the DON JONES
INDEX…
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GAINS POSTED in GREEN LOSSES POSTED in RED 11/27/25… 15,579.00 11/20/25…
15,403.98 6/27/13... 15,000.00 |
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(THE
DOW JONES INDEX: 11/27/25... 47,427.12; 11/20/25... 46,138.77; 6/27/13… 15,000.00) |
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LESSON for NOVEMBER 27th, 2025 – “AMERICANS are THANKFUL FOR…!”
For... well... Thanksgiving. Turkey and stuffing, a four (maybe four and a
half, even five) day weekend, friends and family and Friday (black); for
Christmas on the way and the gumment shutdown in the rear view mirror, slowly
receding.
For Father Time and Mother
Nature... a remaining sustaining climate (for most) despite dire prophecies at
the COP30 summit (which ended, as a delighte President Trump forecast) in
chaos, calamity and conflagration, but no known fatalies. For cops, too, most of them... and the
firefighters and some gumment workers like air traffic controllers who could
have walked away, without pay, but didn’t.
Even for the National Guard, ICE and local police migrant hunters... the
ones who took violent alien criminals off the streets and sent them back to
elsewhere, or to jail. And for the
migrants who came to America to work, obey the law, and try to fit in while
sharing, not suppressing their good old ways.
For the good old days, in dreams and memories... for the old-school
conservatives who still believe in conservation
and thrift, for a liberalism that still upholds its root values of decency and
toleration, and for all... the and the hope that 2026 will be better than 2025.
And for the citizens and
immigrants alike, there are thanks that they are not Ukrainians, Palestinians
or the miserable occupants of war-torn or dictator-ravaged hellholes like Haiti
or Sudan or Venezuela; hopes for peace, justice and, yes, revolutions to
come.
Admittedly, the majority of what
passed for news in 2025 was bad. This is
the nature of news, of course, there are dozens, if not hundreds of forgotten
stories of caring and sharing and accomplishment for every high-profile school
shooting or identity thief; there is progress in science and medicine despite
MWAAHAA, definitive distractions in culture despite the culture wars...
American life expectancies are going down only a little, the last hostages are
home and the turkeys... Gobble and Wobble... are pardoned.
Just like George Santos and all
the One Six Capital rioters!
So, for today... maybe tomorrow or
Saturday owing to the library computers that DJI uses being closed down to give
the workers there their holiday... let’s steal a few treats from collectors of
glad tidings and look back through our own 2025 noticias for things that some
or all of us could be thankful for.
Let’s begin with the perennials... the deals and steals, the moods and
food and first, let’s look through the history.
The good folks at 1440 contend
(ATTACHMENT ONE) that the “first Thanksgiving”
most often refers to a 1621 meal between the Pilgrims and the native Wampanoag
people.”
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving Day on
the final Thursday of November to be celebrated each year. (There was some pushme pullyouback during and
after the Depression when Thanksgiving was celebrated on the second-to-last
Thursday... and for some, not at all... but things were set to right again
after World War Deuce and, by now, Americans are preparing upward of 40 million turkeys and
80 million pounds of cranberries (see more, below) and watch football or the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. (See more on
the balloons here
and on the floats there.)
As with most everything, these
days, Thanksgiving has been buffeted by the polls... what to eat, what to do,
what to wear, where to go... and YouGov (November 21, ATTACHMENT TWO), which
informed America that nearly all (86%) of Americans plan
to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. “18% plan to travel for the holiday and
65% do not... 8% of Americans say there will be 16 or more people at their
Thanksgiving table this year” (8% say their guests will include “someone born
outside the U.S.”) and 69% of these will eat turkey. Menus will vary by region, Southerners will
be more likely to eat ham.
“19% of Democrats and 9% of Republicans think there will be
arguments about politics at their Thanksgiving celebration this year. But most
Americans with a preferred 2024 candidate also expect to be celebrating mostly
with like-minded people.”
Around tables throughout the country this
Thanksgiving, millions will take turns sharing what they’re grateful for. But
while giving thanks is the reason for the season, why wait for November? As
Virginia Commonwealth University’s Jeffrey Green points out,
gratitude makes us happier – and that feeling is year-round according to Sian
Wilkerson at the VCU portal (ATTACHMENT THREE).
“Gratitude is all about relationships,” said
Green. “Feelings of social connection are so important to well-being, and these
expressions of gratitude can enhance our sense that we’re embedded in
relationships and we’re loved by others.”
But gratitude has another component – one
that works on the large and small scale, Green... from VCU’s Department
of Psychology in
the College of Humanities and Sciences.
“It also orients us to what we have rather
than what we don’t have,” he said, rambling on to talk about a year of death
and a painful auto accident (for which he thanked the surgeons), concluding:
“(I) was grateful that I’m still here.”
And that’s gratitude. Professor Green suggests that we give thanks
go...
Nostalgia...
Old
fashion pen to paper journals and letters... or...
Calling
an old friend or mentor – and, of course...
Spend
less time on social media
U.S. News (November 24, ATTACHMENT FOUR)
suggested that Americans find gratitude in retirement as (Attachment Three,
above, confirms) the alternative is not so good. Here, author Tim Smart survived a heart
attack and, so gives thanks to...
Friends
and family...
Good (or at least
sustainable) health...
Money. (Smart has it, too bad if you don’t)...
Small
things (looking at a full moon, petting a dog
or cat, eatling less and sleeping more)...
Find
a hobby or take a part-time job (as will help
with “money” above)
Good Housekeeping (October 15th,
see ATTACHMENT FIVE) offered up no less than one hundred and six ways to give thanks to friends, family and even
casual acquaintances... moments “sweet as pumpkin pie”; a chat, a nap, travel
and... again... pie; give thanks for “a kind and caring boss” and nice
co-workers, and for... like Franklin Graham dictates on his holiday
commercials... be grateful to and for God.
On the other hand, one “Doctor
Michelle Bengston” proposes twenty five “unusual things to be thankful for”
(ATTACHMENT SIX) starting with the conventional (health, good parents and
friends, weekends) but then moving on to dirty dishes and crumbs on the floor (indicative
of family meals), bathrooms to clean, sunshine, color and electricity and, of
course, “time” - because “we
never know when our time will run out.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
And, of course, where would Thanksgiving be
without happy celebrities discussing their blessings and offering counsel? Google’s AI overview includes many celebrities expressing
gratitude in 2025, “often for personal achievements, professional successes,
and health.” (ATTACHMENT SEVEN)
Heather Dubrow and Tiger Woods celebrated their kids' new
academic journeys at Yale and Stanford, Edward Norton was thankful for his
Golden Globes nomination; Chris Pratt, Billy Crystal, and others were
likely thankful to appear in 2025 Super Bowl ads.
The New York Post posted notable names sharing
what they are most grateful for this Thanksgiving (ATTACHMENT EIGHT); including
CARDINAL TIMOTHY DOLAN, Archbishop of New York... “thankful that we live in a
country that sets aside a special day each year to express gratitude to
Almighty God for the many blessings He has given us”; LARA TRUMP... “the thing
for which I am the most thankful is our entire family”; MIKE “THE SITUATION”
SORRENTINO... “(i)t’s an honor to help others find healing, hope, and a second
chance, because recovery is the real blessing”; and Golden Bachelor MEL OWENS:
“I’m always grateful that (my boys) are wonderful kids. Every morning we wake
up, I am grateful for them, and I love them dearly.”
And
this year’s celebrity turkeys... Gobble and Waddle... will (or should) be
grateful for their Presidential pardons – after which they’ll spend the rest of their lives under the care
of the Prestage Department of Poultry Science at North Carolina State
University in Raleigh, “where they will have dedicated housing, daily care and
veterinary services, according to an Office of the First Lady press
release.” (1440, ATTACHMENT TEN)... see
their photo gallery of Thanksgiving
turkey pardons here.
The Pardonator President gifted Americans, as
well as Brazilians, with a repeal of food tariffs. (ABC, November 21, ATTACHMENT TEN) and
pivoted on New York Mayor Mamdani after their meeting at the White House last
Friday – where they agreed on several issues, primarily affordability.
In a less generous gesture, Trump called several Democratic veterans and national security
specialists "traitors" who
should face the death
penalty for releasing a joint video
in which they said that U.S. service members could refuse illegal orders and
repotedly told Ukrainian President that he had until Thanksgiving to knuckle
under and sign the American peace plan.
"We
think we have a way of getting peace. He's going to have to approve it,"
Trump said.
The
liberal Guardian U.K. profiled seven British “unsung heroes” including a
courteous bus driver, a dedicated toilet scrubber, a lollipop distributor and a
champion bratwurst eater (ATTACHMENT ELEVEN) who finds it “weirdly satisfying to know that I can eat more chicken
nuggets in five minutes than anyone else in the country.”
Speaking
of food, USA Today compared prices on Thanksgiving staples since 2024, finding
that a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 “will cost about
5% less than it did last year, according to the American Farm
Bureau Federation's annual survey. (ATTACHMENT TWELVE).
Four
items from the survey dropped in price this year – “the main turkey dish (which
dropped to $21.50 from $25.67 in 2024), cubed stuffing, fresh cranberries and
dinner rolls.”
But
other side items – “sweet potatoes, frozen green peas, carrots and celery,
whole milk and whipping cream – rose in price, and fresh vegetables saw the
sharpest increase.”
A
separate reality for Thanksgiving dinner was posted by the American Farm Bureau
(November 19, ATTACHMENT THIRTEEN), which noted that... while whole prices for
turkeys were up from 2024, “grocery stores are
featuring Thanksgiving deals and attempting to draw consumer demand back to
turkey, leading to lower retail prices for a holiday bird.”
AFBF
Economist Faith Parum, said that: “Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey
flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also
fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable
option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
The
continued shortage of farmworkers and rapidly increasing farm wages also played
a role in rising produce costs.
“We
are blessed to live in a country that is capable of producing such an abundant
food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy
Duvall. “Despite modest declines in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal, I know
food prices are a real concern for many families, including in rural America.
We lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low
crop prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze
farmers and ranchers. Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and
reliance on other countries for our food.”
CNBC also noted that the
cost of the classic dinner, $55.18, is down 5% from 2024 and well below the
record high of $64.05 reached in 2022. “But it’s still higher than its 2020
level, when the same meal averaged $46.90. However, with inflation factored in,
2025′s price is roughly in line with what the 2020 dinner would cost
today.”
Average
prices for the last ten years, according to AFBF’s survey (not adjusted for
inflation) were...
· 2015: $50.11
· 2016: $49.87
· 2017: $49.12
· 2018: $48.90
· 2019: $48.91
· 2020: $46.90
· 2021: $53.31
· 2022: $64.05
· 2023: $61.17
· 2024: $58.08
And USA Today (ATTACHMENT FIFTEEN) cited a survey by the Nielsen
IQ pollsters finding that 58% of those surveyed citing concern about
food price inflation. “As a result, 25% said they plan to buy more private
label brands and 31% said they'll choose private label over name brands, when
possible. There are still some – 5% – who said they will prioritize name
brands.
“Some
people are also looking for other ways to cut down the cost of the celebration:
31% are having a smaller gathering, 31% are skipping "non-essentials"
like floral arrangements and 27% are having smaller side dishes, according to
NIQ.”
CNN
even reported upon a poll by the Cannabis Media Council that called yesterday’s
“Green Wednesday” the second-largest holiday for
cannabis behind April 20,
“Green
Wednesday” is a relatively new term for a familiar phenomenon: Old friends get
together in their hometown and party on
the eve of Thanksgiving. As cannabis products became legalized across the US in
the mid-2010s, the industry started using the term in marketing to encourage
friends to head to local dispensaries to get their fix, said CMC’s Joyce
Sinali. (ATTACHMENT SIXTEEN)
And
at a time when people are increasingly trading
alcohol for cannabis products, Green Wednesday is becoming more popular
among people who don’t typically smoke, too. “Will Cohen, co-founder of the
Jewish cannabis brand Tokin’ Jew, used to refer to the day before Thanksgiving
as “Blackout Wednesday,” back when that meant “getting shitfaced with high
school friends.” Now, alcohol and cannabis are “competing” for the Wednesday
before Thanksgiving, he said.
FAMILY DANKSGIVING
Smoking,
much like the hubbub surrounding Thanksgiving, is ritualistic, said Cohen.
“When you’re sharing a joint, for instance, it’s custom to pass it to the
person on your left. It’s a similar setup at Thanksgiving dinner, only instead
of trading joints, families are sharing what they’re thankful for.”
Probably
not including the plague.
Time
(November 24th, ATTACHMENT SEVENTEEN) brought up more culture war
cuisine – wherein climate change is making more holiday staples more expensive.
“Drought, changing temperature patterns in
different parts of the country, natural disasters… all of those things have an
impact on the supply of food and agricultural commodities,” says Marcus
Coleman, professor of practice at Tulane University whose work focuses on food
systems and agriculture.
“Cranberries and apples are both very
dependent on specific temperature patterns,” says Coleman. Cranberries, which
require cooler temperatures during their growing period to help them ripen
before they’re harvested in the fall, can see abnormal blossoming when exposed
to inconsistent temperatures. This can lead to lower yields. Meanwhile a late
spring frost can kill the blossoms that produce apples.
“Turkeys, on the other hand, are particularly
sensitive to extreme heat.”
“Frozen green peas and a vegetable tray of
carrots and celery were among the other items to rise in price, up 17.2% and
61% respectively as farmers across the country faced growing expenses for
fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land,” Time reported. The AFBF notes that even modest supply-chain
disruptions can have major impacts on fresh produce, “and that the continued shortage
of farmworkers and rapidly increasing farm wages also play a role in rising
produce costs.”
The partisan right, of course, would applaud
the former contingency, while labor and its allies would agree that the time
for the latter has come.
And next?
Well... USA Today (ATTACHMENT
NINTEEN) reports that popular retailers like Amazon, Walmart and
Target began announcing early Black Friday deals as early as a week before
Thanksgiving.
Here is USA TODAY's guide to Black Friday
prep, including when and where to shop for popular deals.
As for things to be grateful
for... well... it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to learn that the
majority of what passes for news is bad.
In fact, we have to twerk our indices to emphasize the good, otherwise
the entire Index would shrink to nothing.
And, issue by issues through
Halloween, these were some occurrances of the year gone by that most... except
some few, stubborn grinches... could be thankful for.
0102
Closed for New Years’ holiday.
0109
Happy criminals enjoy President Joe’s pardons
as he prepares to leave office and he awards a Medal of Freedom to Michael J.
Fox, among others as oil prices fall.
0116
Girl Scouts’ Number One cookie is Thin Mints
(for 7th straight year).
Trump cabinet of curiosities being appointed – and are thankful for
their jobs (and power). Biden grants a
Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis.
0123
(Partial) peace for (some) hostages deal
concluded between Hamas and Israel includes American Keith Siegel. President Trump inaugurated and begins His
pardoning spree, focusing on the One Six grateful, Proud Boys and Q-Anon
Shaman. Ohio State wins NCAA Number
One. Southwest passengers grateful as
drunk pilot pulled off plane before he can crash it.
0130
Oilies grateful for Trump’s “Drill,
Baby”. Also grateful: religious culture
warriors and pro-lifers, gumment efficiency supporters and anti-tax
billionaires, anti-vaxxers, anti-immigrant nativists. “First Aid” raises relief money for
California wildfire victims.
0206
Polls find US economy strong and improving
overall. Boy recovering after saving
sister from fire caused by plane crashing into Philadelphia homes. Vertex brings out a non-opioid, non-addictive
painkiller.
0213
Philadelphia fans grateful for Superbowl
success. Some Democrats also grateful
for Trump pardons – like Gov. Rod Blagovich and NY Mayor Eric Adams. Mark Fogel freed in prisoner swap with
Russia.
0220
Grammy winner Chappell Roan bullies the
Universal Music suits into providing health care for musicians. Hamas releases American Sagui Dekel-Chen in
prisoner swap with two Israelis for three hundred fifty Palestinian prisoners. Lost royal tomb found in Egypt, whale swallows
kayaker... then spits him out.
0227
Germany’s new orthodox right wing Chancellor
Freidich Merz says he won’t form a
coalition with neo-Nazis. Astronomers
cheer – asteroid will miss Earth. A
woman is rescued from a storm drain in San Berdoo, CA, a winter soldier from a
Colorado avalanche, a double-amputee saved after his wheelchair breaks down in
subzero freeze.
0306
“Flawless” Blue Ghost moon landing near the
South Pole were water is suspected.
Bezos to send five famous women into space. Actor Steve Carell buys prom tickets for
wildfire kids.
0313
D.
J. Daniel - diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018 – made an honorary Secret
Service agent. It’s National Sleep Week and Wednesday is
National Girl Scout Day. King Charles
names his favorite musicians: Bob Marley and Beyonce.
0320
Stranded astronauts Butch and Suni finally
brought back to Earth in Florida splashdown amidst dancing dolphins. Senate
votes 54-46 to pass a bill avoiding first government shutdown of 2025. The price of eggs is finally beginning to drop
(or at least stop rising). JFK
assassination docs released. Peruvian fishermen
rescued after 95 days at sea of eating roaches and turtles.
0327
Saint
Stupid's Day Parade is an annual parade
in San Francisco upcoming on April 1. Cerrone’s Pizza in Columbus, GA win the
National Pizza Expo in Vegas. Florida
company debuts breast milk ice cream. Yum?
0403
Grateful April hoaxes include the Swiss
spaghetti harvest (a bumper crop, thanks to “a very mild winter and the virtual
elimination of the dreaded spaghetti weevil”) and Adweek’s unreal products: “Garlic
Ranch soda, Whisker candles that smell like the cat’s litter boxes and Mr. T’s
Pierogies face cream and eye patches the Adweek reporter calls “kind of soothing.” MLB season opens; Yankees kick off season with
three straight homeruns, nine in all, 15 in first 3 games.
0410
Strong
dollar enables more European vacations for Americans. Truth seekers express thanks (or should) for
our differentiation of dis- and mis-information in politics, science and
weather. National dollhouse day
celebrated as are victories in men’s and women’s March Madness by Florida and UConn. Geneticists bring back the Dire Wolf...
mammoths next? 97 year old turtle mom
births quadruplets in Galapagos.
0417
Some world
leaders welcome Trump reciprocal tariff TACO.
Thankful for being out of jail, Trump economic advisor Pete Navarro
tells Vietnam that their offer of 0% tariffs on US goods is not enough. Massive profits perk up Pepsi as well as Dow
denizens like Warren Buffett. Russia
releases US ballerina from prison for having supported Ukraine. Celebrity female astronauts (Katy
Perry, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe and three others)
return from short, safe sojourn in space.
0424
Thanks to Frank who delivers powerful Papal
Easter message, before dying. The heroic
firefighters are not all in California, many saved in New Jersey as Earth Day
comes and goes. Finland named World’s
Happiest Country. NASA reports that
Kepler telescope detected “signs of life” on distant planet K2-18B 152 light
years away.
0501
Spring springs in on MayDay (few Communists
troll the holiday – but some Argentines protest Pope Frank’s actions in the
Dirty War, but world celebreties celebrate his funeral). Speculation now centers on the coming
Conclave. Switzerland named world’s
free-est nation. President Trump says he
supports measles vaccines. Rock and Roll
Hall of Fame inductees include... Chubby Checker!
0508
Mexicans,
(some) Americans and Mexican-Americans celebrate Cinco de Mayo. MAGA grateful for increased border
surveillance that keeps them, and others, out of America. President Trump celebrates his first hundred
days (1360 +/- more unless he can repeal the 22nd Amendment). Sovereignty defeats Journalist at the
Kentucky Derby. Utah grateful for being
named best U.S. state by U.S. W/N Report.
0515
World
and American leaders and commoners give thanks for Frank as conclave begins in
Rome. Media and gamblers make predictions, and the winner is... an
American! Robert Prevost of Chicago -
now Pope Leo XIV. Trump’s China tariff deal sends Dow soaring and he goes to
Sandland to secure half a trillion in deals and a gift jet from Qatar. Last American hostage Edan
Alexander released in US/Hamas deal.
Mother’s Day poll names Liam and Olivia top baby names and Dave
Barbagelata of San Francisco named Garbageman of the Year.
0522
Catholics
and more pay tributes to grateful Pope Leo.
Even Vladimir Putin, North Korea and Iran wish him well. Jerseyites celebrate end of transit
strike. Sports fans celebrate NBA, WNBA
and NHL playoffs and Journalism bounces back to win Preakness.
0529
Our
DJI roundup of college commence speeches include the inspirational and
perspirational – given the need for increasing cyber-confluence to get good job
and pay off student loans – amidst a changing economy, persistent wars and a
perceived dearth of democracy. There’s
also advice from the Kardashians, Alice Cooper and Kermit the Frog. In Congress Trump celebrates 215 – 214
passage of his tax bill; billionaires are thankful for that, too, and former Harvard President Larry Summers
says: “It’s hard to imagine a better gift we can give China than alienating all
the young people of the world.”
0605
Most Israelis and many Americans are thankful
that Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwa is killed by an Israeli airstrike. Celebrants of death also hail demise of
corrupt NYPD Chief Bernard Kerik and Ed Gale (voice of cartoon criminal
“Chucky” and are grateful that Ukrainian drones take out a third of the Russian
air force. Lexicographers delight in a
new world/acronym TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) after courts kill, revive
and kill his tariffs again. Sharks
celebrate 50th anniversary of “Jaws” by eating a few surfers, Team
Trump profits selling dinner tix at $500K and “meme coins” to Chinese
investors. Taylor Swift buys back her
catalog and rare golden lobster saved at Rhode Island restaurant.
0612
Aging veterans and patriots of all ages
celebrate 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Defense contractors celebrate $997B budget and its Golden Dome
anti-missile missiles; Huntsville, Alabama cheers plans to host Space Force,
and even the liberals at Guardian U.K. congratulate SOW Pete Hegseth on the
appointment Gen. Michael Guetlein as he is “widely seen at the Pentagon
to be competent and deeply experienced in missile defense systems and
procurement.” Coco Gauff wins the French Open, Carlos
Alcazar smites Jannik Sinner in the men’s finals and Sovreignty again outruns
Journalism in their rematch at Belmont.
0619
On
the bootheels of D-Day’s 80th comes the 250th Anniversary
of the U.S. Army – looking forward to 80th of VE and VJ Days and big
250th Independence Day. It’s
also the 87th birthday of Superman and 79th for President
Trump - whose Truth Social post wishes a Happy
Father’s Day to all, “including the radical left degenerates.” Israel’s “Rising Lion” operation kill Iranian
military leaders, one man grateful for surviving Air India crash that kills
274. Lost Himalaya hiker survives nine
days eating bugs. J. J. Spaun wins U.S.
Open.
0626
Liberals
like Zoran Mamdani’s primary victory over Andrew Cuomo in NYC. Blacks like Juneteenth being named the newest
Federal holiday. Americans grateful for
successful “Midnight Hammer” attack on Iran.
Last American Hamas hostage
returns home to New Jersey. Boy
survives lightining strike in Central Park, girl survives Florida shark attack.
Hiker rescued three cays after falling off cliff. Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders grateful for
raises from $400 to $1600/game. Hot Dog
eating champ Joey Chestnutt pivots; enjoys forty chicken tenders.
0703
Thanks
given for fireworks, fun and food when America celebrates its 249th. Sparkler stores and mobile trucks grateful
for their best business day of the year.
President Trump celebrates his signing of the Big, Beautiful (Budget)
Bill; deciding vote Lisa Murkowski grateful for the swag piled upon her for
endorsement... oil and whaling goodies and promises (that will probably be
broken). Gays grateful at 50th
anniversary of Stonewall riots in NYC. Newest girl group is Mariah Carey,
Ariana Grande and... Barbara Streisand!
0710
Israel
gives thanks to America for bombing Iran’s Fordow nuclear facilities. President Trump enthusiastic that strikes
might inspire Hamas to make a hostage deal and envisioning Gaza as an
entertainment zone... not quite Vegas but, at least, Atlantic City... celebrating
Independence Day in Iowa. Bird flu
ebbing, eggs more affordable and Joey Chestnut regains his hotdog-eating title,
gobbling 70.5 franks. Manly American man
wins wife carrying contest in Finland, aging boomers to enjoy upcoming
geriatric tours (Sir Paul, Dylan, Baby James, Cyndi and a Last Waltz for
Ozzie).
0717
Troubled Brazilian President Lula further
troubled by Trump’s coffee tariff, but grateful because he can now ride a
patriotic wave to survival. Even more
grateful, China... as U.S. prestige declines... and its vehicle BRICS (Brazil,
Russia, India, China and South Africa) and fellow travelers (Egypt, Iran,
Indonesia, Saudi and more). The French
celebrate Bastille Day (but lose to Brits at FIFA) – also thankful are Sinner
(who gets revenge on Alcarraz at Wimbledon), the Emmy nominees, gold bugs,
bitcoiners and NVIDIA (now worth $4T).
0724
Trump tariff deal with Japan spices up stocks
and then boosts his own wealth by issuing Trump Bitcoins. 80 Colombian miners stuck in a gold mine
grateful for being pulled out, sans bling.
Disneyland celebrates its 70th. Tributes pour in for Ozzie and Kim Novak;
among the living, 45
year old Venus Williams returns to take the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Baby gorilla born at Dallas Zoo.
0731
More tributes for Hulk Hogan and Chuck (not
Luigi) Mangione. More Trump tariff deals
with the EU and the UK take threats of tariff war off the table, billionaire
Larry Ellison takes control of Paramount and CBS. Israel allows some food trucks into starving
Gaza. Katie Ledecky wins 17th
aquatic gold medal. Romance sizzles for Naked
Gun stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson and for Katy Perry and former
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau. NFL star and
Colorado coach Deion Sanders beats cancer while record premature baby (21
weeks) celebrates first healthy birthday.
0807
Trump pivots, imposing “reciprocal” tariffs
that will bring more revenue to the government and wins plaudits from former
critics like TV’s Bill Maher and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa). Parents get ready for Back to School Week –
even some nerds are grateful. Older
nerds launch AI startups. The jocks get
ready for high school, NCAA and NFL preseason training, Leo holds a Popestock for Catholic
youth. “Ada” wins annual Vegas baby
race.
0814
Presidents Trump and Putin meet in Alaska,
discuss peace with Belarussian dictator Lukashenko as the happy
go-between. Happy too are investors in
the Russian stock market and, also, Thais and Cambodians after Djonald brokers
a peace treaty – raising his hopes for a Nobel Peace Prize – and takes credit
for settling Azaris and Armenians, Congolese and Rwanda, India and
Pakistan. In a great week for women:
first MLB umpire Jen Pawol calls her first game, the Boston Celtics hire the
first two woman broadcasting team and Space X brings tired but happy astronauts
back after five months at the I.S.S.
Smuggler captured bringing
850 turtles to China in his socks!
0821
Fox, at least, gave thanks that Russia
“respects America more” after the Alaska summit. Here, there are deals and steals... private
equity mogul buys the Boston Celtics, underwear giant Gildan buys out
Haines. Hiker rescued after two days
stuck “behind” a Sequoia Forest waterfall.
NASA finds a new moon circling Uranus.
Taylor Swift announces Oct. 3 release of “Life of a Showgirl”.
0828
Wives of Trump and Zelenskyy exchange hopes
for peace. Euros form a “coalition of
the willing”. Putin remembers warm
feelings between FDR and Stalin.
American conservatives (political) praise Zelenskyy’s clothes. Shoe fetishists celebrate new Air Jordans;
Nike cuts deal with Caitlin Clark.
American conservatives (nostalgic) praise Trump’s pressure on the
Cracker Barrel to bring back Uncle Herschel.
Gourmets give thanks as Pumpkin Spice season begins; police arrest “beef
bandit” who hid meat in his pants.
0904
America celebrates Labor Day with parties,
strikes (autoworkers, corrections officers, nostalgic revolutionary
rhetoric. Nice ice will be Disney’s
skate-fest. Good Samaritan rescues
infant from a dumpster, another saves boy walking on monorail, West Point cadet
pulls man from burning car. NFL season
to begin.
0911
The Nine Eleven anniversary brings a few
examples of bipartisan thanks and gratitude... for example right wing actor
Gary Sinise and leftist Tom Hanks.
Anarchists can appreciated the pill people’s advertisements using the
Ramone’s “Blitzkrieg Bop”. Both sides
can embrace (or resist) Pope Leo’s “tolerance” (but not support) for gay
Catholics. Lucky lotto winners in Texas
and Missouri split $2B Powerball jackpot.
And happy wedding day.... finaly!... for Iran/Contra couple Ollie North
and Fawn Hall!
0918
Retailers fear that higher prices may depress
consumer spending but also motivate the Fed to cut interest rates... sending
the Dow up over the 46,000 mark. MAGA
applauds police capture of Charlie Kirk killer.
Celebrities and Catholics (even the gay ones) celebrate Pope Leo’s 70th
with Vatican concert featuring Bocelli/Jelly Rolli duet, Pharrell Williams, dronal
fireworks. Seth Rogan sweeps on Emmy’s
“Golden Night”. Rover spacecraft
discovers what cosmologists believe may be evidence of life on Mars.
0925
Fed’s
first cut since December lowers its short-term rate to about 4.1%, down from
4.3%. Dems grateful for near unanimity
in the fact of government shutdown to save healthcare (Fed workers, not so
happy). MAGA happy after ABC bows to
Trump and cancels Jimmy Kimmel while Trump, himself, celebrates at Windsor
Castle. Kimmel and fans, however,
grateful for ABC pivot five days later.
Back in America, cops celebrate National Donut Day while Jews celebrate
Rosh Hashana and the French give thanks to Notre Dame finally reopening after six
years.
1002
TikTok sells out and survives. CostCo is thankful for having bought as much
foreign stuff as possible before the tariffs.
President Trump plays the Joker with new AI generated images of Rep.
Hakeem Jeffries in a Mexican sombrero while DefSec (or WarSec) Hegseth
denounces fat Generals while Chunk wins the Fat Bear contest. Cruise line prices falling, with berths as
low as $38/night. 24 year old invents process for turning plastic waste into
Plastocene fuel. Woman wins million
dollar Wheel of Fortune spin, guessing “pack of coyotes.”
1009
Anarchists celebrate the government
shutdown. Taylor Swift drops her
“Showgirl” album; K.I.S.S. frontman Gene Simmons survives car crash, Dolly
Parton survives kidney stones. Woman
celebrates fifty years selling peanuts at Phillies’ games, millions in gold and
treasure recovered from 1715 shipwreck.
Jared Kushner goes to Cairo to save the world.
1016
Twenty
living hostages held by Hamas terrorists after their attack on an Israeli music
festival are finally returned to their families. Everybody celebrates, especially President
Trump who says he’ll go to the MidEast to secure His peace plan. On the streets of Tel Aviv “tearful families
hugged, cheered, some popping champagne,” as they learned of the news (GUK). But Trump loses the Nobel to Maria Corina
Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader to the regime of President Maduro. Trailblazing New York rabbi (first Asian,
first female) writes her autobiography FDA greenlights Lilly blood test for
Alzheimer’s. Fossil of Jurassic “Sword
Dragon” discovered, while 2025’s Big Pumpkin winner from Santa Rosa, CA checks
in at 2.346 lbs.
1023
Musicians turn to lawyers to stop politicians
(like Trump) from using their works in campaign videos. Many ICE protesters in Portland (Or) dress in
Halloween costumes and encounter only “non-lethal
repression (gas, clubs, fists, but only a few bullets)”. Some protesters, most police and the
President celebrate National Burger Day on Thursday, followed by National Pasta
Day Friday and George Santos might well enjoy a fettucine and meatball meal
after being pardoned because “at least, he’s a Republican.” Miracle on 34th Street as baby
found abandoned at Penn Station survives.
1030
Spooks and spirits rejoice, Halloween is back
– the American and Mexican versions. Black
cats and ghost voters arise as highly partisan off-year races include New York
City where Zohran Mandabi, a Muslim and self-confessed “Democratic Socialist”
defeats primary loser Andrew Cuomo, the ghost of incumbent Eric Adams and the
mysterious Hand of Trump while the rest of him tours Japan and SoKo. “K-Pop Dragon Fighters” costume, candy and
pumpkin cartels profit; hero mom saves 22 kids from burning Minnesota school
bus and a California firefighter rescues Zeke the Dog from an Oceanside cliff.
And that brings us to the present month, where
gratitude finds Mandabi and other Democrats, TACO tariff cuts and turkeys
Gobble and Waddle follow Mister Santos into Pardonville.
|
IN the NEWS: NOVEMBER 20TH to NOVEMBER 26TH,
2025 |
|
|
|
Thursday, November 20, 2025 Dow: 45,752.26 |
President
Trump signs the bill to order release of the Epstein files after a 427-1
Congressional dictate many refer to as a rebuke – saying that the real perps are Democrats (like Larry
Summers) and that HE was the “driving force behind the release. AyGee Pam Bondi says that she now can go
after the Clintons; victims and families are just relieved. The return to normalcy after the real
development of the past week... the shutdown’s end... continues, if
slowly. Hope smokers hope that air
travel will be back to normal by Thanksgiving, parks and museums are
re-opening but statistical research is slow or failing – gumment says it
“lost” the October jobs report.
WalMart says it will hire 50,000 temporary Christmas workers, but Home
Depot and Target slump... Dow slump blamed on an “AI bubble”. Chipmaker NVIDIA, however, posts record
earnings and is now valued at five trillion dollars. More chaos in courts and congress – Comey
indictment imperiled due to Pam’s protégé and prosecutorial virgin Lindsey
Halligan’s bungling in hiding evidence from the grand jury. “Let’s have a trial!” Comey opines to the
media. As fighter jets and drones
continue sinking boats off Venezuelan coast (the old-fashioned Coast Guard
making a record cocaine bust), six Democratic Senators... referencing an
impending ground war, or perhaps attacks on migrants or protesters or
something else... declare that soldiers, sailors etc. can refuse orders from
above that violate American or international law. A thousand Important People attend Dick
Cheney’s funeral including all five Veeps and Presidents Biden and Bush. Unemployed Liz memorializes the man who
turned on Trump, who is not invited. |
|
|
Friday, November 21, 2025 Dow: 46,245.41 |
It’s
National Thaw-Your-Turkey Day, and the melting is not only onscreen (“Wicked
Two” opens) but amid the ruins of the White House where President Trump calls
the six Dems (all veterans) “traitors” and declares that they should be tried
for treason and executed. “Hang them!”
he tells America, “...George Washington would!” Speaker Mike says Congress has no such
plans, but he liberal media see an appeal for MAGAwolves to enact violent
vigilante justice and the frightened Congress calls for more security – duly
granted. Trump facing down two Z-Men, pivoting
again on Zelenskyy, telling Ukraine to accept his peace deal (as amounts to surrender)
by Thanksgiving, but meeting with Zorro (Mandabi) and saying there are things
they agree upon (notably affordability) and TACOs on his threats to defund
Gotham. COP30 lurching to its fiery end (see last
week’s Lesson), Mother Nature does a Texas Two-Step: heavy rains bringing
flooding to Dallas, no rain bringing “dustnadoes” to Lubbock. Thanksgiving predictions include California
rain moving east to... yes, Texas... and then a deep freeze that will bring
snow East. After the Miss Universe host denigrates
Miss Mexico as a “dumb head” in Thailand and causes dozens of women to walk
out until he is removed; Fátima Bosch Fernández wins the trophy. Followers of some of the other women pivot
and now say the award was an attempt to damp down the toxic publicity. Back in America, the highway safety people
issue new guidelines for female crash test dummies. |
|
|
Saturday, November 22, 2025 Dow: Closed |
President
Trump greets TACO Saturday, chickening out on orders to execute Democratic
traitors, then re-imposing his orders, lowering tariffs on foreign tacos,
beef and coffee, TACOing on Thanksgiving deadline for Z-man One to surrender
in Ukraine, greeting Z-man 2 as his new BFF (while defriending former
follower MTG – saying that she never would have survived next primary without
HIS endorsement). Despite the TACO, the six dissident, if
not treasonous, Democrats still receiving security protection as violent
vigilantes continue threats. In
Chicago, other vigilantes are threatening to kill children who attacked
mother and child. Some of these challengers in the Rome, GA
Congressional District are a big... strange?
State Legislator Colton Moore was arrested for brawling with police at
the Capitol. Higher office seekers are
also sweating dumb-dumb bullets... US
Senatorial aspirant Rep. Mike Collins investigated for holding AI deepfake
“debate” with Sen. Ossoff while rival Buddy Carter calls for ICE raids in
Atlanta, saying “Let’s make sure we’re on the offensive.” (A critic says he’s just seeking attention
and should “go, pet a dog.”) On the auction bloc, a Frida Kahlo
self-portrait sells for $55M but a rare Superman comic rakes in $912M. |
|
|
Sunday, November 23, 2025 Dow: Closed |
“Wht
a week at the White House” opines Stephanopolous substitute Margaret Brennan
on ABC – citing the end of the shutdown, Trump’s BFF substitution of Mandami
for MTG, hanging other Democrats and a few RINO traitors, a lavish party for
Saudi Salman and, as usual, playing golf, It’s Talkshow Sunday and, on ABC, Brennan
interviews unhung Sen. Elise Slotkin (D-Mi) who says that going back to
Nuremerg is not a good thing (even if the movie was good). Soldiers who followed illegal orders in
Vietnam were prosecuted, so will the American people be polled on land war in
Venezuela? Responded Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tx) said
that he did not support hanging Senators, but no orders are illegal when it
comes to stopping drugs. Everybody
should tone down the rhetoric and obey the War Powers Act on invading
Venezuela. The Ukraine surrender deal
is “80% good” and the controversy stemps from Biden’s pullout in Afghanistan. Disagreenig, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va) said
that the President’s promotion of Putin’s peace proposal “makes Neville
Chamberlain look tough.” Mary Bruce, cites the Trump/Zorro “love
fest” at the Round Table, where Neera Tanden of the Center for Progress calls
Trump’s meeting with Mandami “a grat accomplish” while Reince Priebus pointed
out the President’s “charm”, saying that Zorro was “completely charmed and
out of his mind.” Susan Glasser
attributed the pivot to the President’s “dialing down” on his love for luxury
and billionaires after the Saudi meeting and golden ballroom revelations –
they all agree that any talk of MTG for President is foolish. |
|
|
Monday, November 24, 2025 Dow:
46,590.74 |
TACO’d
on Thanksgiving deadline for President Zelenskyy to accept his surrender peace
plan, Trump now wants a meeting as the wars roll on in Ukraine, the MidEast
and... maybe soon... Venezuela, with the TSA warning planes not to approach
or be viewed as enemy aircraft and get shot down. Russia strafes and bombs more civilian
targets, Israel reports killing a Hezbollah leader in Beirut and the rest of
the conflicts roll on. Nigeria reports recapturing more than
fifty children kidnapped from their school by terrorists. Another war is breaking out amidst the
Kennedy family where Tatiana Schlossburg (Caroline’s daughter) is dying of
cancer and appealing to cousin Bobby Junior to stop defunding and harassing
cancer research. No go. While RFK Junior is silent, DefSec Hegseth
picks up and waves the MAGA flag by moving to indict, prosecute and hang Sen.
Mark Kelly (D-Az) for treason. While
lone wolves howl threats of vigilante action, Kelly (husband of shot Sen.
Gaby Giffords) says “I know a thing or two about political violence.” Trump’s polling continues to nosedive, but
MTG denies that she’ll run for President, saying any challenge to Djonald
UnChained would be “futile” and says she just wanted to see justice for the
woman abused by Jeffy. |
|
|
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 Dow: 47,112.45 |
Pentagon
investigating Sen. Kelly, who flew 39 combat missions in Iraq before going
into space while his wife was shot by a MAGAman. “I know what political violence is,” he
says. Rachel von Landghan, military
lawyer says the terms for refusing orders are clear; Kelly says “it’s about
intimidation.” Aygee Pam Bondi and neophyte Halligan
appeal Comey and James dismissals, importance because the statute of
limitations on the former is running out.
Comey gives his Thanksgiving tribute to the judge. Robert Irwin wins on “Dancing With the Stars”. |
|
|
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 Dow: 47,427.12 |
Kelly,
on the Jimmy Kimmell show, says Trump opposed political viokence and that
Hegseth is “unqualified” because he doesn’t understand the Uniform Code of
Military Jusice. “My oath was for loyalty
to the Constitution and not one person.”
He also cites Rand Paul’s quote that: “it’s a bad idea to hang U.S.
Senators.” With Thanksgiving coming tomorrow, travel
woes escalate – on land and in the air.
(At sea, cruise lines are still trying to solve the mystery of a
murdered teenage girl, believed to have been strangled by her stepbrother.)\ Complicating the chaos is bad weather...
especially in the northern Midwest where blizzards descend on the Great
Lakes, snarling Chicago with a foot of snow and cooling down ICE and violent
street protesters in Minnesota. Nice landlord gives Virginia tenant a free
month’s rent for Christmas. Nasty
landlord accused of having unliveable apartments in Albany, Ga. |
|
|
Some
of the data delayed during the shutdown is starting to trickle in – and stats
on wages, employment and the Dow are boosting the Don way, way up. Like it or don’t, the Trump economy is
booming and people who have money are laying it down for Christmas. (People who don’t are just racking up
debt.) |
|
|
|
THE DON JONES INDEX CHART
of CATEGORIES w/VALUE ADDED to EQUAL BASELINE of 15,000 (REFLECTING…
approximately… DOW JONES INDEX of June 27, 2013) Gains in indices as improved are noted in GREEN. Negative/harmful
indices in RED as are their designation. (Note – some of the indices where the total
went up created a realm where their value went down... and vice versa.) See a
further explanation of categories HERE |
|
ECONOMIC INDICES
|
(60%) |
|
|||||||||||||
|
CATEGORY |
VALUE |
BASE |
RESULTS by PERCENTAGE |
SCORE |
OUR SOURCES
and COMMENTS |
|
|||||||||
|
INCOME |
(24%) |
6/17/13 revised 1/1/22 |
LAST |
CHANGE |
NEXT |
LAST WEEK |
THIS WEEK |
THE WEEK’S CLOSING STATS... |
|
||||||
|
Wages (hrly. Per cap) |
9% |
1350 points |
11/20/25 |
+0.38% |
12/25 |
1,846.20 |
1,853.22 |
https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/average-hourly-earnings 31.46 36.53
36.67* * Average
hourly earnings for all employees on US private nonfarm payrolls rose by 9 cents,
or 0.2% over a month, to $36.67 in September 2025, slowing from an upwardly
revised 0.4% gain in August and just below market forecasts of a 0.3%
increase. In September, average hourly earnings of private-sector production
and nonsupervisory employees rose by 8 cents, or 0.3%, to $31.53. Over the
past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 3.8% in September,
matching August's revised pace and slightly above analysts' estimates of
3.7%. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics |
|
||||||
|
Median Inc. (yearly) |
4% |
600 |
11/20/25 |
+16.72% |
12/4/25 |
986.80 |
1,151.83 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 44,763 48,793 819 847
52,347*update |
|
||||||
|
Unempl. (BLS – in mi) |
4% |
600 |
11/20/25 |
+0.28% |
10/25* |
530.25 |
530.25 |
http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000/ 4.3*
4.4% (SEPT.) |
|
||||||
|
Official (DC – in mi) |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+5.58% |
12/4/25 |
215.11 |
203.10 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 7,282 285 288 291 7.722 |
|
||||||
|
Unofficl. (DC – in mi) |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
-6.12% |
12/4/25 |
229.26 |
243.27 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 14,868 916 957 15,000 14,135 |
|
||||||
|
Workforce Participation Number Percent |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.16% -0.00015% |
12/4/25 |
297.14 |
297.14 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ In 163,580 622 657 694 956 Out 104,226 294 353 414 418 Total: 267,806
916 8,010 174 61.082 072 138 |
|
||||||
|
WP %
(ycharts)* |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
-0.16% |
10/25* |
150.71 |
150.71 |
https://ycharts.com/indicators/labor_force_participation_rate 62.30 * |
|
||||||
|
OUTGO |
(15%) |
* An official website of
the United States government census.gov
Notification |
|
||||||||||||
|
Total Inflation |
7% |
1050 |
11/20/25 |
+0.4% |
10/25* |
927.45 |
927.45 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm +0.4
.3 |
|
||||||
|
Food |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.5% |
10/25* |
262.59 |
262.59 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm +0.5
.2 |
|
||||||
|
Gasoline |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+1.9% |
10/25* |
255.11 |
255.11 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm +1.9 4.1 |
|
||||||
|
Medical Costs |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
-0.1% |
10/25* |
274.20 |
274.20 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm -0.1 + .3 |
|
||||||
|
Shelter |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.4% |
10/25* |
250.63 |
250.63 |
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
+0.4 .2 |
|
||||||
|
WEALTH |
An official website of
the United States government census.gov
Notification |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Dow Jones Index |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.245% |
12/4/25 |
360.20 |
361.08 |
https://www.wsj.com/market-data/quotes/index/ 47,632.00
311.00 47,427.12 |
|
||||||
|
Home (Sales) (Valuation) |
1% 1% |
150 150 |
11/20/25 |
+1.015% -1.75% |
10/25* |
125.77 272.70 |
125.77 272.70 |
Sales (M): 4.06 4.10 Valuations
(K): 415.2* |
|
||||||
|
Millionaires (New Category) |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
+0.07% |
12/4/25 |
134.30 |
134.40 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 23,816 831 843 856 873 |
|
||||||
|
Paupers (New Category) |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
+0.027% |
12/4/25 |
133.42 |
133.46 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 37,268 259 252 244 234 |
|
||||||
|
*Due to the lapse of federal funding,
portions of this website are not being updated. Any inquiries submitted via www.census.gov
will not be answered until appropriations are enacted. |
|
||||||||||||||
|
GOVERNMENT |
(10%) |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Revenue (trilns.) |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.08% |
12/4/25 |
458.71 |
459.06 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 5,266 254 257 261
265 |
|
||||||
|
Expenditures (tr.) |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.04% |
12/4/25 |
295.38 |
295.25 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
7,021 024 6,996 7,030 033 |
|
||||||
|
National Debt tr.) |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.33% |
12/4/25 |
354.24 |
353.07 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 38,048 161 190 220
347 |
|
||||||
|
Aggregate Debt (tr.) |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.19% |
12/4/25 |
377.76 |
377.05 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/ 105,067 177 270 368 567 |
|
||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
TRADE |
(5%) |
|
|||||||||||||
|
Foreign Debt (tr.) |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
+0.27% |
12/4/25 |
258.57 |
257.88 |
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
9,342 358 371 386 411 |
|
||||||
|
Exports (in billions) |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
+1.15% |
10/25* |
174.76 |
174.76 |
*https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 280.5 280.8 |
|
||||||
|
Imports (in billions)) |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
-5.94% |
10/25* |
151.56 |
151.56 |
*https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 358.8 340.4 |
|
||||||
|
Trade Surplus/Deficit (blns.) |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
-23.12% |
10/25* |
253.88 |
253.88 |
*https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/current/index.html 78.3
59.6 |
|
||||||
|
|
census.gov Notification: Due
to the lapse of federal funding, portions of this website are not being updated.
Any inquiries submitted via www.census.gov will not be answered until
appropriations are enacted. |
|
|||||||||||||
|
SOCIAL INDICES
|
(40%) |
|
|
||||||||||||
|
ACTS of MAN |
(12%) |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
World
Affairs |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
-0.2% |
12/4/25 |
470.08 |
469.14 |
Costa
Rica says they’ll take KAG. Plot by
two Texans to take over Haiti foiled... why even try? London imposes tax on tourists. Iran evacuates Tehran amidst drought and
air pollution. Brazilian dictator and
Trump ally Bolsonaro’s escape attempt fails. |
|
||||||
|
War
and terrorism |
2% |
300 |
11/20/25 |
-0.2% |
12/4/25 |
288.34 |
287.76 |
Trump’s
28 point peace plan rejected by Ukraine as “surrender” and goes back to the
White House for revisions, TACOing on Thanksgiving deadline. Staffer for Rep. Jeff van Drew allegedly
assaulted but exposed as a hoaxer, like Jussie Smolett. ICE invades family home in Queens, NY,
terrifies children, |
|
||||||
|
Politics |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
nc |
12/4/25 |
460.68 |
460.68 |
Cheney
funeral draws bipartisan mourners – but not Trump. After six Democratic Senators
(all veterans) say soldiers should refuse illegal orders; Trump calls for
them to be hanged for treason. DefSec
Hegseth orders military to cut ties to Boy Scouts. |
|
||||||
|
Economics |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.2 |
12/4/25 |
429.64 |
430.50 |
Childcare
costs rising faster than rent, leading to job quits. Nursing shorage will woren due to
decertification, leading to higher student debt. Trump TACO on tariffs after
Americans protest rising coffee prices.
Oklahoma first state to sell gas under $2/gal. Rival foodies say
Thanksgiving meals will cost either more or less (American Farm Bureau) |
|
||||||
|
Crime |
1% |
150 |
11/20/25 |
-0.2% |
12/4/25 |
209.35 |
208.93 |
Early
Christmas Crime includes nine shot, one killed at Chicago tree lighting, UA Birmingham football player stabs two
teammates. Bad bishop resigns for sex
crimes. FBI investigates stepbrother
in teen cruise ship murder. Child gangsters shooting up Chicago schools, draw
backlash from community vigilantes.
Fugitive football coach accused of kiddie porn. Slender Man stabber
escapes from halfway house, recaptured with 42 year old “boyfriend”. Rep. Shirley McCormack faces 53 years for
stealing from FEMA |
|
||||||
|
ACTS of GOD |
(6%) |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
Environment/Weather |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
-0.1% |
12/4/25 |
284.37 |
284.09 |
Violent
storms migrate from California to Texas with a big cooldown on the way for
Thanksgiving. |
|
||||||
|
Disasters |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.1% |
12/4/25 |
459.77 |
460.23 |
Grizzly
bear attacks 11 children in Vancouver.
American fisherman rescued off Florida coast. (Venexuelans just murdered, Hegseth
blamed). |
|
||||||
|
LIFESTYLE/JUSTICE
INDEX |
(15%) |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||
|
Science,
Tech, Education |
4% |
600 |
11/20/25 |
+0.1% |
12/4/25 |
615.43 |
616.05 |
Russian
robot revamping: it walks this time and Putin calls it beautiful. (A Chinese robot, meanwhile, walks 66
miles.) NASA releases photos of a
beautiful butterfly nebula. |
|
||||||
|
Equality
(econ/social) |
4% |
600 |
11/20/25 |
+0.2% |
12/4/25 |
671.73 |
673.07 |
MTG
says her fight with Trump due to standing up for women attacked by
Epstein. Miss Mexico, taunted by host,
wins Miss Universe and her competitors cheer.
Cost Guard greenlights display of swastikas and nooses |
|
||||||
|
Health |
4% |
600 |
11/20/25 |
-0.2% |
12/4/25 |
419.24 |
418.40 |
First
known human death from bird flu; victim kept birds in backyard. Ford recalls 200,000 Broncos for instrument
panel failure. Boars Head cheese
recalled for listeria. |
|
||||||
|
Freedom and
Justice |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
-0.1% |
12/4/25 |
481.61 |
481.13 |
Supreme
Alito blocks blockage of Texas gerrymander.
Lower Fed judge tosses cases against Comey and Letitia due to the
“incompetence” of novice ADA Halligan.
Prison drug smugglers soak their wares in copies of “Hillbilly Elegy”. |
|
||||||
|
CULTURAL
and MISCELLANEOUS INCIDENTS |
(6%) |
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||
|
Cultural
incidents |
3% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.1% |
12/4/25 |
571.70 |
572.27 |
Early
Christmas Parade in Raleigh NC. “Wicked
2”, despite bad reviews, is #1 at BO w/ $150M, Shedeau Sanders wins first NFL game for
Browns after home robbery. Gotham EC
beats Washington to take women’s pro soccer title. Critics say best comedy movie is “Naked
Gun”. RIP: Reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, Viola
Fletcher, oldest survivor of Tulsa race massacre at 111, actor John Eiman
(“Leave it to Beaver”) |
|
||||||
|
Miscellaneous
incidents |
4% |
450 |
11/20/25 |
+0.2% |
12/4/25 |
542.32 |
543.40 |
Lifeguard
in Hawaii attacked by a bad shark and loses movement in his leg (but not his
life). Australians save good shark by
reaching into its stomach to pull out a lethal hook. “Dead” Thai woman pulled from coffin just
before cremation. Baby gorilla born in
Knoxville Zoo. |
|
||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
The Don Jones Index for the week of
November 20th through November 26th, 2025 was UP 175.02 points
The
Don Jones Index is sponsored by the Coalition for a New Consensus: retired Congressman
and Independent Presidential candidate Jack “Catfish” Parnell, Chairman; Brian
Doohan, Administrator. The CNC denies,
emphatically, allegations that the organization, as well as any of its officers
(including former Congressman Parnell, environmentalist/America-Firster Austin
Tillerman and cosmetics CEO Rayna Finch) and references to Parnell’s works,
“Entropy and Renaissance” and “The Coming Kill-Off” are fictitious or, at best,
mere pawns in the web-serial “Black Helicopters” – and promise swift, effective
legal action against parties promulgating this and/or other such slanders.
Comments,
complaints, donations (especially SUPERPAC donations) always welcome at feedme@generisis.com or: speak@donjonesindex.com.
ATTACHMENT ONE – FROM 1440
|
1440: Millions are expected to tune in to the 99th Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade (8:30 am ET, NBC). See this year’s floats here.
ATTACHMENT TWO
– FROM YOUGOV
THANKSGIVING 2025:
WHAT AMERICANS WILL COOK, EAT, AND DEBATE AT THE TABLE THIS YEAR
Jamie Ballard November 21, 2025, 11:43 AM GMT-5
Ahead
of Thanksgiving, a new YouGov poll asked Americans about their plans for
the holiday: who they’ll spend it with, who's cooking, what they’ll eat, what
they’ll discuss, and who is on clean-up duty after the meal. Among other
findings, three in 10 Americans say their Thanksgiving celebration has been
affected by price increases. And about as many think it’s likely that politics
will be discussed at their Thanksgiving table.
Nearly
all (86%) of Americans plan to celebrate Thanksgiving this year. 18% plan to
travel for the holiday and 65% do not. Parents or guardians of children under
18 are about twice as likely as those who don’t have children under 18 to say they
will travel for Thanksgiving (27% vs. 15%).
Half
(50%) of Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving at home. About one-third (35%)
will celebrate at a family member’s home, and smaller shares will celebrate at
the home of one of their partner’s family members (5%), at a friend’s home
(5%), at a restaurant (4%), or somewhere else (2%).
32%
of Americans say there will be between one and five people at their primary
Thanksgiving celebration this year. 28% say there will be between six and 10
people, and 13% expect 11 to 15 people. 8% of Americans say there will be 16 or
more people at their Thanksgiving table this year.
And
who will be sitting around the Thanksgiving table? 75% of Americans say their
Thanksgiving celebration this year will include at least one family member. 31%
say it will include a friend, 12% say it will include a member of the military
or a veteran, 8% say it will include someone born outside the U.S. and 8% say
it will include someone who doesn’t eat meat.
About
two-thirds (68%) of working Americans get the day off work. Another 10% will
take the day off work, and some will work limited hours (9%) or a full day
(5%).
Work
schedules have affected many Americans’ Thanksgiving plans: 11% of employed
Americans have changed the time they will celebrate Thanksgiving because of
work schedules. 8% say someone will not be joining their Thanksgiving meal
because of work schedules and 5% say they will not be traveling for
Thanksgiving because of work schedules.
Three-quarters
(74%) of Americans say they and their group will cook the Thanksgiving meal.
Very small shares say they will order a pre-made Thanksgiving meal (4%), go to
a restaurant (3%), or order delivery or takeout (1%).
Turkey
will be on most tables this Thanksgiving, and 69% expect to eat turkey. Other
foods that majorities of Americans expect to eat this Thanksgiving are stuffing
(61%), mashed potatoes (61%), pie (60%), bread or rolls (58%), and gravy (56%).
Americans
who live in the South are more likely than Americans who live in other U.S.
regions to say they will have green beans (50% vs. 38%), sweet potatoes (49%
vs. 36%), macaroni and cheese (46% vs. 29%), and ham (41% vs. 26%).
Women
are more likely than men to say they will do all or most of the Thanksgiving
cooking (29% vs. 19%). 7% of men and 9% of women say they will do about half of
the Thanksgiving cooking. 24% of men and 29% of women say other people will do
most of it, but they will help. And 18% of men and 7% of women say other people
will do all of the Thanksgiving cooking.
Americans
45 and older are more likely than younger adults to say they will do all or
most of the cooking for Thanksgiving (28% vs. 20%). (The question doesn't apply
to the 28% of Americans who aren't celebrating, won't have a home-cooked meal,
or aren't sure who will do the cooking.)
Men
and women are about equally likely to say they will do all or most of the
Thanksgiving clean-up (29% vs. 31%). Adults under 30 are less likely than older
Americans to say they will do all or most of the Thanksgiving clean-up (23% vs.
32%).
Many
Americans are pulling double-duty this Thanksgiving: Among people who say
they’re doing all of the Thanksgiving cooking, 71% say they’re also doing all
of the cleaning. Another 17% say they’ll do most of the cleaning, with help
from others.
Among
people who say they’re doing most of the Thanksgiving cooking, 66% say they’re
also doing all or most of the clean-up.
77%
of the people who say other people will do all of the cooking also say other
people will do all or most of the clean-up. The same goes for 70% of the people
who expect that others will do most of the cooking.
29%
of Americans say their Thanksgiving plans have been affected by price increases
— down from 37% who said this a year ago. Among adults with annual family incomes under
$50,000, 35% say their plans for Thanksgiving have been affected by price
increases.
31%
of Americans say it’s very or somewhat likely they’ll discuss politics at Thanksgiving
this year, including 37% of Democrats, 26% of Independents, and 31% of
Republicans. Half of Americans say it’s not very (22%) or not at all likely
(27%) that they’ll discuss politics at Thanksgiving.
19%
of Democrats and 9% of Republicans think there will be arguments about politics
at their Thanksgiving celebration this year. But most Americans with a
preferred 2024 candidate also expect to be celebrating mostly with like-minded
people.
Among
Americans who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, 45%
think almost all of the people who will be attending their Thanksgiving
celebration also supported her. 18% think more of their fellow Thanksgiving
attendees supported Harris than supported Donald Trump, and 10% think equal
shares supported both candidates.
Among
people who voted for Trump, 44% think almost all the people they’re spending
Thanksgiving with voted for Trump. 19% think most of their Thanksgiving group
did; 13% say equal shares supported both candidates.
17%
of Americans say they plan on shopping in a store on the Friday after
Thanksgiving, also called Black Friday. Adults under 30 are more likely than
older Americans to plan on shopping in-person on Black Friday (26% vs. 14%).
More Americans plan on shopping online on Black Friday than in store (29% vs.
17%), including 38% of adults under 30. About as many Americans (26%) plan on
shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving, also called Cyber Monday.
91%
of Americans say they are thankful this year, including 85% of Democrats and
97% of Republicans. Respondents were given the option to write in their own
words what they’re most thankful for this year. A selection of responses:
·
“A president that is trying to make our lives
safer and more prosperous as a nation.”
·
“Finally cracking my egg and
coming out as trans and starting my transition.”
·
“My family and I are alive,
healthy and hoping for a better economy. We are also looking forward to the
holidays but probably will spend less money this year.”
·
“Thankful that 99% of my family
are conservative Republicans… We are especially thankful that Trump is
president!”
·
“That the government is back open
and it finally looks like the country is waking up to the danger of Trump.”
·
“I have a new baby.”
·
“Haven’t kicked the bucket yet.”
·
“God seeing us through everything
that happened this year so far and being our rock. Without him nothing else
would matter.”
In
the November 2025 survey, YouGov ran a question asked in a 1974 Louis Harris & Associates poll as to whether
Americans are feeling more or less thankful than they were a few years ago. 38%
of Americans say they’re feeling more thankful than a few years earlier — about as many as said this when the question was asked in 1974.
14% of Americans today say they are feeling less grateful than they were a few
years ago, including 21% of Democrats and 8% of Republicans. 44% of Americans
are feeling about the same level of thankfulness.
In 1980 ABC News asked Americans if they would feel
thankful about a variety of things related to the state of the country and
their own lives. Majorities of Americans today say they will feel thankful this
Thanksgiving because the U.S. is not in a war (79% vs. 97% in 1980) and because
of their own personal economic situation (60% vs. 81%). Smaller shares say they
will feel thankful because of the way people treat each other (29%), the
economic situation in the U.S. (26% vs. 32%), and the way the poor, the
homeless, and the less fortunate are treated in the U.S. (18%).
Republicans
are far more likely than Democrats to say they are thankful for the economic
situation in the U.S. (46% vs. 15%) and because of the way the poor, homeless,
and less fortunate are treated in the U.S. (27% vs. 13%).
Related:
·
Poll: What Americans plan to eat for Thanksgiving
·
Which holidays
do Americans enjoy most — and least?
·
Polls from the
Past: Thanksgiving Day
See
the results for this YouGov survey here
ATTACHMENT THREE
– FROM VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
(VCU)
GIVING THANKS THIS
WEEK? DON’T WAIT FOR THE CALENDAR
VCU
psychologist Jeffrey Green spotlights how gratitude affects us, tips for
year-round practice – and his own recent experience with embracing the
behavior.
By
Sian Wilkerson Nov. 25, 2025
Around
tables throughout the country this Thanksgiving, millions will take turns
sharing what they’re grateful for. But while giving thanks is the reason for
the season, why wait for November? As Virginia Commonwealth
University’s Jeffrey Green points out, gratitude makes us happier –
and that feeling is year-round.
In
his research, Green, Ph.D., a professor in the Department
of Psychology in the College of Humanities and Sciences,
examines types of virtuous behavior, including gratitude, and how they can
facilitate meaning in life.
“Gratitude
is all about relationships,” he said. “Feelings of social connection are so
important to well-being, and these expressions of gratitude can enhance our
sense that we’re embedded in relationships and we’re loved by others.”
But
gratitude has another component – one that works on the large and small scale,
Green said.
“It
also orients us to what we have rather than what we don’t have,” he said.
“Practicing a grateful attitude or heart can help us appreciate the little
things, and life is almost all little things.”
VCU
News spoke with Green about the importance of giving thanks – and why this year
in particular he’s more grateful than ever.
How does the tradition of giving thanks
contribute to an overall sense of gratitude?
Expressions
of thankfulness at the Thanksgiving table have that extra ingredient of sharing
in a gathering of loved ones. Hearing what everyone else is thankful for can
inspire people to appreciate even more aspects of their lives, and people
sometimes disclose deeper feelings and perspectives, which brings people closer
together.
Research
published by my friend Sara Algoe, a professor at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, shows that expressions of gratitude do indeed rub off
onto others and make them more likely to feel grateful, as well as be more
helpful.
Additionally,
any sort of regular family or cultural ritual can deepen social bonds, and this
national ritual might help Americans feel closer and have more commonality.
This tradition helped bring your own family
together after experiencing loss last year, didn’t it?
My
mother started off the expression of thankfulness last year in an unusual way:
She thanked everyone around the table individually for how they helped her in
the aftermath of my father’s death a couple of months prior. For example, my
brother labored for hours getting access to financial records and credit card
bills, one uncle helped with house tasks while she was out of town, and so on.
Even
though my father’s chair was empty just a few feet away, we strove to cultivate
gratitude for the time we had with him and for each other, helping us collectively
in the aftermath of the loss.
What are you grateful for this year?
In
the spring, I got hit by a car while cycling right before graduation, and my
femur was shattered. The great surgeons at VCU Health put a rod inside the
bone, and I was able to attend graduation with a walker.
I
lost most of my summer to rehab, and sometimes, I got discouraged and angry.
But most of the time, I tried to cultivate a more grateful approach. I focused
on the worse alternatives: I could have landed on my head or back, or even
shattered my hip just a couple of inches from where my femur was shattered. I
tried to orient myself away from what I didn’t have, or what I lost, and was
grateful that I’m still here.
Can you share any tips for practicing
gratitude year-round?
I
have a few specific suggestions:
·
Nostalgia enhances gratitude through social
connectedness. Eating nostalgic foods, such as traditional family treats
at Thanksgiving, or listening to favorite music or telling family stories are
all ways to give yourself a daily dose of nostalgia, which can promote
gratitude.
·
Consider a
gratitude journal. You could simply list a few very specific things you’re
grateful for on most days, which might help you orient to the smaller things
and the present moment.
·
Don’t
double-task! You’ll enjoy the movie or the coffee with a friend more if
you don’t look at your phone throughout. Research on savoring is clear that it
helps enhance your happiness and enjoyment of various moments, and it helps
counteract habituation, which is the tendency to emotionally adapt quickly to
all manner of both good and bad circumstances.
·
Write to
someone you’re grateful for. Add a meaningful sentence or two when you
text an old friend “happy birthday” to describe why you appreciate them. Email
a mentor or former teacher to share how they had a positive influence. More
specificity and detail is almost always better. (Note to my own former students
– cash is also a great option!)
·
Even
better, give them a call! Sonja Lyubomirsky, one of the world’s top
happiness researchers and professor at the University of California, Riverside,
ranks this up at the top of happiness-enhancing activities. You can share your
gratitude for them during the call, and they likely will reciprocate.
·
It’s also
about what you don’t do. Spend less time on social media – especially
following celebrities or arguing with strangers – and more time outside. We
underestimate how well we’ll feel after being out in nature. Cultivating awe
has loads of benefits.
ATTACHMENT FOUR
– FROM US NEWS
FINDING GRATITUDE IN RETIREMENT
An unexpected health setback gave me time to
consider all that I’m thankful for this year.
By Tim Smart
Nov. 24, 2025, at 1:00 a.m.
Thanksgiving is but a few days away and that
is often a time for reflection on what we have to be thankful for – and when it
comes to aging, there are many things that make the list.
A recent survey from the Pew Research Center
provides a generally positive view about the aging process. “More Americans say
people have control over their physical health and mobility as they grow older
than over their mental sharpness or how old they look,” according to Pew.
“Three-in-ten say people have at least a fair amount of control over the aging
process overall, with adults ages 65 and older among the most likely to hold
this view (40%).”
That resonates with me, especially in a year
when I suffered a health setback that had me questioning my own mortality. But,
I recovered well, and am now actively engaged in physical therapy.
Friends and Family
This year, I am especially grateful for the
help of family and friends, as well as neighbors who came to my rescue when I
fell and broke my hip back in May.
While the physical pain has long since
subsided, I find myself needing more support than before, and thankfully I have
family available to provide it. Then there are the family and friends who are
at a distance, but who nevertheless can offer a cheery pick-me-up via a phone
chat or text.
Health Is Key
I am also thankful that aside from my injury,
my health is pretty good and I am able to do my daily tasks without assistance.
Hopefully, your health is good, although it is a reality that we may all be
dealing with some issues as we age.
We can’t control our genetics and the diseases
we may have developed. But many, like high blood pressure, are manageable with
medication. Be sure to keep those prescriptions up to date – and more important
– be sure to take them as needed. Some form of daily exercise, even a 15-minute
walk, keeps joints in order. I can attest to the value of physical therapy for
those who need it.
Money Is a Confidence Builder
Health is important, of course. But having
confidence in your ability to retire comfortably has a lot to do with how much
you have planned and how successful you have been putting money aside for the
golden years. We can thank the markets for being kind to those who have money
invested in stocks. The S&P 500 is up around 12% year to date and even
though interest rates have come down, yields on money markets and fixed-income
investments have held up well. The Social Security Administration has announced
a 2.8% increase in benefits for 72 million recipients starting in January. It
may not seem like much given inflation is close to or above that, but at least
it helps to keep some pace with rising prices.
Relish the Small Things
Sitting on the porch and enjoying the sunrise
or a late fall moon costs nothing and can often brighten a day. Petting a dog
or cat has been shown to reduce stress. I’ve learned to eat less and in smaller
servings, even at Thanksgiving. Keeping a decent weight relieves stress on
those aging joints and you sleep better. Speaking of which, getting a good
night’s sleep is paramount in keeping you well.
A Hobby or a Part-Time Job Can Do Wonders for
Your Brain
I recently read a book for the first time in a
while. And I played some chess and cards during a recent vacation. Working has
also been a blessing as I recovered from my surgery with limited mobility.
It’s easy when you have pains or struggle to
get up from a chair to feel down about the aging process. And while some of us
can continue to be very active, others may be limited. But there are things you
can do to keep a positive mindset at this time of year and find things to be
thankful for.
I hope your Thanksgiving is a happy one and
that you have many more to come.
ATTACHMENT FIVE
– FROM GOOD HOUSEKEEPING
106 BEST 'HAPPY
THANKSGIVING' WISHES AND MESSAGES TO SHOW GRATITUDE
You
just might bring a tear to their eye with these thoughtful Thanksgiving wishes.
By Katarina
Avendaño and Cameron Jenkins Updated: Oct 15, 2025
Jump to:
·
Thanksgiving
Wishes and Greetings for Friends
·
Thanksgiving
Wishes and Messages for Family
·
Thanksgiving
Wishes to Send in a Text
·
Thanksgiving
Wishes for Colleagues or Your Boss
·
Religious
Thanksgiving Messages
It
can be hard to find the right words to express your gratitude for your loved
ones on Thanksgiving. That's why we've collected just over 100 Thanksgiving
wishes and messages to share with your favorite people. From Thanksgiving quotes to thank-you messages that emphasize
gratitude, these Thanksgiving wishes are great for sharing with friends,
family, coworkers, and other important people in your life.
Don't
be afraid to make these messages more personal by adding some inside jokes or
recalling specific things that you're grateful for. These messages can also
help you think about what you want to say when everyone goes around the
Thanksgiving table to say what they're grateful for.
Here
are Thanksgiving wishes and messages to share with your loved ones this
holiday.
Thanksgiving Wishes and Greetings for Friends
·
Happy Thanksgiving to a friend who is
basically family. Hope you're having the best day!
·
Wishing you a Thanksgiving
overflowing with love, laughter, and all the leftover mashed potatoes your
heart desires.
·
I wish we could be spending
Thanksgiving together! But since we can't, I'll have an extra slice of pumpkin
pie in your honor.
·
I'm so grateful to be doing life
with you. Happy Thanksgiving to one of my favorite people.
·
I love you even though you're on
team canned cranberry sauce when homemade cranberry sauce is obviously
superior.
·
“You and I should count our
blessings, but we should also make them count!” —Neal A. Maxwell
·
Happy Thanksgiving! May you and
your family enjoy a grand feast and loving company.
·
Thanksgiving is a time of
reflection for all our blessings. Your friendship counts for so much. Have a
joyous Thanksgiving.
·
Friend, wishing you Thanksgiving
moments that are as sweet as pumpkin pie.
·
Sending good wishes to you this
Thanksgiving! Good food that fills your table, good health as you work hard,
and good times with family and friends. May you have all the best delights in
life. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Wishing you hope, joy, peace, good
health, favor, and love on this Thanksgiving Day! Your friendship is indeed a
great blessing to me.
·
My friend, Happy Thanksgiving to
you! May all your hard work bring color to your life and take you to the
highest peak of success.
·
November is the time to be
thankful, a time to remember, and to embrace those who enrich our lives.
·
Happy Thanksgiving. To my awesome
friend, sending warm wishes your way and hoping you and your family have a
fantastic Thanksgiving Day!
·
Happy Thanksgiving! Thinking of
you on this special day, and hoping your Thanksgiving is as wonderful as you
are.
·
Happy Thanksgiving! Out of
everything I am so very thankful for this Thanksgiving season, our friendship
is at the top of the list.
·
I hope your Thanksgiving table is
full of your favorite food and surrounded by your favorite people.
·
May your Thanksgiving be full of
peace, love and joy.
·
Don't bother counting calories
today, just your blessings. Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving! — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
May your Thanksgiving Day be full
of excitement… except for a couple of hours in there when you want to take a
nap.
·
This Friendsgiving, let's enjoy
the laughter of friends, mouth-watering aromas, and cheer that we'll remember
for years to come. — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
Here's a wish for a happy, joyous
and fun-filled Thanksgiving to all my peeps.
·
Grateful for every late-night
chat, inside joke and gossip sesh. Happy Thanksgiving!
Advertisement
- Continue Reading Below
·
Thankful doesn’t even begin to show how much I
appreciate you being in my life.
·
May this Thanksgiving bring you as
much joy as your friendship brings to me.
·
Here's to friendship that feels
like a cozy sweater and a full glass of wine.
·
Thank you for always being someone
I can count on. I’m forever grateful.
Thanksgiving Wishes and Messages for Family
·
I'm so thankful for a family that loves me
even though I burned the pumpkin pie last year.
·
Grateful to have a family that's
supportive, funny, and full of love.
·
Here's hoping this year's
Thanksgiving celebration is filled with warm hugs and stories we can retell for
years to come.
·
To the ones who shaped me,
supported me, and helped me grow, happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for never
giving up on me.
·
I'm grateful for every moment I
get to spend with all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
We may be a chaotic family, but
I'm grateful you put up with me anyway. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
“After a good dinner one can
forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” —Oscar Wilde
·
Thank you for being my greatest
blessing!
·
We might be a crazy family, but I
would never ever wish for it to be any other way. I am so deeply thankful for
you!
·
I am so grateful that I have such
an incredible family. Thank you so much for all the amazing things you have
done for me.
·
May the turkey leg be yours this
Thanksgiving.
·
Happy Thanksgiving to the people
who make me thankful to be me.
·
May the wishbone snap in your
favor this Thanksgiving.
·
Having somewhere to go is home.
Having someone to love is family. Having both is a blessing. - Unknown
·
Thanksgiving is a time to remember
and embrace those who enrich our life. I may be thankful for a lot of things,
but mostly, I am thankful to have you.
·
Among all the wonderful things in
this world, I'm grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, supportive, and
loving family! — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
Happy Thanksgiving. As I take time
to give thanks for many blessings in my life, I want to let you know how
grateful I am that you are one of them.
·
Today is the time to be thankful
and remember good times. I’m thankful for a lot of things, but I’m most
thankful for you. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Here’s to traditions old and new,
and to us, always being together.
·
Forever blessed to have you at the
table and in my life.
·
To my family — you are my roots,
my strength, and my greatest blessing. Happy Thanksgiving.
·
May this Thanksgiving remind us
how strong and cherished our family is.
·
May our love be the secret
ingredient in every dish today.
Thanksgiving Wishes to Send in a Text
·
I wish we could spend the day together! I miss
you so much. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Hope your Thanksgiving is filled
with good vibes, great food, and no shady comments from the in-laws!
·
Happy Turkey Day! Here's to love,
laughter, and stretchy pants.
·
I might love you even more than I
love mashed potatoes, and you know how much I love mashed potatoes. Happy
Thanksgiving!
·
Hope your Thanksgiving is
wonderful! 🍂 🦃
·
“Thanksgiving, after all, is a
word of action.” —W.J. Cameron
·
Happy Thanksgiving! We may be apart
today, but you're always in our heart. Take care and stay safe. We miss you!
·
This card is packed full of hugs
and kisses just for you! May you have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving. — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
Gratitude offers us a direct
connection with the powers above. Today, let us remember that no matter how
difficult our lives may feel, we can always find something to be thankful for.
— Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
Even though we’re miles and miles
apart, know that we’ll be missing you all like crazy. Until next time, we’re
sending lots of love and gobble gobbles.
·
Happy Thanksgiving to my favorite
people ever! I wish I was able to be there, especially this year. All my love!
·
Our homes may be far apart, but
our hearts are as close as always.
·
Thanksgiving always brings back
childhood memories of mouth-watering food, family games, and delicious pie.
Although I can't make it this year, I'll still be there in spirit. Happy
Thanksgiving, I miss you. — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
Sending you a grateful heart and a
virtual slice of pie.
·
May your day be full of gratitude
and joy today and everyday!
·
Here’s a virtual slice of pie
that’s as sweet as you! Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Hope you enjoy the day with family
and friends surrounded by laughs and delicious food!
·
Take this as a sign to give
yourself grace today. You deserve it.
Thanksgiving Wishes for Colleagues or Your
Boss
·
Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving and a
well-deserved break! Thanks for all your hard work.
·
Grateful to have a coworker like
you who makes the daily grind a little better. Happy Thanksgiving to you and
yours!
·
Enjoy a Thanksgiving that's
hopefully free of Slack notifications!
·
The work we do is meaningful, and
I'm grateful to work alongside someone who cares about it as much as you do.
Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Happy Thanksgiving to my office
BFF!
·
Happy Thanksgiving to a teammate
that is always doing things to make both me and the rest of the team thankful.
You are wonderful, and I hope you have a great holiday with the people in your life
who matter most.
·
Thank you for bringing your
positive attitude to work every day. I hope you have an enjoyable Thanksgiving
with your loved ones!
·
Thank you for everything you do to
make this a successful and terrific place to work. Have a wonderful long
weekend filled with good things. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
In this time of Thanksgiving, I
want to express my appreciation for you. Working for/with you has been an
amazing opportunity. I appreciate your high standards, your persistence, your
encouragement, and your sense of humor. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
·
May the good things of life be
yours in abundance, not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year.
·
It is a pleasure to know you and
work with you. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
I am so grateful to work under such
a kind and caring boss. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving with your family!
·
I never face Monday morning blues,
because of fun colleagues like you. Thank you. I hope you enjoy your time at
home with those close to your heart this holiday season.
·
Thank you for being there for me
when I needed it the most. You are my best office-mate!
·
Working with you has always been
enjoyable and inspiring! Happy Thanksgiving to you.
·
Wishing you a restful and relaxing
Thanksgiving!
·
As we take this time to give
thanks, I want to thank you for the guidance and opportunity you’ve provided.
Working with you has been both a learning experience and an experience of a
lifetime.
·
You’ve built more than a
team—you’ve built a team with the foundation of trust, collaboration, and
growth. I’m truly thankful to be part of it — Happy Thanksgiving!
·
Thank you for letting me be a part
of the team each and every day. Working together gives me a sense of pride and
purpose and I’m grateful for that.
·
Spending the work week with you
all is a pleasure and a joy. I’m grateful to have a team that makes me want to
come to the office every day. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
·
Thank you all for fostering an
environment where we can grow, work and succeed together.
Religious Thanksgiving Messages
·
May God's grace shine upon you and yours this
Thanksgiving.
·
Giving thanks to God for his
mercy, his love, and for bringing us together. Happy Thanksgiving!
·
I'm so grateful God put you on my
path. Happy Thanksgiving to someone I feel blessed to know.
·
May your Thanksgiving celebration
be a beautiful reminder of how deeply you're loved, not only by your family and
friends but by your heavenly Father.
·
Wishing you a Thanksgiving that's
overflowing with love, peace, and reminders of your faith in God.
·
Wishing you the gift of faith and
the blessing of hope this Thanksgiving Day!
·
God bless you on this day of
thanks. All my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family today!
·
May this year be full of hope and
faith for you. Wishing you blessed times with your family and friends. Wishing
you a very Happy Thanksgiving.
·
May you celebrate Thanksgiving Day
with love in your heart, a prosperous vision in your mind and gratitude in your
being.
·
Blessings, blessings, and more
blessings: that is my prayer for you. Happy Thanksgiving and may God greatly
bless you!
·
May every day be filled with God’s
uncountable blessings, memorable moments and happiness. Wishing you a blessed
Thanksgiving.
·
May your feast be plentiful and
your blessings abundant. — Homemade Gifts Made Easy
·
God’s blessings are endless—may
your day reflect His goodness.
·
Praying your home is filled with
God’s presence and peace today.
·
Let gratitude lead your heart as
you reflect on His kindness today and every day.
·
God bless you and your family
during this Thanksgiving season.
·
Give thanks to God for the time
spent with loved ones today and in the future. Happy Thanksgiving.
ATTACHMENT SIX
– FROM DR. MICHELLE BENGSTON
25 UNUSUAL THINGS TO
BE THANKFUL FOR
When
life is smooth, finding things to be grateful for comes easily. But true thankfulness
often shines through unusual things to be thankful for—unexpected blessings
that can shift our perspective, even in difficult times. By challenging
yourself to look for unusual things to be thankful for, you may begin to see
God’s goodness in all circumstances.
I
don’t know about you, and maybe it’s just me, but it seems easy to be thankful
when everything is going well in life. But what about the difficult times, the
trials that catch us by surprise?
In
my quiet time, I came across the following passage. “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is
God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
I
remember a time when God convicted me when he posed the following question: “Do you trust me in ALL things?” In all honesty (I
mean, He knew my heart anyway, right?), I had to admit that I trusted God in
most, but not ALL things. As I reflected on that passage from 1 Thessalonians,
God asked me a similar question, “Will you thank me in ALL
circumstances? The bad as well as the good? The painful as well as the
exhilarating? The dark days as well as the light?”
I
swallowed hard. That was a tall order. And yet, as I reread that passage for
what seemed like the twelfth time, I realized “Be thankful in all
circumstances” was a command that followed the command “Never stop praying.” Perhaps that is the
key: When we will be in a continually prayerful posture, God will open
our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to recognize and then be willing to thank
Him for all those things we had previously dismissed or not considered.
I
want to continually be in a prayerful state…conversing and listening to God
throughout my day. And I want to have a constantly grateful heart. I’m
consistently challenging myself to notice the little or unusual blessings in
life and to offer up thanks for them.
Here is a list of 25 unusual things to be
thankful for to get you started:
1. Be thankful for good health.
Good
health is one of those things to be grateful for, even when facing health
challenges. I want to thank God for the pain because it lets me know I’m alive.
2. Be thankful for your parents.
Even
if you don’t or didn’t have a good relationship with them, they gave you life.
Without them, you wouldn’t be here today.
3. Be thankful for good friends.
Over
75% of people say they don’t have a single close friend. If you have even one,
you are blessed. It isn’t the number of friends you have that counts, it’s the
steadfastness of even a supportive few that makes a huge difference in our
lives.
4. Be thankful for weekends.
Wasn’t
it kind of God to give us a day of Sabbath? He isn’t the one driving us to work
7 days a week, all hours of the night and day.
5. Be thankful for dirty dishes in the sink.
Dirty
dishes might not seem like one of the usual things to be grateful for, but they
remind us of life’s daily blessings. There have been times when finances were
scarce, and times when our next meal was uncertain. While I don’t know anyone
who likes dirty dishes in their sink, we can use them as a reminder to be
thankful that we have food to eat.
6. Be thankful for crumbs on the floor.
After
my oldest left home to go to college, dinner times seemed more quiet. In less
than a year my husband and I will be empty-nesters and I’ll miss the banter
over our evening meal. To me, crumbs on the floor is a reminder to be thankful
for time spent together as a family around the dinner table.
7. Be thankful for a hamper-full of dirty clothes.
Many
don’t have anything to wear but the one outfit that is almost threadbare on
their back. A hamper filled with dirty clothes is a great reminder that we have
clothes to wear to protect us from the elements.
8. Be thankful for bathrooms to clean.
Sometimes
it’s easy to fall into grumbling and complaining about a bathroom needing to be
cleaned. But the flip side of that is that we can be thankful for indoor
plumbing.
9. Be thankful for sibling squabbles.
My
children will tell you that one of the phrases they hear from me most often is
“As far as it depends on you, keep the peace!” (Romans 12:18). But I have found
that I can choose to be thankful for their sibling squabbles and banter because
it means my whole family is back together under one roof.
10. Be thankful for snoring.
I’ll
be the first to admit that at times this is a tall order. But given that on
more than one occasion doctors have given my husband just a short time to live,
when I’m kept awake by his snoring, it’s a reminder to be thankful that he is
still alive.
11. Be thankful for your parent taxi endeavors.
Running
children to and fro can be emotionally and physically taxing. But when we’re
tired from being our kids’ chauffeurs, we can be thankful that children are an
active part of our life and we are blessed to be a part of theirs.
12. Be thankful for your pets.
Studies
have shown that petting our animals is good for our physical and emotional
well-being. Being thankful for our animals reminds us of the companionship they
offer.
13. Be thankful for your religious freedom.
Many
in this world are not free to worship who and how they please without fear for
their lives. Don’t take that for granted.
14. Be thankful for technology.
We’ve
been living through a strange time this year, where social distancing has been
required and social gathering almost a thing of the past. But we can be
thankful for the technology that allows us to see each other and maintain our
social connection, albeit even if only virtually.
15. Be thankful for your mistakes.
Much
of our learning comes from doing things the wrong way over and over again,
until we learn the best way to approach situations. Those kinds of lessons are
hard fought, but not easily forgotten.
16. Be thankful for laughter.
Scripture
says “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). We can be
thankful for the bits of laughter sprinkled throughout our days and weeks to
cheer our hearts and bring healing to our soul.
17. Be thankful for sunshine.
I
don’t know about you, but for me, too many dark gloomy days in a row and I
begin to feel the effects. But the dark, gloomy days somehow make the sunny
days seem even brighter and lift my mood.
18. Be thankful for color.
Some
don’t have the ability to see color. Can you imagine how boring and lifeless
things would seem without the fresh pop of color in the spring, or the crisp
fall hues each autumn?
19. Be thankful for books.
Whether
you’re reading fiction or nonfiction, science fiction or memoir, books enrich
our lives and use our imagination to take us places not otherwise possible.
20. Be thankful for time.
Scripture
tells us that only God knows the number of our days (Psalms 139:16). We must be
grateful for the time we have because we never know when our time will run out.
21. Be thankful for memories.
My
mother used to say that God gave us memories so we could have roses in winter.
I think she was onto something. I’ve had patients who literally could not
remember family or friends. Each time the patient saw them it was a brand new
introduction. God didn’t have to create our human memory system, but He did to
help us and to enrich our lives. Be thankful for your memory while you still
have it.
22. Be thankful for tears.
Scripture
tells us that God collects each of our tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8). I
don’t know what He does with them, but I know it is good. Sometimes we have no
words to communicate how we feel, but our tears can so poignantly express our
feelings without ever having to say a word.
23. Be thankful for eyesight.
I’ve
had several friends with limited or no sight, and it makes life a challenge. As
long as we have our eyesight we can appreciate the beauty of the world around
us even when our own personal situations can be challenging.
24. Be thankful for your mind.
Our
mind is an extremely complex organ, but it allows us to think, reason, problem
solve, learn, and form memories. Because of that, life is so much easier for
each of us.
25. Be thankful for electricity.
One
never becomes quite so grateful for electricity as they are when they’ve lost
power! Having lived the last two decades in hot Texas, I became extremely
dependent on and grateful for electricity that powered my air conditioning. It
also affords us heat in the winter, lights when it is dark, kitchen appliances
to cook our food, and even music to soothe our soul.
When
God tells us to be thankful in all situations, He means it. But I believe that
as we pray without ceasing, He is the one who creates a thankful heart in us.
These things to be grateful for remind us of God’s hidden blessings in daily
life.
ATTACHMENT SEVEN
– FROM AI OVERVIEW
MANY
CELEBRITIES EXPRESSED GRATITUDE IN 2025, OFTEN FOR PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS,
PROFESSIONAL SUCCESSES, AND HEALTH, WITH FIGURES LIKE
James
Pickens Jr. being thankful to be cancer-free after a health scare. Other
celebrities were thankful for their children's milestones, such as college
acceptances, while some were thankful for professional recognition or for being
part of notable events like the Super Bowl or the U.S. Open, says this E! News
article.
Health
and family
·
James Pickens Jr.: Expressed thankfulness
for being cancer-free after recovering from prostate cancer, highlighting the
importance of routine checkups.
·
Celebrity parents: Many
were thankful for their children starting college, including Heather Dubrow and
Tiger Woods, who celebrated their kids' new academic journeys at schools like
Yale and Stanford.
Professional
achievements and events
·
Edward Norton: Was thankful for his
Golden Globes nomination, which he saw as a compliment to his fellow actors and
a way to connect more people to the life of Pete Seeger.
·
Kendrick
Lamar and SZA: Performed at the Super Bowl LIX halftime show and
were likely thankful for the experience, along with Samuel L. Jackson, who
narrated the performance.
·
Jon Batiste: Was likely
thankful for performing the National Anthem before Super Bowl LIX.
·
Ciara and Russell
Wilson: Were among many celebrities at the U.S. Open, likely thankful for
the event experience.
General
expressions of gratitude
·
Larry The Cable Guy: Thanked the
celebrities who participated in his 2025 "Git-R-Done" golf classic.
·
Chris Pratt, Billy Crystal,
and others: Were likely thankful to be part of the 2025 Super Bowl ads,
according to this Instagram post.
ATTACHMENT EIGHT
– FROM NY POST
CELEBS GIVE
THANKS
By ANGELA BARBUTI 23 Nov 2025
Life
is gourd for these celebs, who dished to The Post on what they consider the
gravy to their turkey. From the Big Apple’s biggest athletes to world-famous
comedians and reality stars — and a member of a band and a girl group — these
notables names are sharing what they are most grateful for this Thanksgiving.
CARDINAL
TIMOTHY DOLAN, Archbishop of New York
“I
am thankful that we live in a country that sets aside a special day each year
to express gratitude to Almighty God for the many blessings He has given us. I
am also thankful that this is a day when we recognize the blessing that is our
family, as I will be with mine back home in Saint Louis. Finally, I am thankful
for the tremendous outpouring of generosity that this time of the year
inspires, as we remember to help the most vulnerable and those in need.”
LARA
TRUMP, host of “My View with Lara Trump”
“Like
so many people, the thing for which I am the most thankful is our entire family
— my kids and my husband especially. I’m grateful for an additional dog in our
household this Thanksgiving (that makes 3 for anyone counting!) — but, overall
I feel so optimistic and positive for the first time in a long time about the
trajectory of our country and the future for America’s children.
BREECE
HALL, New York Jets running back
“I’m
thankful for my family and my friends and the opportunity to score touchdowns.”
CHEF
DANIEL BOULUD
“I
am grateful and proud to call America home, and thankful for the many people
I’ve had the privilege to cook alongside for more than 40 Thanksgiving
celebrations with my team and loved ones.
MEL
B, Spice Girl and “America’s Got Talent”
“I’m
grateful for my family, friends and the opportunity in life to spread joy with
music and entertainment. I’m also incredibly grateful to use my platform to
raise awareness for the issue of domestic violence and the need for reform of
the justice system for all survivors.”
RYAN
SERHANT, CEO of real estate brokerage firm Serhant & star of “Owning
Manhattan”
“I
am extremely thankful for my family and health this year, but always . . . for
being an entrepreneur and being in charge of my own schedule. This year, it
allowed me to take time to give back and become a Wish Maker for Make-aWish and
I am grateful that my colleague, Genesis Suero, and I got to meet Blanca and
show her what it is like being a real estate broker for a day.”
MIKE
“THE SITUATION” SORRENTINO, “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” star (top, right)
“This
year, I’m thankful for my family, their love and support have carried me
through every chapter of my journey. I’m also incredibly grateful to be in a
place where I can give back by opening The Archange Centers. It’s an honor to
help others find healing, hope, and a second chance, because recovery is the
real blessing.”
DONNIE
WAHLBERG, New Kids on the Block star
“The
best fans in the world — The Blockheads!”
ADAM
FOX, New York Rangers defenseman
“I’m
thankful for my family and the support they give me throughout the year. Also,
I am thankful for my teammates and the fun times we have during the season.”
SEBASTIAN
MANISCALCO, comedian
“I’m
grateful for the moments that make me laugh, the meals that bring us together,
and the relatives who only show up once a year . . . which is the perfect
amount.”
JOSH
HART, New York Knicks guard (2nd from top, right)
“I’m
thankful for faith and family.”
MEL
OWENS, “Golden Bachelor”
“What
I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving is my family, especially my boys. I’m always
grateful they are wonderful kids. Every morning we wake up, I am grateful for
them, and I love them dearly.”
CHRISTOPHER
KNIGHT, “Brady Bunch” actor
“I’m
thankful this year, as I am every year, for life’s good fortune. I have a lot
to be grateful for, not the least of which is my kind, loving wife, Cara.”
TILER
PECK, principal dancer at NYC Ballet
“This
year I am thankful for my husband and being surrounded by my incredible family
including our newest addition, our little puppy Nyla.”
ATTACHMENT NINE
– FROM USA TODAY
TRUMP PARDONS THANKSGIVING TURKEYS AT THE
WHITE HOUSE
President Donald Trump will officially pardon
two turkeys on Tuesday at 12 noon at the White House, as part of the annual
turkey pardon that has become a Thanksgiving holiday tradition.
Hailing from North Carolina, Gobble and Waddle
will each receive a presidential pardon, but only one will participate in the
official ceremony where Trump is expected to make a few comments.
Following the ceremony, the two turkeys will
spend the rest of their lives under the care of the Prestage Department of
Poultry Science at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, where they will
have dedicated housing, daily care and veterinary services, according to an
Office of the First Lady press release.
Q: What time is the 2025 turkey pardoning
ceremony?
The annual presidential turkey pardon will
take place Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 12 noon ET at the White House.
The history of the presidential turkey pardon
The pardoning tradition officially began at
the 1989 presentation with President George H.W. Bush, who declared that the
turkey “will not end up on anyone’s dinner table, not this guy – he’s presented
a presidential pardon as of right now – and allow him to live out his days on a
children’s farm not far from here.”
Since then, 60 turkeys have been pardoned and
saved from ending up on Thanksgiving dinner tables. The American people also
get involved with the tradition, including this year, by choosing the names of
the turkeys to be pardoned. Gobble and Waddle’s names were selected via an
online poll sent out on social media by the Office of the First Lady.
See a photo gallery
of Thanksgiving turkey pardons here.
ATTACHMENT TEN
– FROM ABC
TRUMP ADMIN LIVE
UPDATES: TRUMP SAYS THANKSGIVING AN 'APPROPRIATE TIME' FOR UKRAINE TO ACCEPT
PEACE DEAL
"But
Thursday is it, we think an appropriate time," Trump said
President
Donald Trump eliminated tariffs on agricultural products from Brazil with an
executive order Thursday, his latest move to try to lower grocery prices.
By
Kevin Shalvey, Alexandra Hutzler, and Ivan Pereira
Last
Updated: November 21, 2025, 4:01 PM EST
President
Donald Trump on Thursday called several Democratic veterans and national
security specialists "traitors" who should face the death penalty for releasing a joint
video in which they said that U.S. service members could refuse illegal orders.
This
week, the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure to force the
Department of Justice to release all files related to late sex offender Jeffrey
Epstein. Trump signed the legislation on Wednesday night, starting the clock on
the 30 days the DOJ has to release the documents.
Key Headlines
Trump on
Zelenskyy and Ukraine peace plan: 'He'll have to like it'
Trump congratulates
Mamdani: 'The better he does, the happier I am'
Trump says
Thanksgiving is an 'appropriate time' for Ukraine to accept peace deal
Trump on Zelenskyy and Ukraine peace plan:
'He'll have to like it'
President
Donald Trump, taking reporter questions in the Oval Office on Friday, spoke about
the 28-point peace
proposal his administration has drafted to bring an the
Russia-Ukraine war.
The
plan was presented to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky on Thursday, a
U.S. official said.
"He'll have to like it. And if he doesn't like it, then, you know, they
should just keep fighting, I guess," Trump said of Zelenskyy and the plan.
"We
think we have a way of getting peace. He's going to have to approve it,"
Trump said.
1
hour and 33 minutes ago
Trump congratulates Mamdani: 'The better he
does, the happier I am'
President
Donald Trump congratulated New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani as they met
at the White House on Friday.
"We've
just had a great meeting. A really good, very productive meeting. We have one
thing in common. We want this city of ours that we love to do very well. And I
wanted to congratulate the mayor," Trump said, adding Mamdani ran an
"incredible race."
"The
better he does, the happier I am," Trump added.
Mamdani
also described the meeting as productive, and said their main focus was
affordability.
"We
spoke about rent. We spoke about groceries, we spoke about utilities. We spoke
about the different ways in which people are being pushed out. And I
appreciated the time with the president. I appreciated the conversation,"
Mamdani said.
Trump says Thanksgiving is an 'appropriate
time' for Ukraine to accept peace deal
President
Donald Trump said in a radio interview that aired Friday that Thanksgiving
would be an "appropriate time" for Ukraine to accept a new proposal to
end the war with Russia.
"Well,
we have, you know, I've had a lot of deadlines, but if things are working,
well, you tend to extend the deadlines, but Thursday is it, we think an
appropriate time," he said.
The
peace deal that the White House is pressuring Ukraine to accept would require
Ukraine to make significant concessions to end the war, including forcing Kyiv
to give up additional territory in the east, limit the size of its military,
and agree that it will never join NATO.
Despite
the fears from European leaders that Russian President Vladimir Putin could
feel emboldened to go after other European countries, Trump claimed that Putin
is not looking to create more wars.
"They'll
be stopped. He's not looking for more war," he said.
-ABC
News' Hannah Demissie and Lalee Ibssa
House adopts resolution to denounce 'horrors
of socialism' ahead of Trump, Mamdani meeting
Just
hours before New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and President Donald
Trump were slated to meet at the Oval Office on Friday, the Republican-led
House passed a resolution to denounce "the horrors of socialism."
The resolution,
which is non-binding, states that Congress "denounces socialism in all its
forms and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United
States."
Mamdani
has been a member of the Democratic Socialists group, which experts have argued are far from the authoritarian
socialism practices of communist governments such as the Soviet Union and Cuba.
Eighty-six
Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, joined 199 Republicans in
passing the measure. Forty-seven House members did not vote.
The
resolution now heads to the Senate, where it's unlikely to receive the
necessary 60 votes to advance.
-ABC
News' Lauren Peller and Allison Pecorin
Show
More
ATTACHMENT ELEVEN
– FROM GUK
‘IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE!’ MEET BRITAIN’S BUS DRIVER
OF THE YEAR – AND SIX OTHER UNSUNG HEROES
From the top
lollipop person to the most dedicated convenience store managers, we
celebrate the winners of the year’s most unusual accolades
BY
Heather Main Wed
26 Nov 2025 00.00 EST
‘ONE
CHAP GETS MY BUS EVERY WEEK, AND HE ALWAYS SLIPS ME A KITKAT’
Michael Leech, from Sowerby Bridge, West
Yorkshire, has been named the UK bus driver of the year
I became a bus driver quite by chance, after
spotting an advert in the paper in 1999. I liked the idea of driving for a
living, but not the solitude. Driving a bus seemed perfect: you have a certain
level of autonomy, without a boss breathing down your neck.
You have to have the right kind of personality
to excel at bus driving. You need to be a very good driver, but you need to be
able to command order at the same time.
I like that I can influence how my day goes;
I’m in charge of the atmosphere on my bus. Some drivers are very strict, but I
think that makes for a miserable day, so I try to spread a bit of happiness. If
I see someone running for the bus as I’m about to pull away, I’ll always stop
and wait – even though sometimes they run straight past me.
One elderly chap gets on my bus every week,
and he always slips me a KitKat without saying a word. It feels a bit like a
surreptitious drug deal, but it’s very much appreciated.
I’ve wanted to win bus driver of the year for
years, but it’s highly competitive. You need to have an exemplary record, good
feedback from customers, no prangs on the bus and excellent timekeeping. About
100 drivers from across the country make the grand final in Blackpool. There’s
a theory test and practical exam, where you’re asked to park a bus exactly one
metre from the pavement and line up a lamp-post to the middle of the hubcap.
It’s very tense, but luckily, I managed to be very accurate.
To be told I’d won really was a dream come
true. I take a lot of pride in my job, so it’s nice to be recognised.
I was excited to learn I’d won £4,100 prize
money, too. I celebrated with a cup of tea with my wife.
‘I GET
IMMENSE SATISFACTION FROM SEEING THE TOILETS CLEAN AND SPARKLING’
Margaret Rutter, 73,
from Annandale, Dumfries and Galloway, was named washroom technician
of the year for Scotland at the Loo of the Year awards
I’ve always enjoyed being a cleaner. I’m a
clean and tidy person and I get immense satisfaction from seeing the toilets
clean and sparkling. Some people probably think mine is not a very important
job – I’m “only” the toilet cleaner – but the way I see it, everyone needs to
go to the toilet, and everyone wants the facilities to be a pleasure to visit.
I work six days a week, starting at 6.30am,
and clean for three hours. I like to get down on my hands and knees and really
give the whole bowl a scrub, including the pipes and behind the U-bend.
I look after all seven toilets at the
Annandale distillery. They are for staff and visitors, so they get quite a lot
of heavy usage.
There’s no need to go over the top, though; I
don’t fold the toilet paper into a point and try to show off. A good toilet
cleaner knows that cleanliness and hygiene are what’s important, not trying to
impress people. There’s no point doing origami with the toilet roll if the soap
dispensers are empty or the seat is rife with germs.
I’m 73, but I don’t have plans to retire –
there are a lot more toilets for me to clean
I got my first toilet cleaning job in 1999,
and I’ve probably cleaned somewhere in the region of 150,000 toilets. In that
time, I’ve seen some sights. It’s shocking how some people feel it’s acceptable
to leave a toilet cubicle. But I just roll up my sleeves, put on my gloves and
get on with it. I sometimes have to try hard not to think too much about what
I’m actually cleaning.
I’m quite critical when using public toilets
myself. I won’t use them if they’re not clean, and even if they are, I find
myself checking how much spare loo roll is available.
When I get home, the last thing I usually want
to do is clean my own toilet. I do, though, of course.
Winning the award was such a special moment
for me. The judges make an anonymous visit to the toilets, and I’m glad I
didn’t know they were coming, as I’d have been too nervous.
I was thrilled to have won, and my son and
daughter were delighted for me. For the first time, I felt people had some
understanding of what I do every day and maybe appreciated it a little bit
more. It’s nice to feel I’m making a difference. I’m 73, but I don’t have plans
to retire – there are a lot more toilets for me to clean.
‘We
make every customer feel as if they are being welcomed into our home’
‘You couldn’t do this job if you didn’t love
people’ … Hiten and Kinnari Patel at their shop
Kinnari Patel and her
husband, Hiten, were named convenience store of
the year – independent by the Federation of Independent Retailers
Hiten and I took over Honey’s of the High, a
convenience store in the centre of Oxford, 13 years ago. We both had stressful
jobs in London, and we wanted to have our own business.
When Honey’s came up for sale, we jumped at
the chance to buy it. However, our children, then two and eight, didn’t want to
move. We decided to stay in London but commute seven days a week to Oxford.
It’s worth it to come to work in such a beautiful location.
Hiten and I work alternate days at the shop.
We leave the house at 4.30am, start the paper round an hour later, and close
the shop at 7pm, to be home by 9.30pm.
We last had a family holiday in 2018, for six
days over Christmas. The shop was closed, but my brother ran the paper
deliveries for us. We called him every single day.
We try to make every customer feel as though
they are being welcomed into our home. It’s a world away from my previous job
in logistics. This feels much more important. You couldn’t do this job if you
didn’t love people.
Society in general lacks an element of
connection these days. So many people do their shopping by the click of a
button, but with a corner shop, you have that connection and interaction with
others.
We reassure the parents of new students after
they drop them off at university, and let them know we’ll look out for their
children.
When the shop is quiet, I call up the care
home we deliver papers to for a chat with anyone who is lonely. We started
doing that in Covid, but we’ve carried it on.
We were told we had been nominated for the
award, and when they read out our names as the winners, we were just
gobsmacked. It means we’ve really made a difference to people, and all the
years of hard work and sacrifice have meant something to someone besides us.
‘Everyone
gets a high-five or fist bump when they cross the road’
Gerald Gleeson, from County Cork, was
named lollipop person of the year by Tonstix, makers
of children’s lollipop lozenges
I became a lollipop man 10 years ago. I was
widowed in 2014, and then retired after 30 years as a retained firefighter. I
felt a bit lost. Spending time with my five grandchildren kept me going, but
during term time I missed them so much.
I saw an advert for a job as a lollipop person
at my local school and thought I’d give it a go, just to get me out of the
house. It’s the best job I’ve ever done, but it’s not for everyone. I’m up and
out early every morning, come rain or shine, and I have to have a smile on my
face. If you don’t have a sunny disposition, you won’t get on well in this job.
People seem to think it’s an easy job, and can
belittle it, but there’s an incredible responsibility that comes with it.
Getting the children safely across a busy road is difficult, as every parent
knows, and I try to make sure that they’re going in to school with a smile on
their face, too. I make sure everyone gets a high-five or fist-bump when they
cross if they want one. Some mums have told me it helps get their children in
to school when they’re having a tough time, and I’m really proud to make a
difference to their day.
Some parents told me they’d nominated me for
lollipop man of the year, and I couldn’t believe it. When the school told me
I’d won, I was so shocked. There was a tremendous buzz about the crossing that
afternoon; all the children wanted extra fist-bumps. It’s really lovely to know
I’m making a difference – the award meant more to me than most people realised.
‘I’m 65 and I love conkers. If that makes me an
anorak, I’m OK with it’
St John Burkett was named anorak of
the year by the Dull Men’s Club
I’ve been a member of the Dull Men’s Club for
more than 20 years, in my capacity as one of the coordinators of the World
Conker Championships. I’ve featured in its annual calendar before, but I was
shocked – and immensely happy – to find out I’d won the title of anorak of the
year. Ironically, it’s one of the least dull things that’s ever happened to me.
I was more excited to find out that I’d won
than I would have been if they’d said I was getting an MBE. It’s such an
honour, and I feel it shows I’m not taking life too seriously.
My wife, Claire, was less impressed. When I
told her, she raised one eyebrow and walked off. My adult children were more
excited.
They’ve put up with me going on about conkers
for years. I’ve played since I was a little boy; I’m now 65 and still love the
game. I’ll talk to anyone about them. If that makes me an anorak, I’m OK with
that. I’m joining a long list of worthy winners.
This year, I managed to help avert a
near-disaster when the warm weather meant that the conkers were ready too soon
and the competition, held in mid-October, was at risk because of a shortage of
playable conkers.
I spoke out in the press about the shortage,
and we were inundated with donations from very kind people – including a box
that were sent from the PR team at Windsor Castle.
We assume they were picked by one of the residents. Maybe that helped me clinch
the title.
‘I can
eat 25 bratwurst in five minutes’
Max Stanford is the British Eating League’s champion competitive eater
I sort of fell into competitive eating. I’d
been trying to bulk up at the gym and someone suggested I should try out a Man
v Food-style eating challenge. I realised I had a bit of a knack for it.
I’m quite a competitive person – mostly with
myself – and I was curious to see how far I could go.
Five years on, I have a huge social media
following that sees me competing in food challenges set by the British Eating
League. It’s not my day job; I just compete for fun.
There are about 10 individual competitions
throughout the year, and whoever wins the most is given that year’s title. I’ve
won before, three times, so it was a matter of pride for me to try to take the
title again.
Some of my favourite rounds in this year’s
competition were a pie-eating contest (18 in five minutes), bratwurst-eating
(25 in five minutes) and pretzel-eating (17 in five minutes – the second-placed
competitor managed only three).
I’m hesitant to call competitive eating a
sport, but you do need to train and practise as though you were training for a
marathon. I do a trial run a few times before an event, and the night before I
stretch my stomach with lots of water and salad.
I eat sensibly most of the time, and I run and
hit the gym pretty hard too, which keeps me in shape.
There’s no cash prize for winning competitive
eater of the year, although some individual competitions do offer prizes of a
few hundred pounds. It’s just for the glory, and a lovely trophy. I’m good
friends with a lot of other competitors, but we all want to win. I find it
weirdly satisfying to know that I can eat more chicken nuggets in five minutes than
anyone else in the country.
ATTACHMENT TWELVE
– FROM USA TODAY
HERE'S HOW MUCH
CHEAPER YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER MIGHT BE THIS YEAR
By
Carlie Procell and Jennifer Borresen
How
much did turkey prices drop for Thanksgiving 2025?
What
factors drove up side dish costs this Thanksgiving?
What
allergens are in the recalled Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream bars?
Thanksgiving
dinner for 10 will cost about 5% less than it did last year, according to
the American Farm Bureau Federation's
annual survey. The total price for the foods needed to host the
typical holiday meal has decreased each year since 2022, which saw a record
high of $64.05.
The
American Farm Bureau Federation has given the same shopping list to volunteer
shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico since 1986 to calculate the average
cost of Thanksgiving dinner.
Along
with turkey, the list includes cubed stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls,
frozen peas, fresh cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix and crusts,
whipping cream and whole milk.
Four
items from the survey dropped in price this year – the main turkey dish, cubed
stuffing, fresh cranberries and dinner rolls.
The
price of a 16-pound turkey dropped this year to $21.50 from $25.67 in 2024, its
smallest price portion of Thanksgiving dinner since 2000.
Pumpkin
pie mix and frozen pie crust prices largely remained the same over the past
year.
But
other side items – sweet potatoes, frozen green peas, carrots and celery, whole
milk and whipping cream – rose in price, and fresh vegetables saw the sharpest
increase.
The
price increases in these items reflect the struggles farmers have faced over
the past year with more expensive fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land,
according to the farm bureau federation.
Another
notable setback is the damage caused by Hurricane Helene last fall in
North Carolina, which produces about half the
nation's sweet potatoes.
ATTACHMENT THIRTEEN
– FROM AMERICAN FARM BUREAU
Nov 19, 2025
Cost of Thanksgiving
Dinner Declines
Cooking
a Thanksgiving dinner for your friends and family will cost less than last
year, marking the third straight year of price declines. The American Farm
Bureau Federation’s 40th annual Thanksgiving
dinner survey provides a snapshot of the average cost of Thanksgiving staples
that make up a classic holiday feast for 10, which is $55.18 or about $5.52 per
person.
This
is a 5% decrease from 2024. Three years of declines don’t fully erase dramatic
increases that led to a record-high cost of $64.05 in 2022.
The
centerpiece on most Thanksgiving tables – the turkey – dramatically decreased
in price, which helped bring down the overall cost of dinner. The average price
for a 16-pound frozen turkey is $21.50. That is $1.34 per pound, down more than
16% from last year. While the wholesale price for
fresh turkey is up from 2024, grocery stores are featuring Thanksgiving deals
and attempting to draw consumer demand back to turkey, leading to lower retail
prices for a holiday bird.
Farm
Bureau volunteer shoppers checked prices the first week of November. Grocery
stores often feature whole turkeys at even lower prices in the days leading up
to Thanksgiving. According to the most recent USDA Agricultural Marketing Service data, the average
per-pound feature price for whole frozen turkeys declined further during the
second week of November.
“It’s
encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the
most expensive part of the meal,” said AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D.
“Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by
avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help
ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating
Thanksgiving.”
The
shopping list for Farm Bureau’s informal survey includes turkey, stuffing,
sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray, and pumpkin pie with
whipped cream, all in quantities sufficient for 10 servings.
Half
of the ingredients in the survey declined in price, including dinner rolls and
stuffing. Low wheat prices helped bring down the cost of items requiring flour.
Items
like fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes increased – a veggie tray is up more
than 61% and sweet potatoes are up 37%. Natural disasters partly contributed to
the increase. For example, North Carolina, which is the largest grower of the
nation’s sweet potatoes, suffered hurricane damage. Additionally, fresh produce
prices tend to be highly volatile, and even modest supply-chain disruptions,
from weather, labor shortages, transportation delays or regional production
setbacks, can trigger sharp, short-term spikes in prices. The continued
shortage of farmworkers and rapidly increasing farm wages also played a role in
rising produce costs. It’s important to note that fresh vegetables and potatoes
are traditionally low-cost items, so an increase of just a few cents can
dramatically affect the cost change percentage year-to-year.
“We
are blessed to live in a country that is capable of producing such an abundant
food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy
Duvall. “Despite modest declines in the cost of a Thanksgiving meal, I know
food prices are a real concern for many families, including in rural America. We
lost 15,000 farms last year because of factors including historically low crop
prices, high supply costs and trade uncertainty, which continue to squeeze
farmers and ranchers. Every farm lost is another step toward consolidation and
reliance on other countries for our food.
“We
urge Congress to address the challenging economic conditions facing farmers to
ensure farm families can continue growing the food we all rely on, not just on
Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.”
In
recognition of changes in Thanksgiving dinner traditions, the Farm Bureau price
survey also includes boneless ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans, in
an expanded menu. Adding these foods to the classic Thanksgiving menu increases
the overall cost by $21.91, to $77.09.
This
year’s national average cost was calculated using surveys completed with
pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Farm Bureau volunteer shoppers
checked prices in person and online using grocery store apps and websites. They
looked for the best possible prices without taking advantage of special
promotional coupons or combined purchase deals.
The
AFBF Thanksgiving dinner survey was first conducted in 1986. The informal
survey provides a record of comparative holiday meal costs over the years. Farm
Bureau’s classic survey menu has remained unchanged since 1986 to allow for
consistent price comparisons.
Individual
Prices
·
16-pound turkey: $21.50 or $1.34 per pound
(down 16.3%)
·
14-ounces of cubed stuffing mix: $3.71 (down
9%)
·
2 frozen pie crusts: $3.37 (down .8%)
·
Half pint of whipping cream: $1.87 (up 3.2%)
·
1 pound of frozen peas: $2.03 (up 17.2%)
·
1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.56 (down 14.6%)
·
Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $3.61
(down 4.7%)
·
30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.16 (up
.1%)
·
1 gallon of whole milk: $3.73 (up 16.3%)
·
3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.00 (up 37%)
·
1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery):
$1.36 (up 61.3%)
·
12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.28 (down
2.8%)
Regional
Averages
AFBF
analysis revealed regional differences in the cost of the meal. The cost for
the classic meal was the most affordable in the South at $50.01, followed by
the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75. The
expanded meal (classic meal plus boneless ham, Russet potatoes and green beans)
was the most affordable in the South at $71.20, the Midwest at $76.33, the
Northeast at $82.97, and most expensive in the West at $84.97.
Read
a full analysis of the 2025 Thanksgiving dinner cost survey in a Market Intel
report here.
To
download selected soundbites on the survey, click here.
AFBF
also conducts an annual summer cookout survey in advance of the 4th of July
holiday. Be sure to watch for that in late June 2026.
ATTACHMENT FOURTEEN
– FROM CNBC
HOW MUCH A ‘CLASSIC’
THANKSGIVING DINNER WILL COST YOU—IT’S CHEAPER THAN LAST YEAR
By Mike Winters Published
Thu, Nov 20 202511:14 AM EST
The
cost of a Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people has declined for the third straight year,
according to the American
Farm Bureau Federation.
The
“classic” meal — a 16-pound turkey and sides like stuffing, rolls, sweet
potatoes, peas, cranberries and pumpkin pie ingredients — costs an average of
$55.18 nationwide, new data from AFBF finds.
The
estimates come from the farm advocacy group’s annual price survey, conducted in
the first week of November and based on volunteer shoppers in all 50 states
checking grocery store prices for the same Thanksgiving staples each year.
The
biggest cost is the turkey at an average of $21.50. Other items include
30-ounce pumpkin pie mix at an average cost of $4.16, three pounds of sweet
potatoes at $4, one gallon of whole milk at $3.73 and 14 ounces of stuffing mix
at $3.71, according to the data.
Prices
also vary by region, with the classic meal averaging a high of $61.75 in the
West and a low of $50.01 in the South.
The
cost of the classic dinner is down 5% from 2024 and well below the record high
of $64.05 reached in 2022. But it’s still higher than its 2020 level, when the
same meal averaged $46.90. However, with inflation factored in, 2025′s
price is roughly in line with what the 2020 dinner would cost today.
Here’s
a look at the average price for the last 10 years, according to AFBF’s annual
survey. Figures are not adjusted for inflation.
· 2015: $50.11
· 2016: $49.87
· 2017: $49.12
· 2018: $48.90
· 2019: $48.91
· 2020: $46.90
· 2021: $53.31
· 2022: $64.05
· 2023: $61.17
· 2024: $58.08
Retailers
may help keep turkey prices down
At
an average price of $21.50, turkey makes up nearly half the cost of a classic
Thanksgiving dinner, according to AFBF data. But even though wholesale turkey
prices are up about 75% from last year due to avian flu and higher production
costs, shoppers aren’t necessarily seeing that increase at the register, according
to researchers at Purdue University.
That’s
because grocers often mark down whole frozen turkeys in November, treating the
bird as a “loss leader” to draw customers into stores for other, higher-margin
items, reports industry trade publication Grocery
Dive.
And
those discounts can be steep. Purdue’s analysis shows retailers are selling
birds well below typical seasonal prices. Walmart, for example, is offering
whole turkeys for $0.98 per pound, less than half of Purdue’s estimated average
retail price for November.
Prices
for sides are more mixed. Wheat-based items like dinner rolls and stuffing are
cheaper, on average, in 2025, while fresh vegetables and sweet potatoes rose
sharply due to weather issues and regional supply disruptions, according to
AFBF.
ATTACHMENT FIFTEEN
– FROM USA TODAY
INFLATION'S ON THE
RISE. SO WILL THANKSGIVING DINNER COST MORE, TOO?
Betty
Lin-Fisher
Which
retailers offer discounted Thanksgiving meals in 2025?
How
are private label brands reducing Thanksgiving meal costs?
Why
did Thanksgiving turkey prices drop despite food inflation?
Which
retailers offer discounted Thanksgiving meals in 2025?
In
a change of pace, here's a story about the cost of one meal going down instead
of up because of rising food
prices.
The
cost of a Thanksgiving meal has decreased this year, according to the latest
Wells Fargo Agri-Food Institute analysis.
The
annual report takes a look at prices consumers will pay for a traditional
Thanksgiving meal of turkey, sides such as vegetables, cranberries, stuffing
and rolls, pumpkin pie and beverages for 10 people. USA TODAY was given an
exclusive early look at Wells Fargo's report.
An
all national-name brand menu for 10 people will cost $95 while an all
private-label or store brand menu will cost $80, according to Wells Fargo.
What's
happening with turkey prices
While
the consumer price index for the cost of food at home was up 2.7% in September
compared to a year ago, Wells Fargo's Thanksgiving menu price has fallen by
about 2% to 3%, depending on the shopper's strategy, said Michael Swanson,
chief agricultural economist for Wells Fargo.
The
two major reasons the food CPI has been higher this year has been rising beef
costs and the earlier egg price spikes from the bird flu, Swanson said.
"When
you back those two out of the index, it actually would be a very different
story and Thanksgiving doesn't typically feature either of those
elements," Swanson told USA TODAY.
Some
other forecasts may show Thanksgiving prices rising, but Swanson said that's a
difference between wholesale prices and prices for consumers.
There
are also some retailers who planned better than others for the holiday, Swanson
said. The bird flu affected some turkey flocks earlier, leaving the inventory
lower this year than last. Retailers who locked in lower prices will be able to
pass those on to shoppers, while others may have higher prices, Swanson said.
Both Aldi and Walmart announced
recently that their Thanksgiving meals, which will feed 10 people, will cost
$40, USA TODAY previously reported.
How
are people planning to celebrate Thanksgiving?
People's
meal prep plans vary for Thanksgiving. According to an NIQ survey, 39% plan to
prepare the meal from scratch while 20% said they'd have a mix of store-bought
and homemade items on the dinner table.
Shoppers
are stressed about rising
grocery prices, with 58% of those surveyed citing concern about food
price inflation. As a result, 25% said they plan to buy more private label
brands and 31% said they'll choose private label over name brands, when
possible. There are still some – 5% – who said they will prioritize name
brands.
Some
people are also looking for other ways to cut down the cost of the celebration:
31% are having a smaller gathering, 31% are skipping "non-essentials"
like floral arrangements and 27% are having smaller side dishes, according to
NIQ.
How
will parts of the Thanksgiving meal fare in prices?
Here's
how prices for various popular parts of the Thanksgiving meal will fare:
Frozen
vegetables: Private-label and national brands for frozen vegetables have
varied in pricing this year. National name brand frozen vegetables are down 15%
while private label veggies are up by 0.8%, according to Wells Fargo. Swanson
said there is a continuation of shoppers feeling that store brands are
acceptable and they're "not really sacrificing quality by buying the store
brand." National brands have had to innovate and lower their prices to be
competitive, he said. For those who prefer fresh vegetables, prices are similar
or slightly higher than frozen vegetables.
Cranberries,
gravy, rolls and pumpkin pie: Private brand dinner rolls had the biggest
savings with a 22% price decrease this year, according to Wells Fargo. Several
key side dishes such as stuffing, prepared gravy mix and fresh cranberries also
dropped in price between 3% and 4% from last year. National brand pumpkin pies
are also down 3%.
Food
prices: Grocery
prices are jumping up. We explain why.
Prepared
mashed potatoes: The popularity of prepared mashed potatoes on the
Thanksgiving menu brought the dish onto the Wells Fargo Thanksgiving menu for
the first time this year, said Swanson. While it is cheaper to peel and prepare
fresh potatoes, many Americans are choosing the convenience of prepared mashed
potato mixes, he said. Prices dropped 1.5% from last year.
Some
side dish prices increased: Prepackaged salad mix rose by 0.3% and
whipping cream went up 3% as the dairy category as a whole increased 1.4% year
over year, according to the report.
Bring
on the drinks: Drinks are a mixed bag this year. Beer prices are up 3%
from a year ago while the wine category as a whole is flat or experiencing a
small decline of 0.1% from last year. Soft drinks have seen both an increase
and decrease: 12-ounce can prices have fallen 3% from last year, but 2-liter
bottles are up 7%. However, even with that increase, the 2-liter bottle is still
more economical, than 12-ounce cans, said Swanson.
Betty
Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA TODAY
ATTACHMENT SIXTEEN
– FROM CNN
THIS THANKSGIVING,
WEED SMOKERS ARE GRATEFUL FOR ‘GREEN WEDNESDAY’
By
Scottie Andrew
If
the guests at your Thanksgiving table this year are a bit moonier than usual,
don’t assume they ate too much turkey. And if they seem extra enthused about
digging into pie after a filling meal, well —
Adding
to late November’s ever-growing list of festivities and shopping promotions,
cannabis brands are now marketing “Green Wednesday:” the day before
Thanksgiving, when childhood friends reunite and presumably light up. And
consumers are heeding the call: Green Wednesday is the second-largest holiday
for cannabis behind April 20,
said Joyce Sinali, co-founder of the Cannabis Media Council, a trade group that
seeks to improve the public perception of weed.
“Green
Wednesday is not a real holiday,” said Jennifer Bartholomeo, a general manager
of the Travel Agency, a New York dispensary chain. “But if you think about it,
you’re traveling home to see your family, extended family is visiting and
everyone is taking a walk with their cousin. And what do you think you’re doing
on that walk?”
Whether
junior relations are sneaking away from the gathering to smoke together or
popping an edible to assuage their anxiety before they face the rest of the
family, getting high on the 17th century feast day is an emergent 21st century
tradition.
High and dry
“Green
Wednesday” is a relatively new term for a familiar phenomenon: Old friends get
together in their hometown and party on the eve of Thanksgiving. As cannabis
products became legalized across the US in the mid-2010s, the industry started
using the term in marketing to encourage friends to head to local dispensaries
to get their fix, Sinali said.
“We
want folks to come and get nuanced, interesting products and take them to the dinner
table for their Thanksgiving holiday,” Sinali said.
The
ploy has worked: Sinali said about 10 to 20% of customers at dispensaries on
Green Wednesday are first-time shoppers.
And
at a time when people are increasingly
trading alcohol for cannabis products, Green Wednesday is
becoming more popular among people who don’t typically smoke, too. Will Cohen,
co-founder of the Jewish cannabis brand Tokin’ Jew, used to refer to the day
before Thanksgiving as “Blackout Wednesday,” back when that meant “getting
shitfaced with high school friends.” Now, alcohol and cannabis are “competing”
for the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, he said.
Graduate
student Kara Dickson, who stopped by the Travel Agency’s Union Square location
this week to stock up ahead of the holidays, said her family “really doesn’t
drink together anymore.”
“We’d
rather take a gummy, chill out and watch a movie,” she told CNN.
This
Thursday, she said, her family plans to fill up on turkey, consume an edible
each and fall asleep on the couch watching football.
Family Danksgiving
Smoking,
much like the hubbub surrounding Thanksgiving, is ritualistic, said Cohen. When
you’re sharing a joint, for instance, it’s custom to pass it to the person on
your left. It’s a similar setup at Thanksgiving dinner, only instead of trading
joints, families are sharing what they’re thankful for.
“I
think it’s a way for the younger generation –– and I mean, honestly, the older
generation; everyone is smoking weed, whether they share it or not –– to have
the family come together,” he said.
Getting
high can be a communal act, Cohen said, and on Thanksgiving, that looks like
the surreptitious outing for younger family members the internet calls the
“cousin walk.”
“It’s
a way to bond,” he said. “It’s almost a gossip session, as well –– like, ‘Oh my
god, are we going to turn out just like our parents? They’re f**king crazy!’
What a great way to do that, over a joint.”
While
Dickson said her family “might be mad at me for outing them” as cannabis users,
she still can’t quite believe that she’s able to get high with her parents.
“I
may or may not have gotten caught in high school partaking, and they totally
lost it on me, like a very good parent should,” she said. “I cannot imagine
telling high school me that this is what we were doing in Thanksgiving post-college.”
ATTACHMENT SEVENTEEN
– FROM TIME
WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE
MEANS FOR YOUR THANKSGIVING DINNER
By Simmone Shah Nov 24, 2025 4:12 PM ET
For people around the U.S., Thanksgiving is a
chance to enjoy the best an autumn harvest has to offer—from sweet potatoes and
pumpkin to turkey and green beans.
But as higher temperatures impact growing
seasons and extreme weather events wipe out crops, farmers across the country
are facing mounting challenges when it comes to growing produce and raising
livestock.
“Drought, changing temperature patterns in
different parts of the country, natural disasters… all of those things have an
impact on the supply of food and agricultural commodities,” says Marcus
Coleman, professor of practice at Tulane University whose work focuses on food
systems and agriculture.
Climate change is leading to
more irregularity when it comes to seasonal weather patterns, which can impact
the growing cycle for a number of crops.
Read More: How Climate Change Impacts Winter
Weather
Two Thanksgiving staples illustrate these
challenges. “Cranberries and apples are both very dependent on specific
temperature patterns,” says Coleman. Cranberries, which require cooler
temperatures during their growing period to help them ripen before they’re
harvested in the fall, can see abnormal blossoming when exposed to inconsistent
temperatures. This can lead to lower yields. Meanwhile a late spring frost can
kill the blossoms that produce apples.
Turkeys, on the other hand, are particularly
sensitive to extreme heat.
“Rising temperature increases heat stress on
the poultry,” says Coleman. “From a supply perspective, that could slow down
their growth rates or raise the overall [risk for] mortality. It can also drive
up the cost of production, because farmers have to put in mechanisms to deal
with the heat so as to not impact the output of the birds.”
These changes don’t necessarily mean that
you’ll face empty shelves when you’re doing your holiday shopping—but it does
mean that you can expect to see higher prices when you’re checking out.
Read more: The Climate Impact of Your Thanksgiving Turkey vs.
Holiday Travel
“The impacts of climate change on food
production will be increased costs for consumers, without a doubt,” says Mario
Herrero, professor of food systems and global change at Cornell University.
“The seasonality changes [impact] planting dates. It will make it either more
expensive to maintain the yields, or we will need to just accept a lower
supply— and lower supply with the increased demand for food that we have leads
to higher prices.”
Either way, the cost of our changing climate
gets passed on to the consumers, even if they don’t realize it, experts
say.
“There's just less food to eat and that can
also then drive up global prices—and that starts to look like inflation,” says
Andrew Hultgren, assistant professor of agricultural and consumer economics, at
the University of Illinois, Urbana Champagne.
This year, the average price for a 16-pound
frozen turkey is down more than 16% from last year, according to data from
the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).
With Americans eating 3 lbs. less turkey per year than six years ago, retailers
are looking for ways to draw back consumer demand—featuring Thanksgiving deals
and lower retail prices, the AFBF says.
But a number of sides are seeing prices climb.
Sweet potatoes are expected to be 37% more expensive this year as North Carolina,
the country’s top sweet potato producer, continues to recover from last year’s
Hurricane Helene.
Frozen green peas and a vegetable tray of
carrots and celery were among the other items to rise in price, up 17.2% and
61% respectively as farmers across the country faced growing expenses for
fertilizer, fuel, machinery, labor and land. The AFBF notes that even modest
supply-chain disruptions can have major impacts on fresh produce, and that the
continued shortage of farmworkers and rapidly increasing farm wages also play a
role in rising produce costs.
ATTACHMENT EIGHTEEN
– FROM USA
TODAY
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BLACK FRIDAY STARTS ... NOW? |
|
Over a week away, popular retailers like Amazon,
Walmart and Target began announcing early Black Friday deals. Sales once
reserved for a single day or the weekend after Thanksgiving have expanded
into the weeks leading up to and after the day, giving consumers more chances
to develop their holiday shopping plan of attack and nab more deals. Here is USA TODAY's guide to Black Friday prep, including when and where to shop for
popular deals. |