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The Daily Article

Why doesn't Disney World celebrate Thanksgiving?

The Daily Article

The Denison Forum

Christianity, News, Daily News, Religion & Spirituality

4.9576 Ratings

🗓️ 19 November 2018

⏱️ 5 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the Christmas rush, it's easy to miss the significance of Thanksgiving. Today's podcast offers two biblical ways to make this week's holiday the holy day our souls need. For more news discerned differently, or to receive the Daily Article via email, please visit denisonforum.org.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Hi, I'm Jim Denison with Denison Forum, and this is the Daily Article from Monday, November 19, 2018.

0:07.2

I would like to begin this morning by expressing my gratitude to my son Ryan for writing last week's daily articles.

0:13.2

I'm truly thankful for his thoughtful and inspiring columns while Janet and I were on vacation.

0:18.3

Ryan is completing his PhD in church history and is a gifted thinker and writer.

0:23.0

I'm also grateful to Chris Elkins, our brand director at Denison Forum, for recording the podcast last week.

0:28.4

It's an honor for me to share this ministry with Chris and with Ryan.

0:33.2

My wife marked a significant birthday last week. I offered to take her anywhere to celebrate, and she chose Disney World.

0:39.7

Since she grew up just a few blocks from Disneyland in California, and we visited Disney World often while living in Atlanta, the trip was a nostalgic and fun week for us both.

0:49.2

However, one part of our vacation was a new experience. We had never visited Disney World in mid-November.

0:55.7

We saw Christmas decorations everywhere we looked, wreaths on the doors, garlands on the light

1:00.3

poles and attractions, Christmas parades in the streets. We were told that more than 1,500

1:05.3

Christmas trees were placed on the various Disney World properties. The decorations were beautiful, the parades,

1:11.7

light shows, and fireworks were stunning. Disney World celebrates Christmas in grand style. But another

1:17.4

holiday was noteworthy for its absence. I don't remember a single reference to Thanksgiving.

1:24.6

Not one pilgrim or turkey on the grounds. It was as though this Thursday

1:28.1

celebration of gratitude does not exist. My purpose today is not to criticize Disney World. It is to note

1:34.8

that for most Americans, they're right. Thanksgiving is a day for food and football, followed by

1:40.3

Black Friday sales on Thursday. By contrast, when Governor Bradford issued his first

1:45.4

Thanksgiving proclamation in 1623, he called all ye pilgrims with your wives and ye little ones

1:51.7

to assemble from nine to noon, to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye almighty God

1:58.0

for all his blessings. When Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national observance in 1863, he asked his, quote,

2:05.7

fellow citizens in every part of the United States, end quote, to set aside, quote,

...

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