PICK OF THE WEEK: Sure, you can go shopping Friday, elbowing your way through the frantic throngs of crazed bargain hunters while salivating at the chance to save a few bucks on a sweater you're going to give to Uncle Elwood, who will smile appreciatively, thank you profusely and, as soon as he can, exchange it for a pair of waders. Or, you can have a much more blissful time — not to mention enlightening. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is hosting its annual anti-Black Friday open house from 6 to 10 a.m. The featured attraction this year is the highly acclaimed Martin Luther exhibit. You don't even have to worry about breakfast because there will be coffee and sweets in the lobby. And for those who insist that Black Friday is all about getting a great deal, you can't beat this one: It's all free. (bit.ly/2flBmGD)
Cheat sheet: If you want to be the party-pooper at Thanksgiving dinner, here are some myth-busting facts to toss into the conversation.
• The pilgrims didn't really wear those little hats with buckles on them, which would have provided no protection from the elements whatsoever. They wore wide-brimmed hats made from felt, akin to what we think of as cowboy hats.
• Although the NFL claims to have originated turkey-day football in 1934, the American Intercollegiate Football Association held its first Thanksgiving Day game in 1876. By the 1890s, college games had become common on the holiday.
• There's no definitive proof that turkey was served at the first Thanksgiving. But there's a pretty good chance that the Plymouth colonists and their Wampanoag guests dined on lobster.
Day by day: Friday is national Flossing Day. When your dentist asks why you haven't been flossing more often, tell him you thought this meant that you had to do it only one day a year.
recommended reading: Ready, set, color! The illustration for the annual Oh, You Turkey coloring contest will be on the cover of Thursday's Variety.
JEFF STRICKLER • jeff.strickler@startribune.com
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