Thanksgiving Day

[Opsa]

Thanksgiving Day in the USA is on Thursday November 22 this year. (I don't know why we have it on a Thursday every year.)

I am thankful for all the inspiration I get from my wonderful Toadfish Siblings. I think of you often and am glad you're in my life.

Love,
Opsa

[Sibling DavidH]

Happy Thanksgiving Day, Murrikins!

[Aggie]

Y'all showed up for Thanksgiving dinner a month late again this year? 

That's OK, I'm still thankful to have my Siblings. 

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Thanksgiving:  the tradition we 'Murricans have to give thanks to imaginary beings who had zero to do with anything we actually set on our collective tables.  Another tradition is to stuff our faces with as much food & drink as is humanly possible, and there must be a minimum of two desserts for afters.  And of course, the traditional feetball-watching (I always wondered what the feetball players got for having to play on a National Holiday), live of course.   And the sitting around after lunch/dinner and wondering what it was that made us eat so much that now, we are miserably full.  And the gathering-together of distant relatives who normally never speak to one another, but now all gather at someone's or other's house and pretend they are bestest-best friends with saccharine smiles and lots of air kisses.  And the traditional pinching of the cheeks of the children, accompanied with exclamations of how big they have got (as if staying small was normal and expected).  And hugs from relatives you really don't remember at all.  And putting up with cousins who's parents pretend are "little angels" when in reality they are anything but-- but you've been admonished to "play nice" no matter what, as you watch these monsters systematically destroy your favorite things.

Is that what you mean?  I've been there, done that.

But there's also another sort of Tradition:  the gathering together from distant places genuine family, who's destinies have spread them far and wide.  This gathering usually takes place at whomever is oldest & still living among the family, and with cherished thoughts of being together.   A loud cacophony of happy voices during the meal, as favorite dishes are prepped and brought to the table, to be shared among those there.   In the best of times, there are multiple tables, as there are just too many to sit together at the big table, even with both extensions-in.  A mild rearranging of furniture to accommodate such a large sitting.  The exclamations about a particular/favorite dish that, this year, is the best ever (which it is--year after year, 'cause it's not the food you see, it's who's there to appreciate it).  The meal takes twice as long to prepare as usual, due to so many cooks in the kitchen, but nobody seems to mind.  The meal itself, lasts and lasts, with some sitting at their now-scraped-clean plates, just to savor the conversation and togetherness of loved-ones not-seen for so long.  The bittersweet talk of those who's lives' ending prevented their putting in a personal appearance, yet their presence is felt by everyone there-- even the youngest who never met them.  The almost reluctant admission that the meal is actually over, and no-- there are no more hot buns to eat, and no, that really was all the stuffing.  Everyone gets up seemingly at once, and the disorganized-organized scramble to prep any leftovers "for later", the clatter as dishes are gathered for the community-washing up (why is it these houses never have electric dishwashers? Or even if they do, the tradition is to hand-wash everything first, before they go in?)  Nevermind that-- it's also Tradition to make a washing-up party, and participation is admission that the child in question has grown sufficiently to handle <insert venerable ancestor>'s best dishes, along with the second-best as there were too many guests this time... the careful stacking of those that are clean, the putting away, with <insert venerable ancestor> directing that final task from a seat nearby as she/he being too worn out from anticipatory preparation of so many family members.   Those not on cleanup duty, retiring to at least two rooms, as either one isn't enough to accommodate everyone.  The random discussions of... everything, from weather to football, to politics, to religion, to ... lots of things.  But the best?  The best is the re-telling of the Traditional Family Funny-Stories from the past.  Those "remember when you?"  and "do you recall when <insert family member> did--?"   Of course, everyone remembers-- but whomever started the thread is encourages to re-tell it anyway.  Stories We Know By Heart, but Love To Tell Over And Over.  Those stories.   The collection grows, as older family members drop out of the contest, having passed on, and stories about them are dredged out of photos & memories.  And as newer members do Something Funny or Cute, and get added to the mix.  And talks of animal tales too-- everyone has one or three animal stories to add.  Eventually, It Is Time To Go-- and the slow progression outside into the bitter cold, everyone standing around still talking, still hugging as nobody really wants to be the first to leave... but leave we do, with sincere (but false) promises to visit real soon, and to keep in touch and so forth.   Parting for another year or more, bittersweet with memories fresh from acquaintances.  The last-minute handing out of delectable left-overs to share on the long drives home.

That tradition?  

A little of each?  



Happy Turkey Day, everyone -- may your day be a part of the Next Family Story.

 

[Opsa]

Nice, Duje.

One of the best things about Thanksgiving Day is that it's not connected to any particular religion. Last night we had Unitarians, agnostics, atheists, Jews and Quaker Liberals around our table and we were all glad to be together.

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Nice, Duje.

One of the best things about Thanksgiving Day is that it's not connected to any particular religion. Last night we had Unitarians, agnostics, atheists, Jews and Quaker Liberals around our table and we were all glad to be together.

A genuine world cross section of humanity.  Nice.

[Opsa]

Of course, none of us were rabid orthodox anything. That made things easy.