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Thanksgiving at Home

Album: Gold Audio 07: On Thin Ice

Episode: 132

Lesson/Theme: Thanksgiving; being thankful.

Bible Verse: Psalm 7:17, 28:7

Characters: Donna, George, Jimmy, Mary

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: November 17, 1990

Last Air Date: November 25, 2008

Description:
Another Thanksgiving Day has rolled around. Jimmy Barclay is looking forward to the smell of roasting turkey, a crackling fire in the fireplace, and that warm, cozy feeling of watching bowl games on TV. The only problem is, none of that is happening. George and Mary were visited by an unwelcome guest during the night-the flu bug. They are both so sick that if Jimmy and Donna want Thanksgiving this year, they'll have to provide it for themselves. So Jimmy and Donna attempt to cook, with disastrous results. Donna tries to bake a frozen turkey. Jimmy struggles to whip whole, unpeeled potatoes. Donna makes stuffing out of torn-up pieces of white bread. Jimmy tries to light a fire in the fireplace without opening the flue. Once they've made a mess out of the dinner and the house, Jimmy and Donna decide to put on a play for their ailing parents-the story of the first Thanksgiving. Finally, the Barclays all end up on George and Mary's bed, eating pizza and chicken soup. Jimmy reveals that he's learned the true meaning of the holiday-it's not how you celebrate it, it's why you celebrate it. And Donna has discovered she is most thankful for her mom and dad.

Questions:
Why was it dangerous for Jimmy to try lighting a fire? When was the first Thanksgiving celebrated? When did Thanksgiving become an official holiday? Describe a special Thanksgiving memory.