Traditions

Back when I was a child Thanksgiving was a special day in my family, my brother sister and mother would sit around the dinner table around 3pm to find a dry turkey, stove top stuffing and a bottle of wine for my mother, this was in place of her bottle of vodka. She would fall asleep around 4, and that was it.

Around the time I turned 20 it had become a box of wine and a Swanson frozen turkey dinner, the first “I hate you” would come out about 6pm. No really I had some great dinners when I was in my 20s. About the time I turned 29 I was living in Vegas alone for the first time and I held my own “orphan dinner” for all the transplanted workers I knew, dinner ran all day as people would come and go according to their shift. Everybody brought something and it was one of the best dinners I have ever had.

Next thing I know I am in the Pacific Northwest and the family I was staying with had just a huge dinner. Hors d'oeuvres tables were set up and everything from ham rolls to salmon were available, the Christmas baking would have been started by then and some candies and cookies were also served. And we would snack until the dinner was served. The dinner alone was a feast.

Since that time I have become married and we have started our own traditions. And what I have found that no matter what, no matter how much she complains, my mother in law MUST host the dinner, must cook all, must be all. Rather tough when she throws a hissy fit at my wife and then wonders why we don't come over. Then proceeds to call me in tears and asking me when she will get over it. I finally did lay down the law but that does not belong in this post.

As the day goes on I will grow more and more thankful as the memories of all my past Thanksgiving come to the front of my mind. Both the good and the bad. I love all of my family and friends, and miss those that I cannot spend the day with. And for all these memories and the years I have had to enjoy them I am thankful.