Thanks to petzipellepingo for the link: a rare open post

[pondhopper]

I'm all about flowing with the times but I still long for some of the old-fashioned stuff. Thanksgiving here doesn't exist but as part of honouring my heritage I do recreate a traditional meal with the little bit of family I have where I live. This year our Thanksgiving will be on Nov. 19

Comments

[vaporw]

We're a bit concerned about the holidays coming up for us here in the States. So much of over abundance of everything and we're hoping we can have the strength to resist. Hope there is not to much dark chocolate things about .... that might be a deal breaker. :)

Thanksgiving is being spent at a girlfriends house. My Katie is going to her future mother in laws, Roylene, which I was invited, but Roylene and her husband both smoke in the house and there will be massive amounts of children too. We can't handle either of those. And Katie has to go and visit her father, Brian's too. I suggested that she start her own traditions with her soon to be new family, but she didn't want to cook this year. lol But anyway, it's nice going over to my friend's house. Her father and husband have adopted me and do all the man things I need done around here. Very nice people, and her Mom adopted me too. Big Italian family. They make me smile.

[pondhopper]

I know what you mean about all the food. I need to shed about 20+ lbs. and can't do it. I'm stuck but at least I'm not gaining and I'm afraid I will over the holidays.

I'm really happy you have such good friends that you can spend Thanksgiving with. Friends are family we choose and there's nothing like a big, warm Italian family for warmth and good cooking.
:)

[deltamiss]

I keep trying to hold on to a traditional Thanksgiving, but it just isn't the same as it was fifteen years ago. Melanie and I were talking about it just yesterday...about how Mama's tiny kitchen was filled with people, how we just HAD to play Uno with Aunt Mary and Uncle Bunny (for a laugh), how we always watched the Macy's parade...just not the same.

[pondhopper]

Well, I gave up the traditional Thanksgiving when I moved to Spain in the ice age.
:P
But it's the first thing that comes to mind when the season comes around. We had good family gatherings like you describe and yes, we also watched the Macy's parade from morning til the end. The house smelled wonderful all day from all the cooking.
Things change but that doesn't mean we don't miss what went before.

[northernsnokat]

We are also struggling with Thankgiving this year for several reasons. Missy & Tom will not be there and Clint has to work. Dad won't be there any more and we celebrated his birthday on Thanksgiving. Last night Clint & Laura will over and I asked Laura what she was doing for Thanksgiving. She said nothing unless she comes to our house so there will be 3 of us. Do I cook or do we find a place that serves Thanksgiving dinner?

[pondhopper]

Yes, you have some huge changes this year.
I guess in your case I'd do a smaller version of a Thanksgiving meal for the three of you. I'm one of the people that just can't imagine going out to eat for Thanksgiving. It's all about the house smelling good all day from baking and cooking and the warmth of family around the table, even in a reduced version.
We'll have the two of us plus Vicki and Adolfo as other years. Adolfo loves the traditional Thanksgiving menu. Just the other day he asked me for the sweet potato casserole I make so he could make it for his family.
:)
(((hugs)))

[northernsnokat]

Honestly I think I would rather go out this year. Break tradition a bit and have a different venue just for this year.

[cathyteach2]

This is so true and such a good article. I often "steal" links from Petzi to share on my FB page, but this one I found on my own at the freep. Glad to see it posted here in LJ too.

Ever since we left Philly and moved to OH and then MI, we have spent Thanksgiving on our own. My parents spent the day with my brother and his family in NYC. Pat's family (as you know) is in Ireland and doesn't celebrate TG. I have wonderful childhood memories of TG at my grandparents' house with the whole family there, about 12 -14 of us around the table. My kids will never get to experience that and it really does make me sad.

[pondhopper]

It touched my heart, that article did. I'm so sentimental. I've tried to keep it alive here in our family, reduced version, and have succeeded to a certain extent. Adolfo and Vicki come over and even though we move the date because of work schedules, the house smells the same as it did when I was a child and young adult in MI...and the feeling of baking and cooking transports me back. It's not the same, of course, but it's all we can do.

I know just how you feel, Cathy. Thanksgiving family gathering memories are good ones for me and my daughters have never had that experience either. I understand the sadness.

[moon_chylde]

Thanksgiving used to be a HUGE thing for me, but after I got married it became a pain in the backside because of all of the.. whose house are we going to blah blah blah. There was entirely too much drama over this. :/

Now we stay home and either have a very small scale do (Cornish games hens or such), or don't do anything at all.

[pondhopper]

Where there is dissent and drama, the good feelings fade for sure. Moving away to Spain saved me that craziness but at the same time it has watered down the traditions I have tried so hard to keep. We always move the date to accommodate work schedules but at least I can make the whole meal and have 4 people here who appreciate it.
:)

I have a turkey and will do the whole thing...I love how the house smells the day I bake pies and on the day I roast the turkey. The smells take me back to some of my best memories.