Early Thanksgiving
This past November as I was preparing for Thanksgiving I thought about how we celebrated the holiday several years ago.
That year as the November approached I fretted over the many regrets I’d gotten in the past to my Thanksgiving invitations.
One of my cousins and his family usually celebrated with his in-laws; another often went to an out-of-town brother; my husband’s young relatives liked to make travel plans around their kids’ school vacations; some told me they don’t like to drive in holiday traffic; and others seemed to be perpetually committed elsewhere. So I decided to think outside the box.
Instead of celebrating on the traditional fourth Thursday of the month, I invited family and friends to join us on the first Sunday in November for what I billed as “early Thanksgiving”. To my delight everyone said yes!
I told my son to make his special gravy, and I asked my cousins to bring the beer and wine. Then I went out to Gristedes, our local supermarket for the turkey and the fixings, remembering to get extra sides for the vegetarians and the gluten-free folks, and biscuits for our relatives who had asked to bring their dog.
Soon the big day arrived. We ate and drank, laughed and talked, and gave thanks for all our blessings.
When the feast was over we all declared it the very best Thanksgiving ever!
Postscript
A few days later I was back at the supermarket to pick up a few things and I noticed the aisles were still festooned with cardboard turkeys and pilgrim hats. And I saw dozens of basters and aluminum roasting pans, and jumbo cans of yams and pumpkin pie filling still on the shelves.
I marched over to the customer service desk and confronted Nathan, the store manager.
”I think it’s high time you took down all those Thanksgiving decorations, and took the holiday foods off the shelves!” I announced smugly.
Although usually a friendly and loquacious guy, Nathan just stared at me, his mouth agape as I turned on my heel and marched out of the store.
I was a block from home when it hit me. Although we had celebrated on the previous Sunday and I was in a post-holiday mindset, the rest of the country would be celebrating on the fourth Thursday of the month – still three weeks away.
I walked back to Gristedes and apologized to Nathan. He was thankful!
– Dana Susan Lehrman
Dana Susan LehrmanThis retired librarian loves big city bustle and cozy country weekends, friends and family, good books and theatre, movies and jazz, travel, tennis, Yankee baseball, and writing about life as she sees it on her blog World Thru Brown Eyes!
www.WorldThruBrownEyes.com
What a wonderful idea, Dana. Sounds like a great time was had by all. But funny that you were SO into your own festive Thanksgiving that you lost track of the actual calendar, probably much to poor Nathan’s surprise and temporary annoyance. Glad everything worked out.
Thanx Betsy, yes I was in a post-Thanksgiving frame of mind.
Nathan obviously thought I was nuts!
Great story. It is really hard to pull off the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving on the right date. Travel is a nightmare and everyone seems to be pulled in different directions. I may try your plan next year.
Yes try it!
And wasn’t it fun a few years ago when Hanukkah fell on Thanksgiving, we had turkey and latkes.
I remember that Thanksgivukah! We made cranberry applesauce that was perfect with both the turkey and the latkes.
Great story, Dana, and very funny! I can easily imagine, once you had finished your Thanksgiving celebration, forgetting that the actual holiday hadn’t happened yet.
Thanx Suzy, indeed I was in a post-holiday frame of mind, and now looking back I can’t even remember what we did on the actual date, maybe we went to the movies and out for Chinese food!
And your cranberry applesauce sounds great!
Confession is good for the soul?
Yes Kevin, I confess it is!
Glad you went back and made things right with poor Nathan—and made it clear you were actually not totally losing your grip besides. Any time you can get together to celebrate is the right time. Your story reminded me that, since moving to Canada where they celebrate Thanksgiving in early October, US Thanksgiving now seems impossibly late. Didn’t we already have that holiday?
Thanx Khati!
As ex-pats you should celebrate both!