Gentlemen - start your engines. It's the official start of the holiday season. From now until New Years Day, we will be inundated with Christmas music, ads for Christmas sales, decorations everywhere, and FOX "News" once again declaring a War on Christmas because someone somewhere had the audacity to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".

That's why today is so special. It's the calm before the storm. It's the day when family and gratitude and reverence are embraced. Tomorrow is a selfish feeding-frenzy at the mall, but today is a quiet moment at home.

At least it is for most people. Some still have to work. I feel bad for the TV and radio people working today, for those at the gas stations and grocery stores and bus drivers and airline employees. I feel especially bad for the police and firefighters who have to dread responding to a call, knowing that a ruined holiday for someone is waiting for them at their destination.

And then there are the shoppers and retailers who used to at least abide by the technicality of opening at midnight so as not to be open on Thanksgiving day. This was the result of 7:00 AM openings sliding to 5:00 AM, then 3:00 AM before settling at midnight. Of course - that is still intruding on their employees' Thanksgiving day since they need to get there before the store opens to prepare for the onslaught.

There is a big controversy this year with several big box retailers opening today to get a jump start on raking in consumers' limited shopping dollars. In particular: Wal-Mart, who abandoned all pretense to providing good jobs this year by setting up collection boxes for its own employees. That, and they don't bother to pay time-and-a-half for those working on a federal holiday.

Will this backfire on them? Doubtful, despite a push by some to boycott shopping there today (by those who likely don't shop there anyway). It's a calculated risk. They know they'll experience some bad PR for a few days, but enough people will show up that it will pay off, and then everyone will forget about it and move on to some other cause célèbre in a few days.

For most of us though - today is the day. We'll enjoy good food and drink with friends and/or family, watch a parade, the dog show, football, and falling asleep in our lazy boy recliners.

Enjoy - Happy Thanksgiving.