Sunday, November 24, 2013

The First Day of Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving. I used to love it because it initiates the holiday season, but now I love it on its own merits.

Thanksgiving is like Fall's version of the Fourth of July. It's about patriotism (more toward home than specifically country), family, and food. But instead of barbecues, everything moves indoors to warmth and coziness. Whether your gathering is large or small, it's a time that people actually reflect on fellowship, and celebrating fellowship is a wonderful thing. So I dub this day the First Day of Thanksgiving, like the First Day of Christmas. Let the week of the turkey begin.


Thanksgiving can also be a strange one because it is a time of traditions and while every family's traditions can vary greatly, there are also more similarities with this holiday than with, I think, any other. People might choose from any number of possibilities for Christmas dinner, but Thanksgiving always means turkey unless you're vegetarian. It nearly always means pumpkin pie, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. What else you add and whether you go more formal or more casual, that varies. But I think there is more of a sense of national unity with this holiday; it's like we're not only reflecting on the company of family and friends, but also of our nation. 


Now who thinks I should make these turkey cookies I tried out today into a new Thanksgiving week tradition? 

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