Letter: Thankful

Sir: John O'Farrell has the wrong target in his sights in his attack on American-inspired consumerism. Thanksgiving provides no shopping opportunity other than for food. Indeed, its occurrence five weeks or so before Christmas shortens the shopping season. If Thanksgiving were to be imported here, it would make a welcome change from the depressing spectacle of provincial boroughs stringing up their fibreglass snowmen from high street lamp-posts as early as October.

HUGH ALDERSEY-WILLIAMS

London N19