Thanksgiving 2013 has dawned, with family and food and football and for some, shopping, on the menu. Various related (sort of) thoughts are running through my mind this morning, and perhaps they are running through your mind as well, so let’s share.
History.com indicates the first Thanksgiving, that celebration of the Pilgrims’ first successful corn harvest in 1621, was three days long. What do you suppose the Pilgrims and Indians did for three days? It couldn’t have just been eating, although they did go on a “fowling” mission and one of the guests brought along five deer, but I’ll bet there were other activities to take up time. Dancing? Drinking? Games? Too bad no one took a video. Maybe that’s why our ads abound for three days of shopping — keeping up the three day tradition?
I ran into someone the other day who wanted to know if I was “ready” for Thanksgiving. I said, “no, if you mean do I have all my ingredients” and I received a gasp in reply and a “oh, don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be ready in time.” I laughed. Honestly, I don’t get myself all worked up about cooking for people, because the food really isn’t the important thing (in my mind). It’s the people themselves, the conversations, the warmth, the love, the laughter. I really don’t care if I have problems with the food, or I forget to buy something, or the house isn’t perfect. There’s always a pizza place to order from. Although, I do have to admit that I now have all my ingredients but it was a totally stress-less week because I have never felt stressed about any cooking event. I find it fun.
Time flies. Yeah, I know, what an overused phrase. But I woke up this morning thinking that it’s already November 28th of 2013 — in another month the year is done and we’re on to 2014. I remember when I was a teenager, back in the 1970’s, and we would talk about the year 2000 as though it was soo far away. “Oh my, we’re going to be FORTY!” We couldn’t even fathom the idea. Now here it is the end of 2013, and the last winter, spring, summer and fall have passed in a blur, and I’m now 53, feel like I’m 33, and wonder how fast it’s going to seem before I’m 73. That’s why it remains so important to LIVE our lives to our best ability every single day. Pack the fun in! Don’t stress. Be true to you. Yadda yadda yadda.
There were no pies at the first Thanksgiving. None at all. The Pilgrims had no oven and their sugar supply had dwindled. So why do pies make up such a big part of Thanksgiving? “What do you mean you’re not having pecan pie? You just HAVE to or it’s not Thanksgiving!!!” Today I’m serving pecan pie, pumpkin pie and an Italian cheesecake. Why? I have no idea. It’s just expected, but I’d love to know where that tradition came from, because it wasn’t here at the start. But you can bet if I nixed the pie idea and served fruit and cheese, there would be bedlam! “Where the hell is the PIE?” Hee hee hee, now that would be a fun idea.
And on that note, I wish anyone who might read this blog a wonderful Thanksgiving 2013; I hope you are sharing the day with friends and family, and you have plenty to be thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving!