Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! It occurs about six weeks earlier in Canada than it does in the U.S. I thought I'd share a few memories of Thanksgivings past as I celebrate this one.
Thanksgiving was one of my favourite holidays as a kid. It involved many of the same delicious types of food as were served at Christmas and almost everyone had a few days off from work or school, but the number of religious and secular social events that revolved round that celebration were far fewer in number. There might be a food drive or free dinner for anyone who was hungry and didn't have somewhere else to go on that day, but one would never spend every weekend in November attending dinners, pageants, programs, fundraisers, and family and church get-togethers.
I loved our church members. I loved eating around a large table and listening to all of the conversations going on. On occasion I even loved combining the two. And I really loved that this holiday involved maybe one church event, maybe one or two family events.....and that would be during a particularly busy year. It was so much easier to look forward to as an introvert than it was to look forward to something like Christmas that involved multiple events every week for an entire month!
Most of the time, though, Thanksgiving passed at my maternal grandparents house. After everyone had eaten to the point of slight discomfort, Dad would lie down on the carpet next to the dining room and listen to Mom talk her to parents and siblings. My brothers would disappear downstairs to play ping pong, or if it wasn't too cold they might go outside and do whatever it is that boys do on their grandparents farm after Thanksgiving dinner. I would enter Aunt Jackie's old room, choose one of the fascinating novels she acquired at the various post-secondary schools she attended and then plop down under the piano or behind the couch or somewhere else that made me feel well-hidden to read for an hour or four.
Today I will have angel eggs but will probably have nothing else that could be construed as a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. I will choose a book from the shelf to read at some point. I probably won't hide behind the dresser or the bed when I read, though. Drew would find it just a little odd, for one thing. And there won't be a dozen or more family members walking around and socializing all day at our place, for another.
(Although I am greatly anticipating the day when I can once again be just a smidgen overstimulated by all of the conversations and bustling about going on at once when my extended family gets together. :) )
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6 comments:
I love reading this post! :-) Ah, the memories. I *do* remember you hiding under the piano with a book! Also, in that tiny skinny place in between the couch and the cupboards in the living room :-) As long as you had a book, you were comfortable in the most unusual places!
HEY! I'm still waiting for those 'pictures' you were going to add to the blog!? :)
What does tofurkey look like?
its such a delicate balance between "a smidgen overstimulated by all of the conversations" and the holidays! love your post.
Teresa, I'm still trying to figure the picture thing out. I'll try to post a picture but can't get it to show up. Strange.
Thanks, mom.
Jackie, I wonder if Aiden (or even your children, if you and Brandon want them?) will follow in my secluded-reading ways in a decade or so?
If I were to guess, Aiden would be out doing whatever boys do on the farm...He isn't all that quiet these days...the more activity and excitement the better. but in a few years he very well could turn out to be a little more like his aunt lydia...only time will tell
jesse
I guess time will tell. :)
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