Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for November 24, 2013

I don’t drink beer; other than that, I’m with Rat today.

Alcohol makes other people tolerable.

Yes, I am definitely thankful for beer.

That’s either a very small turkey or a hummingbird.

Yes, some people really do it. I was made to once, when a new gf included me in her family TGD dinner. It was somewhat unsettling to do it in front of strangers. My years as a performer helped. . ..

No that unusual with church-going families.

Besides, the longer they sermonize, the colder the turkey and stuffing get. Eat first, and give thanks for the meal after!

On Thanksgiving Day, one should be able to make time to give thanks. It’s just that some of the family get too flowery and sound both insincere and pretentious. So, I see Rat’s point. Besides, family that one sees only once or twice a year are not that close, really, are they?

I don’t care what you guys say, I like Rat! He’s my kind of nasty!

I once started it at a T-day dinner as an exercise in irony (I live in Europe). I forgot that the 2 other Americans at the table were of a certain age and lacking in any sense of humour. They took it way too seriously.

Actually a fairly common practice among loving, close-knit, emotionally stable, mature families – i.e. “hippies”.

You can choose your friends, you can’t choose your family.

IMO, it seems Thanksgiving has morphed into a rehearsal dinner for Black Friday.

Panel 4’s balloon appears to be misdirected.

What’s that green thing on the table?!?

1. I drink, but I’m not an alcoholic2. Beer is liquid bread3. I am an atheist4. I am thankful for many things4(a) Some of those things are people5. I’m happy to be an aging hippy

Rat’s an idget

Where is Pig? The second course.

best. thanksgiving day. comic. ever.

Another reason for a lot of beer.

Rat should do a DVD of himself, so he can be a potential guest at your Thanksgiving, like Colbert did! Hilarious . . .http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/430770/november-21-2013/-guess-who-s-coming-to-dinner—it-s-me—stephen-colbert—

Nothing wrong with hippies – wish there were more of ’em…

We do it.

I’m thankful that I can read the comics and their comments. Doing so makes me give thanks every day that I enjoy the life around me and the people who love me and mine. I feel blessed that even though I can’t be with loved ones most Thanksgivings that I can still be close to them through emails, phone calls, cards, and letters.

I go to a huge TG gathering and we do it. We aren’t religious, we’re not hippies…we just do it because so often people only complain in life and we all can be thankful for something…

Excellent strip!

xxx

Stephan Pastis is a genius!!! This is why my husband and I go away for thanksgiving – to avoid the family! Rat speaks what I think and I love it! :-)

Was Rat adopted?

rats are generably social types, but that is one anti-social rat!

Love, peace and brotherhood? Sounds like they all live in a fairytale.

I’m not a drinker. I really don’t like people as a rule other than my family. If anyone in the family ever said what Rat did, I’d just tell them that I know a way to take it from once a year to zero!