It's called - The Holiday Season!!
Okay, just kidding... I love the holidays. Thanksgiving, Christmas.... they make me happy. Usually. This year is a little tougher, being so far away from home and family. Kiwi is so upset about not being able to do all the "traditional" things that we usually do.
I'm trying to have a good attitude about it. There must be a million cool Christmas-y things we can do here. Then, we are flying to Idaho for Christmas, so at least we'll get to spend time with the ones we love.
Thanksgiving is going to be the wierd one. I'm used to the big get-togethers - lots of family, a handful of friends who didn't have anywhere else to go, ("strays" in my family's vernacular!) hanging out after the meal to make puzzles and play games.... that's what the day means to me. This year, well, we're 2,500 miles away and it's too darn expensive to fly two months in a row (heck, it's too expensive to fly once! We're only able to do it for Christmas because that is my MIL's gift to us this year). My husband has a cousin near us, and he and his wife invited us to go out to dinner with them on Thanksgiving. Now, going to a restaurant on Thanksgiving seems like so many shades of wrong!! It's not even a buffet - just a "plated meal".... now, how the heck do you do Thanksgiving without going back for 2nds??! I made my husband promise that we would find something different and interesting to do the rest of the day since the meal out is only going to take a couple hours... I refuse to do our 'regular' stuff the rest of the day (ie: sit in front of the tv and feel sorry for ourselves). Okay, a little tv for football, that's fine.... but that's all!
What do all of you have planned for the big Turkey day??
Speaking of turkeys, we saw a wild one hanging out on the side of the road a few days ago! It was so funny - and then, I saw a news article about that same guy on MSN news! Crazy bird.
Well, my family (my parents, my 2 sisters and their families, and assorted cousins) are scattered across the USA.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up my parents always had a house-full of extended family for the holidays, so- (when that tradition ended mostly because health issues and because finances will not allow for the traveling (especially for those of us with 5 kids)) the holidays ended up feeling pretty empty.- As you say just like any other day.
We watch the parade, The kids make crafts (hand-shaped turkeys, leaf pictures, etc.) and I usually try to make one dish we have never had before as well as the usual turkey and trimmings (one year I made ostrich).
I try to do something charity related with the kids too- donating food and toys to the homeless shelter (this year we have volunteered to collect money for the Salvation Army, but over the weekend not on Thanksgiving Day) etc.
It helps to keep us from feeling sorry for ourselves and to remind us just how blessed we really are.
I hope you find a way to have a "Very Happy Thanksgiving".
We were supposed to have my sister, BIL and nephews here for the holiday, but both boys came down with H1N1 so they couldn't come after all. Instead, it's Kiddo, Hubby and me plus a 14 pound turkey (though I'm sure the cat will be willing to pitch in on that front). *urp*
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, we went into NYC for Thanksgiving on two different years. It was my family and my grandparents and we went to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and then had Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant. Being the "I *LOVE* NYC" kind of a kid that I was, I never minded missing the traditional Thanksgiving day in favor of a day in the city, but dinner - and really the whole day - never felt much like the actual holiday.
I much prefer spending Tgiving at home, even if it is just the 3 of us, though ideally it'd be a crowd of 18-20+ - my family also loves to include the "strays" and there's always room for one or ten more around one of the tables! :)
I hope you and your family have a happy Thanksgiving!!