The turkey thing is weird and admittedly a weak part of the program. But I think where the Carnaval Boliviano comparisons fail is that you don't live in a culture where every single holiday is an opportunity to cram religion and/or commercialism down your throats. You get two days off of work, not just one. There are no insipid songs. You are not weighed down with any social obligations to dress up funny, put on a public display, buy people gifts or greeting cards -- it's just getting together, eating and drinking, and telling everybody, "Shut the fuck up and be thankful for what you've got."
Its beauty is in its simplicity. It is the essence of life without all the ridiculous trappings.