Happy Thanksgiving from the past! With 128 years of J. history behind us, we could find a lot to talk about in this holiday column, ranging from attempts to prove that Thanksgiving was somehow copied from Sukkot (a common if dubious refrain) to sermons about America as the bounteous “promised land” for the Jews.

But a paper is more than its articles and editorials. The advertising columns of this paper are a fascinating peek into how people celebrated Thanksgiving over the decades, based on their purchases — or at least what the advertisers hoped they’d buy.

First off, Thanksgiving is a holiday of bounty, so food is key.

In 1896, the G.F. Roberts’ store at the corner of Polk and Bush streets in San Francisco had dessert on its mind: “Try one of our 25c. English Plum Puddings made special for Thanksgiving day.” It also offered a “full assortment” of Maillard’s chocolates, as well as salted almonds, walnuts and pecans.

You could likewise get plum pudding from Le Ruffieux in 1917 and mince pies from the Red Cherry in 1930.

In 1935 when the Great Depression was laying waste to the country, the Pig’n Whistle with its two S.F. establishments — one on Market Street and one on Powell Street — offered a 30-cent pumpkin pie as part of its holiday offers.

You could also turn to the Pig if you decided to eat out for the festival:

“Thanksgiving is a home feast, but if you cannot get home and you are near a Pig’n Whistle restaurant, rest assured of a bountiful Thanksgiving feast. If you are to have a holiday dinner at home, and long for desserts made from cherished old recipes—just telephone us at Sutter 5570 and we will hustle them off to you.”

In 1953, you could get a 20-pound turkey for free if you bought a brand-new Wedgewood range in Oakland.

Right now, in the midst of holiday observance, we can show our thanks to G.I. Joe by buying War Bonds.

Having guests over for Thanksgiving is mostly about the food, but our advertisers had plenty of advice for sprucing up your home and your table.

C. Frederick Faudé, on Geary Boulevard, made this suggestion for the house-proud of 1936:

“Thanksgiving is near … Luncheon, Bridge dinners and Thanksgiving dinners. Your table needs a new bowl. That corner needs something—how lovely a new lamp would be there. Let us show you the newest, smartest things in Objects of Art for the Home.”

Decades later, Faudé donated land in San Anselmo for a public park, so the trade in home goods must have gone well.

If people wanted to do something that day that didn’t involve cooking, eating or cleaning up, they could see a show.

In 1903, both the Columbia Theater and the Alcazar Theater in San Francisco ran Thanksgiving matinees. At the Columbia you could see Virginia Harned in “Iris” and at the Alcazar there was an “extra matinee Thanksgiving” showing of a play called “A Poor Relation,” advertised as “Sol Smith Russell’s Greatest Success.”

You could even see “Ben-Hur” in its final week at the Grand Opera House if it wouldn’t spoil your appetite.

Taking a moral break from gluttony, this P.G. and E. advertisement for war bonds ran in 1944 as World War II raged on:

“This year in serious observance of the Thanksgiving season we can all give thanks for the youth, the strength and courage of G.I. Joe. He may not share our peace and comfort with us this Thanksgiving, although he is fighting that we may have these blessings. Right now, in the midst of holiday observance, we can show our thanks to G.I. Joe by buying War Bonds.

“The Sixth War Loan drive is on from November 20 to December 16. Buy Extra War Bonds … Thanksgiving Bonds! Give G. I. Joe the weapons and the equipment he needs to finish the job in ’45.”