Happy Thanksgiving!
I think Thanksgiving is a holiday that is somewhat overlooked. It seems like our society goes right from getting all dressed up and going door to door for candy to made rush to buy, wrap, hide and open.
When I was growing up I always looked forward to Thanksgiving. I didn't think ahead to Christmas either- Thanksgiving was the focus. I was excited to be with my family- especially the members I didn't get to see often enough. Good food, good conversation, good company and fun.
Here's a few wonderful thing I remember about Thanksgiving:
Going to Church- Now, I don't believe we did this every year but I do remember going together with the Hansen clan and filling up the entire pew.
My mom would be up early grinding cranberries and walnuts for her delightful cranberry salad mold. This is one of those recipes that you try to duplicate but it never is as good as what you remember it being.
While mom was slaving in the kitchen with coffee in one hand and an unfortunate cig in the other, I would be in the living room glued to the t.v. watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. We lived for it. It was wonderful- bigger than life!! We would rushed to get cleaned up and dressed during commercials because we didn't want to miss a second of the glorious pageantry.
During one of the commercials we would load up in the car and mom would drop us off at Gma and Gpa K's house. We would bound in like a bunch of wild maniacs and ask if the parade was on and had we missed anything spectacular. Gma would be buzzing around her kitchen- I swear that woman had 8 arms or else she was in fast forward. Aunt Opia would be helping her and Gpa and crabby Uncle John would be in the living room watching the parade and patiently waiting for the "big game" to start. At some point my dad would roll in and we would be so thrilled to see him. We ate at 12 sharp and if you weren't there on time they'd start without you- NO LIE!
We'd eat only a little at Gma K's place. We were little punks and we didn't go for the fruit in the stuffing, minced meat pie and various other "old world" favorites. We were also holding back because we knew at 2:30 we'd be heading out the door and walking through the backyard of one set of grandparents to the yard of the other set of grandparents.
The Hansen Family extravaganza was always a surreal affair and I loved it. We walk in and there was laughter, singing and my grandmother yelling at everyone to "get out of my corner or the meal will be ruined." This was followed by, "Charles get in her and slice the turkey before it gets cold." We'd look over at Uncle Mike who would be pretending to read the paper but was really chuckling over how worked up granny was getting. We'd roll our eyes and head down to the basement to play pong or pool. Grandpa was usually hiding out down in the basement watching football and sipping on hot coffee and eating his stash of snacks. He was a grocery store owner so we new he'd always have something fabulous down in his little man cave.
Dinner was always to be at 2:30 but in the land of grandma that usually meant 3 or 3:30. We would be called up for dinner. The adults sat at the big oval table and the kids sat at the kiddie table. Grandpa would say a Danish prayer and then he would pray and Thank God for all the wonderful blessing He'd given us. At that moment, I knew I was so very fortunate and full of contentment. It was Thanksgiving and I was spending with the people I loved most. We'd feast on the most wonderful food. We would laugh and visit. Sing and play. Love was bountiful on that day.
I wish I could show my children what it was like 30- 35 years ago. A time when no one dare put their Christmas decorations up before Thanksgiving. It was a simpler time back then. The push to buy, buy, buy wasn't heard of.
Have a most wonderful Thanksgiving and remember that every day should be a day of giving thanks- God is so good!
Change
12 years ago
