancestry (living more in the south-central and southwest parts of the state, respectively). 

Most of my Scandinavian heritage comes from my mother's side of the family -- they're almost entirely Norwegian, with a dash of Swedish thrown in -- but I'm also Danish on my father's side as well (along with English, Irish, and German ancestry).  My mother's hometown's main celebration is Syttende Mai [link], which I attend just about every year. 

was it your folks that crossed over?

LOL, no.  It was my great-grandparents that made that journey (plus my maternal grandfather, who was five at the time).

thats great - love learning stuff like this - was there a reason the original old folks way back chose Minnesota - weather?

i take it then Minnesota is full of 6ft stunning looking blondes?

(not you!!)

[Martok]

thats great - love learning stuff like this - was there a reason the original old folks way back chose Minnesota - weather?

Weather was supposed to have been one of the main reasons, yes, especially for those lived away from the North Sea/Baltic coastline.  In addition, the terrain in northern & central Minnesota and (especially) southeast Minnesota & southern Wisconsin reminded many Scandinavians of their beloved fjords back in the old country. 

i take it then Minnesota is full of 6ft stunning looking blondes?

(not you!!)

Ha! 

Well, the women aren't quite *that* tall, but they do tend to be somewhat taller than average.  And yes, many of them have blonde hair and blue eyes.  ;) 

[Capn Darwin]

For those in the States have a safe and happy Thanksgiving filled with turkey, taters and pie! For the rest, Have a good Thursday at work! ...couldn't resist it. In all seriousness, everyone take a few minutes today to count the things in your life you are thankful for.

[bayonetbrant]

Turkey today
Turkey gumbo tomorrow
Christmas dinner is usually ham for us, but we've done turkeys and one year we did a pretty good pork loin.


Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Hope it's going better wherever y'all are than the chaos unfolding here