Caring for Others:
Thanksgiving is upon us, friend. Kind of. I mean, we do still have about five weeks until the big holiday. That’s if you’re one of our state-side readers. Every November, here in the states, we celebrate Thanksgiving. It’s a time meant to reflect on all of our blessings, and we celebrate it with one big gigantic feast that takes us at least three business days to recover from. Thanksgiving comes with traditions in many shapes and sizes. Some put up their Christmas tree the day after, some travel, some eat a big dinner with all the turkey and the fixings, and others opt for something simpler like lasagna. It makes me wonder….what is it about Thanksgiving that is special to you? If you had to finish this sentence, what would you say? “It’s not Thanksgiving without _____________________.”
01. One gigantic feast
Some people celebrate Thanksgiving with a big thanksgiving feast complete with the turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, veggies, rolls, and desserts. Some families I know celebrate with a little Thanksgiving lasagna. It’s simply easier for them, and they don’t enjoy the traditional turkey dinner anyway.
For some it’s the turkey that is the star of the show. For others it’s the side dishes. In America, I believe the debate is split right down the middle 50:50. Myself, I like it all. There’s nothing we serve that doesn’t go on my dinner plate – or on my left-over, second-day plate the next day, as well.
However you celebrate the holiday, and whatever meal you put on the table, the real celebration is getting to spend time with those you love.
02. The more the merrier
John and I have been hosting Thanksgiving for as long as we can remember – I believe it all started the year we bought our first house. We were 22 years old and I was so excited to open our home to family and friends. I didn’t know much about cooking a turkey in those days, but we did it anyway. And we continued the next year, and the year after that, too.
Some years we have as many as twenty-four in attendance, other years only a dozen or so. In years past, we set the tables with tablecloths and china, and we made sure everyone had a seat at the table, even if we had to squeeze. We have been very fortunate to have this amazing opportunity and we are blessed by everyone who enters our home.
This year things look a lot different for us. We sold our 3,800 square foot home in April and now live in a 1,200 square foot apartment. But we are still going to make it work. There won’t be four six-foot tables spread end to end, the china is packed away in storage, and we won’t be bothering with table cloths and cloth napkins. But we will all still be together, and that’s what matters most.
03. Time well spent
A few years ago, I put together a few ‘minute to win it” games as our after-dinner entertainment. Over time, the minute-to-win-it games transformed into rounds of Family Feud or Thanksgiving Pictionary. The point is that we spend time together, laugh, and love each other well.
There’s generally a football game on in the background, a round or two of Mario cart, and maybe even guitar hero. And then there’s the Black Friday sale shopping. Many times we’ve spent hours scouring the paper and sale ads waiting for the Black Friday rush. Now, we often sit on our phones and look for the best deals to add to our digital shopping carts. Whatever we do, however we spend it, Thanksgiving is always time well spent.
04. Now it’s your turn
I’m so curious to see how you would fill in the blank. The question is “It’s not Thanksgiving without __________________________.” Is it a family recipe, a game of touch football in the back yard, or the first Christmas carols of the season? Is it the turkey and dressing, the macaroni and cheese, or Grandma’s famous chocolate pie?
As we add people to our family, we always try to incorporate something that really signifies Thanksgiving to them. It may sound strange to us in the beginning, but it might mean the world to them.
So what is your answer? “It’s not Thanksgiving without __________________________.”
Let me know in the comments below or drop me an email at [email protected]. I can’t wait to hear from you.
xo, Billie
You may also enjoy:
- No Fail Hostess Gifts (2024)
- The World’s Greatest Thanksgiving Dressing
- A Slow and Steady Approach to the Holidays (Thanksgiving / Christmas Planner included)
- The Gift of Gratitude (2024)
Caring for those in need:
If you would like to contribute to someone else’s Thanksgiving, please consider the following:
- Feeding America
- Donate to your local food bank
- Volunteer through Operation Turkey
- Consider donating to larger organizations like The Salvation Army to help provide food and resources to those in need.
- What to donate:
- Non-perishable food items: Canned goods, pasta, rice, and other non-perishable food items are always needed.
- Monetary donations are often the most effective way to help, as they allow charities to purchase exactly what they need.
- Volunteer your time: Even if you can’t donate items, your time and effort are invaluable, especially for organizations that need help preparing and serving meals.
- Some organizations assemble and distribute Thanksgiving meal kits that include all the essentials for a complete meal. You may be able to donate a whole meal kit or the individual components.
