With yesterday being Easter Sunday, I began to think about the best holiday meals. I’m talking Thanksgiving, 4th of July, Christmas, and Easter. Honorable mention goes out Halloween, but they lacked depth to challenge the big boys. I know everyone doesn’t have the same meals on these days, so sorry if I left out your mom/grandma’s homemade whatever, it’s probably average anyway. Forks and knives out, it’s feast time.
Thanksgiving
To me, Thanksgiving is king. The entire day is based around watching football, drinking, and of course eating. The turkey is the big player in the meal, but like any great team, it’s the role players that let the star shine. Stuffing? Gas. Mashed Potatoes? Elite. Green bean Casserole? If topped with French’s fried onions, then GAS! All of this is just the main course. Top this with apps, which can have some crazy range, and the dessert section where pies, ice cream, cakes, etc reign supreme. It’s the king of holiday feasts, but others have some fight to their game as well.

2019 Thanksgiving Feast for Barney Bird
The 4th of July
4th of July is the biggest challenger to Thanksgiving, and as I get older it gets better and better. This feast has an upper-hand on all the others because of the setting. Maybe you’re at the shore or at a lake house somewhere, you and family and friends are crackin’ cold ones and playing corn-hole outdoors. The host has the grill pumping out burgers and hot dogs, or maybe they get fancy with some ribs or brats/sausages. Then add some Mac&Cheese, potato salad, and baked beans, tt’s Americana on a plate. Side note: 4th of July should only be served outside and on paper plates.
Christmas
Consider this Christmas Eve and Christmas Day thrown into one depending on which one gets the superstar feast treatment. This is where your family’s culinary knowledge and ability is put to the forefront. Everyone is making a bird on Thanksgiving and grilling on the 4th of July, but Christmas makes you make a choice. It can be the best meal of the year if you do it the right way, or it’ll be a wasted meal. Personally, I think a Christmas Ham is overplayed, but I’m a man who likes a good meal on JC’s birthday, as seen below.

Beef Filet, Double-Baked Potato, Crab Cake, and Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. A kings meal.
Easter
Easter stinks. Maybe this is recency bias because yesterday consisted of frat house Easter meal, not what Easter normally is. But even still, yesterdays Easter reminded me that most Easter meals kinda stink. Ham is more prevalent, which I’m not a fan of. Easter is kinda like Christmas with a lot more bleh. It’s boring and it doesn’t hold a candle to the other 3 big players in the Holiday feast game
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