Lew, I should also note that when I was researching my piece on Thanksgiving, I came across some interesting bits on Thanksgiving football.

Football and Thanksgiving became synonymous back in the 20’s so that men (who were apparently unsure of their manhood) could do something “manly” while their wives did “feminine” things like prepare the family meal. While much of Thanksgiving had been invented as an exercise in overt nationalism, Victorian women fought to add elements of domesticity to the Pilgrim myth and the worshiping of national unity.

Thus, being at home with the family became an important element of the day. However, by the turn of the century, going to a football game became an important element of the day as well, and thanks to radio, listening to a game at home became more or less essential during the twenties. The addition was important, because the domesticity element of the day was deemed unmanly, and beyond the blessing of the food which always involved thanking God for the government, men didn’t seem to have much to do.

Thanks to football, men could now be macho during all the cooking and cleaning by listening to a violent game on the radio with other men. Thus, the holiday’s popularity was solidified.

Of course, real men cook and clean with magnificent skill. And aren’t afraid to show it.

The Best of Ryan McMaken