Hey folks:
With just a few days until Thanksgiving and the kickoff to the Trinity of big holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s) I am just barely wrapping my head around it. Usually, I am already on most of it. I do have an idea for the menu, and the food is purchased. I looked at the Christmas tree. 😊
This year is different than all my previous years. A family member is ill. Siblings are battling cancer. And my brother passed away about a month ago. (And his birthday is December 26th )
Add in a world that has changed dramatically over the last few months, and here we are.
I was able to make sure that donations and giving were out to help others in this season.
Today, I will make my Cranberry Orange Relish, which I have been making for more than 50 years. Work on organization in the eating and living areas, as 12 family members will be dining there. And get things ready for the next few days of cooking and baking.
Getting ready for the family is high on my radar screen.
When I was a child, getting ready for the holiday season was the highlight of the year. It meant school vacation and time with others.
The few days at school before Thanksgiving were filled with excitement. Younger children had made decorations like handprint turkeys and pictures of the Pilgrims. Older children had chorus and band presentations.
With school getting out early, things began to kick into high gear. My mom was a teacher, so she was on vacation, alongside us.
As we approached the Thanksgiving holiday, the house began to look different. Special decorations would start to appear. Preparations of food would begin. Jams, jellies, desserts, and snacks would find their way to the table.
The arduous task of polishing silverware and getting the special dinnerware and such began. The house took on the smells of pies, cakes, side dishes, and snacks.
Most years, it was cold, and we spent time skating, hanging out with friends, and skiing or sledding if snow had fallen.
The night before the turkey day, all the food was ready to roll.
Thanksgiving morning, a different life was beginning. If you woke up early enough, the smell of our parents’ coffee, the clanging of pots and pans, and the smell of food began to happen.
My mom usually had a special breakfast for us. And once eaten, we would get ready for a day of parades, generally beginning with Macy’s and the appearance of SANTA CLAUS!
The turkey was cooking, and the side dishes of mashed potatoes, pearl onions, sweet potatoes, and more. Snack dishes of nuts, cheese, and crackers, and more were on the table. In the early afternoon, the bowl games had begun.
In our home, dinner was around 5. We all sat down for the meal. My dad would carve the turkey, dishes would be passed around the table, and our Thanksgiving dinner would be in play.
This year, children and grandchildren will help prepare the house, tables, and food. We will have the traditional turkey (Hey, 39¢ a pound!), mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, assorted vegetables, pie, and cheesecake. Before the meal, there will be some snacks.
What will be here is the empty chair my brother sat in—the chair where children spend time with other family members.
What will be there is the remembrance of the family meals of past days and times. Conversations will be about what is going on in our lives.
For many, the holidays are tough. I do understand that. But I think it is important that we make the effort to stay connected. To make a difference.
