Looking Forward to Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just a little over a week away. It’s a time when we look back over the past year and celebrate what we’re grateful for. One thing I’m most grateful for is my family.  It’s changed over the years with the grandkids getting married and having kids. Now some of the great grandkids are married too.  

We gather at someone’s home and everyone brings something for a potluck of everyone’s favorite foods.  Turkey (of course), stuffing, cranberry sauce, both canned and homemade (there an on-going debate in my family as to which is the “real” kind),  mashed potatoes, an appetizer, rolls, fruit salad, deviled eggs, and several pies.  

Festivities typically start around noon that day, with people arriving
from all over. It’s a long way, but always worth it, as we only get to see the whole family once a year. The time we spend there is well worth the travel, especially as we all get older.

After a large meal, everyone goes for a walk even though it’s getting dark. The cool air helps counter the effects of the tryptophan in the turkey.  At least that’s what they say.  

Charades is a family tradition after our evening walk each year.  We form two teams (guys vs. girls) and each team comes up with movies, books, songs, and TV shows for someone on the other team to act out without saying anything or making any noises.  Everyone has up to three minutes for their team to come up with the right answer.  There’s always lots of laughter, teasing, and good-natured competitiveness.  In recent years, we’ve added more games such as Fish Bowl and a Factoid Game.  Whatever the details, it’s guaranteed to be fun. 

So, how about you?  What does Thanksgiving mean to you?  How do you celebrate the holiday?  Share it here.