The best thing about Thanksgiving [next to the dinner!] is the company. I've lived across the country from my blood family for nearly 2 decades now. Over time, some of the faces in my extended family have changed, but many have remained the same. These are the people I usually spend my holidays with. While I miss my relatives on the west coast all the time, I wouldn't trade these holidays I share with my other family, for the world.Like any family, we have our share of dysfunctions, and our holidays don't always turn out "all Currier & Ives". But they always have plenty of laughter, lots of good food, and our own traditions. For instance on Thanksgiving Cherrie will ask everyone to write down on a piece of paper what they're thankful for. The papers get placed in the brown urn on my mantle, and then Cherrie reads them after dinner.
Over time, some traditions change too. I made Chili on Christmas Eve forever, but for the last 5 years, Stacey and I combined our efforts to make French meat pies & salad. For many years I did an official lighting of the tree thingy after dinner on Thanksgiving. I was younger then. These days I'm lucky if the tree gets up in time for Christmas!
The last few years I made Thanksgiving dinner at Kerry's. I hope we do it there again this year, because I love the toasty fire he keeps stoked all day, and going through the BIG box of Christmas cards his Grandma Alice saved over the decades...they're vintage and oh-so cool!
Whatever you have planned for your Thanksgiving this year, I hope you'll be surrounded by people you love, as I will. For this I am thankful, year, after year, after year. What are you thankful for? Think about it...
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