Over the years, I have had the opportunity to visit nearly every state in the Union, and I never cease to be amazed by our country's variety of people and places. I can step out of a subway into New York City, go around a Michigan blueberry farm, or dig for clams along a deserted beach in Maine. These places are very different but they represent the land I love. One of the strongest similarities I have found in all of us Americans is the way we treat holidays. We all love holidays. They give us a reason to forget routine, to celebrate, and to make memories. What holiday gives us a better chance to do all of these things than Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving weekend is for most of us the longest, least interrupted weekend of the year. It is the ideal time for family and friends to come together again. It is also the most purely American of all holidays, because it celebrates the settling of our country by the Pilgrims over 350 years ago.