It is Thanksgiving in the US. What used to be my very favorite holiday. First of all, it was a four day weekend...yay! And, there was really no reason to "dress up" although I know some people did. Sometimes we did, but not usually.
Then there was the parade...hours and hours of TV, watching giant balloons and various performers (often struggling in the cold) and the school bands. My task was to make the "hard sauce" that was used on pumpkin pie. It was just creamed butter and confectioners sugar plus a little vanilla. I hated pumpkin pie, but I would eat the sauce by the spoonful.
No school, no tests, no errands. Time to read for fun, or watch old movies on TV or actually go to the movies...maybe. Most everything would be closed so there were few places to go. I loved it.
Thanksgiving changed for me personally because my family fell apart. After that it was never the same and of course, as a adult, the "holiday" morphed into an awkward time where for a while people felt sorry for me and invited me to their homes. I did it a few times but it just accentuated the awkward aspect for me. I preferred to just stay home.
With my own small family, it became a chore and more so when I had to work on the holiday (although the double time was nice.) I do recall a couple of really nice years when just the three of us went out to dinner. THAT was nice, even if I had to work.
Still, I saw what was once a nice, laid back time off change over the years to all this "Black Friday" nonsense. SALE! LOWEST PRICES EVER! DON'T MISS IT! Get a "jump" on Christmas and go shopping!! Ugh. Nothing quite like rampant capitalism.
Now, we don't do anything. This year, particularly, since I am surrounded by out of place furniture and packed and not yet packed boxes. I have a nice, clean oven and its going to stay that way. Here, in Italy, Thanksgiving is just....Thursday.
So, I was so pleasantly surprised when our neighbor came by last night and dropped off two fresh from the oven "bagels." Well, that's what I call them...even though I know they're not, they may as well be. With my favorite...sesame seeds! Instead of the planned fish cakes, we will have tuna melts! Accompanied by some macaroni (penne) and cheese (provolone.) It doesn't get more "American" than that, does it?
My deepest thanks to my dear neighbor who is talking like we will be thousands of miles away. Its just a few blocks. And my husband will be here often in order to take care of our outside cats, our protected colony.
I don't know how I would manage in NJ. My shock, dismay, disappointment, anger and fear is somewhat consuming as it is. Although I am not religious, I am going to say God HELP America.
Echoes my thoughts about Thanksgiving. I have celebrated the past 8 years with my disabled sib (the other two who have kids/grandkids don't want her among them). So much for love. One very blustery rainy Thanksgiving, I took her to a department store, Kohls, which opened at 5 or 6 PM on Thanksgiving Day--early black Friday specials. The cash register lines snaked up and down the two main aisles--an hour to purchase a discounted deal. The thing is, the hype seemed to attract primarily multigenerational Indian, Pakistani, and Asian families--grandma and grandpa were tending strollers in those lines while parents and teenagers were inspecting shoes and electronics. My sib loved the "energy" of the crowds. I'm thankful to see her entertained.
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