Thanksgiving: The Holiday We Haven't Ruined

America is obsessed with holidays, most of which kind of annoy Michael Schaffer at the New Republic one way or another. But not "our greatest holiday," Thanksgiving. "There's no annual slog of parties to get through," no "mistletoe or kiss-at-midnight rituals that leave the unkissed feeling unloved," and no costumes to worry over. "It’s ironic: This most uniquely American of holidays manages to resist the artisanification, commercialization, and competitization that characterize so much of our contemporary life."

Thanksgiving is inclusive and genuine. "In an era of suspicion, it celebrates immigrants. During a period of polarization, it's something we all agree on." It can be religious or not, traditional, or tweaked to match your culture. You don't have to stress over dinner; it's rustic food that's "hard to completely bollix up." Sure, it's a holiday about gluttony. But "gorging on stuffing and then sacking out in front of the NFL seems downright Spartan compared to the baroque consumer rituals of the month ahead." Click for the full column. (More Thanksgiving stories.)