Someone around here keeps mentioning that Thanksgiving is Santa's favorite holiday. We keep getting letters disputing that fact and arguing that nothing can supplant Christmas as *the* day for Santa -- or anybody else at the North Pole for that matter.

Some readers write the dumbest letters.

A man from Toledo wrote to say that everyday is Christmas at the North Pole and that there are no other holidays observed here. Isn't it funny how someone so far away can be an expert on a place he has never been? Frankly, that guy doesn't have all his reindeer hitched to his sleigh, if you ask me.

No offense, Mr. Toledo. But you don't know Santa from shinola.

~ Nobody Celebrates Like the North Pole ~

The North Pole celebrates a variety of holidays that have origins in many cultures. In fact, according to the Institute of Holidays and Celebrations, the North Pole has more holidays and recognized celebrations than any other place on earth.

In a survey conducted by the Institute, residents at the North Pole are 72% more merry than the average world citizen. Maybe it's something in the water or the annual overdosing of eggnog. But for whatever reason, it's a known fact that holidays are more than a business at the North Pole.

~ Thanksgiving Is A Pure Holiday ~

In an exclusive interview for mymerrychristmas.com, Santa states his reasons for preferring Thanksgiving over any other holiday clearly.

"Thanksgiving celebrates the simplest and most profound of human emotions, " the Big Guy told me. "Gratitude is a wonderful thing to celebrate as we gather together."

Santa is a stand-up guy. There isn't a man on earth more honest and humble than Santa. But he's not telling the whole story here about his love of Thanksgiving.

Let me state the obvious: Santa likes to eat.

Thanksgiving is a great opportunity to make merry through feasting. There are minimal decorations. Almost nobody needs a written invite. And all the details are in the food. When the feasting is finished what more is done to celebrate the day than to sit around and digest while watching parades and football?

It is a fat man's holiday.

Is it any wonder that Santa loves it so? Is it any wonder that any of us do either?

~ Laying the Foundation for a Month of Celebration ~

One more North Pole detail you may not be aware of: Thanksgiving is the fuel for the Christmas fire. It kicks off the grand celebration for which we are all so famous. While the world has many different reasons for celebrating a single day on December 25th the point must be made that there is a great deal of fun in the season leading up to that date.

Many things happen- neat things like getting a Christmas tree, sewing a stocking or making cookies. All of these things have tremendous value and take considerable energy.

My personal recommendation is to eat up this Thanksgiving. Take a deep breath between bites and say a grateful prayer for the magical days in the season just ahead. After all, if the fat man gets busy for a month between Thanksgiving and Christmas, you should too.

That is going to take a day of rest and feasting. It takes a lot of energy to get of load of shinola to Toledo, you know.