footnotes

Popular culture traces Thanksgiving to 1621 in Plymouth, Mass. The Pilgrims had arrived less than a year before on Dec. 11, 1620, and almost half the original group of 102 had died during the first winter. Although historians disagree on many details of the event, it’s clear the Pilgrims and about 90 of the indigenous Wampanoag people feasted together that autumn to celebrate the successful harvest.

* Plymouth and Pilgrims notwithstanding, harvest celebrations have been held by people around the world for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks had the festival of Thesmosphoria; the Romans Cerelia; the Chinese Chung Ch’ui; and the Hebrews Sukkot, just to name a few.

* The Thanksgiving Day kitchen can be a dangerous place for neophyte chefs. To avoid food poisoning, health officials recommend poultry be cooked to an internal temperature of 180-185 degrees Fahrenheit. Stuff your bird just before putting it in the oven; leaving the dressing in an uncooked bird for an extended period can cause problems. If a grease fire starts in the kitchen, never try to put it out with water. Instead, turn off the burner and slide a lid over the pan.

* Some people like to prop the bird up on a rack; others prefer to cook the turkey in an oven bag. For those who aren’t sure, the Reynolds Wrap people are offering a 24/7 Turkey Tips hotline this holiday season to provide information regarding different methods of cooking your bird. (800) 745-4000.

* Thanksgiving also signals the start of our American holiday season. Locally, the annual Griffith Park Light Festival begins the day after Thanksgiving and runs daily 5-10:30 p.m. through the day after Christmas. Also, the Glendale Centre Theatre’s 35th annual production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” opens Nov. 26. (818) 244-8481.