Its Thanksgiving Day 2011. My Thanksgiving celebrations have changed remarkably since childhood. Today I am in Tennessee with family. Several rose at dawn and participated in a 5K Turkey Trot. Me, I opted for a few more moments of shut eye.
My granddaughter, Peighton is celebrating her first Thanksgiving in this world. So begins her annual tradition of Thanksgiving memories. My childhood memories and traditions continue to be a source of joy as I get older. I pray they will for her as well.
As I think on Thanksgivings past I remember the feelings of anticipation and expectancy. They began early in the week with early dismissal at school and reached a crescendo on Thanksgiving morning as my brother and I waited for the arrival of our grandparents and great aunt.
While we waited by the television watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, mom labored tirelessly in the kitchen preparing the food. Dad would help as instructed. However his focus was on the football games scheduled for the day.
When our guests arrived chaos reigned as we greeted and talked and hugged and all that “stuff.” My grandmother specifically wanted to know what was going on in our school studies. Although her education was quite limited she was always drilling the importance of education. She was gifted in telling stories and and making up songs. There was a song she “composed” and taught us about getting a high school diploma, a college degree, and a masters degree. I don’t remember the words or the tune, however I will never forget the priority she placed on education.
While we were all socializing, mom continued to labor in the kitchen. At last the meal was ready. Often the timing of the meal had to be coordinated with the football schedule of the day.
However, the feast was sumptuous and colorful. The table was set with my great grandmother's linen tablecloth and the the “good” dishes. The menu as best I remember consisted of Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, turnip, pumpkin, cranberry sauce, tiny pearl onions in cream sauce, corn, broccoli, and gravy. For dessert there was chocolate cream pie, lemon meringue pie, mince meat pie, and a variety of cookies, and cakes.
A tradition at our family meals was the discussion of politics at the table, usually over dessert and coffee. The discussion was always lively and the topics varied as was everyone's perspective. We shared polarizing opinions and voices would rise, yet I never remember anyone getting irate or being insulted.
When my aunt Frances would share the day with us, we would gather at the piano after dinner and after the football game to sing. The songs we sang, in ragtime tempo, were not necessarily Thanksgiving type songs. Mostly they were WW 2 era songs and sung with great gusto. I must admit at the time I didn't always understand the tale of the song. When I asked what certain words meant, they just laughed and went on...
When the day ended we were full, satisfied, and content.
Although I spent much of my childhood looking forward to being older, the older I get the more I appreciate being younger. I sure do miss those days and those folks.
No comments:
Post a Comment