You’re Welcome

Where to go out after, and other Thanksgiving secrets

hanksgiving is that most New England of holidays, even though, as with much of the history we learn in elementary school, it didn’t begin the way we think. For one thing, the first Europeans in Canada celebrated Thanksgiving 50 years and the Spanish in St. Augustine 60 years before the Pilgrims in Plymouth. For another, the first encounter between the Pilgrims and the native Americans was not, as the textbooks tell it, peaceful. The Pilgrims had been stealing the natives’ food, and the English had been taking them into slavery, and when they came upon each other for the first time, they fought. No matter; they were pretty bad shots, and no one was hurt. Today, Thanksgiving is that best of holidays for eating and watching football, without having to buy presents. But it’s still a lot of work and a lot of togetherness. Here are some Thanksgiving secrets for getting away, or making it easy:

An ice-cream shop that’s open 11 am. To 2 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day
 

An Irish pub that’s open on Thanksgiving Night
 

A timeless jazz club with music on Thanksgiving  

A rowdy bar that’s open 5 p.m. till 2 a.m. Thanksgiving night
 

The little-known downtown museum to the Puritans who started it all