Not Giving Thanks

No, we're not holding a Beaker Thanksgiving "out of solidarity with our American chums".

In the first place it always worries me that a British celebration of Thanksgiving might give the impression that we're celebrating out of relief. A bit like when Brad left my old company, Amalgamated British Safety. The farewell drinks party was in full swing when Brad popped back to pick up his safety boots. Very embarrassing.

We especially don't want to upset Americans as increasingly they're our only source of foreign currency. With the European economies facing reality it's only the Americans who, Wile E. Coyote-like, are a thousand feet above thin air and still running like they're on solid ground. If the American Beaker market dries up I'll have to make more economies. And that means three fewer hours of hot water each week. And that would involve inventing the concept of negative hours of hot water.

No, we won't hold a Beaker Thanksgiving because everyone would treat it as an early taste of Xmas. There's a time to eat tasteless, dry poultry and it's Christmas Day. If you have it early you won't look forward to it.