When I've told people that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday- they have this tendency to grin and talk about food. Now, don't get me wrong- the food is great- but that's not why I enjoy Thanksgiving so much. See, I'm one of those rare, lucky folks that truly likes their family, immediate and extended.
Thanksgiving for me has always meant my immediate family and my dad's siblings and their kids gathering at my parents house. The kids would play, the adult men would watch football, the women would cook, and watch football. When the turkey was done my mom would call my uncle in to carve (no, I don't know why my dad never did the carving, if Uncle T wasn't available than Uncle E had to do it, and I think my hubby even assisted one year- I guess the turkey carver has to be left handed at our house...) There would also be the key ingredient- Laughter.
That's the thing that I always remember about Thanksgiving, the family gathered around the table laughing. So much so that I nearly killed my brother this one time. You know how every once in awhile you manage to execute the perfectly timed zinger- the kind that shocks people and makes them laugh? Yeah, don't do that when your brother has just taken a bite... He started choking and I thought mom was going to have to do the (we're not supposed to call it this but I can't remember the other name) Heimlich maneuver. But he survived, and we haven't actually managed to kill anyone yet.
Maybe it's because no one seems to take themselves too seriously. There's a LOT of good natured ribbing that goes around the table. And yes- it's all good natured. We have a loooong running joke regarding Chow Chow Pickles (I think that's how they're spelled). I'm not entirely sure what they are, pickles in some sort of scary yellow sauce stuff. The kids decided they were actually nuclear waste- and very few of us have ever tried them. The adults all seemed to enjoy them though. Crazy Yoopers that most of them are. Stories would be told about each other, complicated trades would have to be arranged between the kid's table and the adult's table, and through it all there would be laughter.
As the years have passed the group has gotten a bit smaller- aunts and uncles still try to make it most years, though for at least a few years now two of my aunts have held it at their place since Grandma lived there. She refused to go anywhere she didn't absolutely have to go. Cousins have grown up and moved away, or have in-laws houses to go to. And now that I'm married, there's the negotiations about when we go to whose family's house. We've settled on an every other year routine, which should work fairly well- although last year it was just hubby and me since he had to work that afternoon.
So yeah, last year was really very odd for me. I didn't see any family at all. We had the traditional foods- work gave each of us employees a pre-cooked turkey, and enjoyed the time together, but something still seemed to be lacking. I have to say, that after growing up with the horde that is my dad's family- going to hubby's family's Thanksgiving dinner was a bit of a shock. It was just six of us, and so quiet. It was nice and everything, just small.
This year, it's at my parent's house and I'm really looking forward to it. All but one of my siblings and their spouses will be there (and I've mentioned my displeasure to the brother who won't be attending), and several aunts and uncles. So while it won't quite be the same as the old days- there will be a lot of family, good food, and most importantly laughter. :)
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