Check Out This Roundup Of Fun Thanksgiving Reads

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! For those who need some light reading as they digest their turkey — or Tofurkey, or Turducken, or whatever else may be on the table to gorge on — here’s a roundup of some Thanksgiving-themed stories to kick off the holidays:

• Is it possible to tailor the ultimate Thanksgiving playlist? Possibly not, says NPR Music’s Stephen Thompson — in fact, the musical guru says finding music the whole family will enjoy is a Herculean task.

• The way Americans celebrate Thanksgiving today is a far cry from what went down in the early days of the 20th century. For one thing, a lot more masks were involved, as NPR’s Linton Weeks explains.

• Need some inspiration when trying to strike up conversation with the in-laws? NPR Senior Editor Marilyn Geewax advises to stay away from hot political topics. Just drop some fun economic facts about America’s day of thanks, and all should be fine.

• In that same vein, for those who are looking to impress their family with some quick wit and charm, the Canadian newspaper columnist Benjamin Erret has some tips to share. Check out this article by WPR’s Marika Suval all about Erret’s quest to discover the secret of how wit works, and what people can do to become more charming.

• If you haven’t already, do check out “Vintage Wisconsin” by Wisconsin Life producer Erika Janik — it’s a must-read blog that highlights some fascinating photography from throughout the state’s history. In her latest post, Janik examines how the state has celebrated Thanksgiving over the years.

• Gearing up to get some holiday shopping done on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Be careful — there are retail traps and outright scams that consumers fall prey to every year. Here are 5 tips from some consumer protection experts on precautions to take.