Ahhh Thanksgiving. It is seriously one of my favorite holidays (right behind Christmas because really presents!) I love that it is still mostly uncomercialized apart from the necessary Charlie Brown special, all about giving thanks, and being decidedly American (presumably by gorging ourselves on lots and lots of food.) But to be honest what makes Thanksgiving is turkey with a side of cray-cray. Thanksgiving is so wonderful because it brings out the wackadoo in all of us while being surrounded by food loving prepared (or bought I guess) while there may or may not have been a crisis in the kitchen. Maybe it’s the excessive amounts of Sweet Tea we drink. You don’t drink sweet tea at all major family dinners? Where are you from- the North?? Since there are no presents or songs, unless you count my personal favorite Albuquerque Turkey, which I will gladly serenade you with, it’s all about the meal- sitting down with your family’s combined gene pool and dining together. Of course no family can come together for any significant length of time with out bringing out the cray-cray. I am referring of course to the sudden idea that your middle aged self can certainly ride the contraption that your son/daughter/niece/nephew/random neighbor got last year despite the fact you hurt yourself last year. Nothing says thanks like the capacity to learn from misjudging your coordination. It’s the fact that at any point during Thanksgiving Day, someone somewhere is using a fire extinguisher on the turkey while simultaneously flipping out and possibly crying (this hasn’t actually happened at our house but I suspect this is only because I have yet to make the turkey). There is always a father out there burning himself while trying to start a festive fire in the hearth or generations arguing about which recipe to use. In short, we’re nuts. Maybe its all the combined genetics (the royals must have a kickin time!) or the impending stress of planning for Christmas but something always goes awry. Perhaps your dog with steal some of the food or you will knock something over on the prized lace tablecloth with your natural grace but the day will be far from perfect- which is exactly why I love it!
There is something so wonderful about the sheer simplicity and abounding craziness of Thanksgiving. I mean the whole things is based on the idea of Pilgrims and Indians feasting together and being all hunky dory with each other which we all know is RIDICULOUS- there is no way the bright color-loving Indians would party with the dully monochromatic Pilgrims. Someone will always end up screaming obscenities at the TV during the pig game and at least one person will end up sick/in the ER/ passed out. With me it tends to be an injury, what with the combined klutziness of all of us in one room.
To be fair, Thanksgiving is sort of the last big hurrah before all that is Christmas. It’s like the calm before the storm, the nicely organized storm selves before the chaos that is Black Friday. Personally I can’t stand Black Friday. Any other time, TJ Maxx and Target are a beacon of fabulously priced shoes and fun dorm decorations. But Black Friday? It’s like the apocalypse (if the apocalypse started promptly at 5 am with doorbuster deals til noon!). I prefer to spend the day after Thanksgiving decorating for Christmas to get the maximum amount of decoration time out of it. And yes, your adult children will be angry if you decorate the tree without them so don’t even try it mister! I love eating leftovers while trimming the tree and placing my Nutcracker collection strategically around the house and displaying my still pristine American Girls right under the tree (ask me how old I am I dare you). The day after Thanksgiving is my official start to the Christmas season. Don’t even get me started on Christmas music before then or, the horror!, Santa at the mall the day after Halloween. Seriously guys, isn’t the big guy supposed to be busy making toys so that he can spend DECEMEBER, you know the month Christmas is actually in, listening to kids (ok me) asking for a puppy with a big red bow (and possibly another American Girl doll because Kit totally looks like me!)? But once Thanksgiving’s over I’m all Hark the Herald Angels Singing with my tacky Christmas sweater while baking cookies for the class party. Until then I am ALL about Thanksgiving and all that it brings. Besides I like my turkey with gravy and a little cray-cray berry sauce. And for that, I give thanks.
