There’s no place like home for the holidays. Everyone know’s that the holidays are a special time of year that most people cherish and spend with family and loved ones. That is no different that how I’ve spent every holiday season growing up. My parents each have four siblings, and there are eleven of us cousins on each side of the family, so if you can imagine, our family get-togethers are rather filled to the brim. I know that there are movies about dreading family coming to visit, as well as TV shows, and being all over the media, but I am lucky to say that that has never been the case in my family. Of course life is hectic trying to figure out where everyone is going to sit and sleep, who is bringing what food, what day and time everything is going to happen, etc. But that is all worth it when those first cars pull in the drive and family of all ages comes through the door expecting hugs and a warm welcome.
Thanksgiving especially is my favorite holiday, and for a few very important reasons. FOOD! I love food. The smells, the tastes, the variety, the excitement of seeing what everyone brings. It’s crazy. At my parents house, we have a huge island in the middle of our counter. When Thanksgiving rolls around, the entire counter is cleared off and a smaller table is places at the end for more space. We fill that whole counter-top with food. Turkey, ham, mac and cheese, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing, finger food, the list goes on and on. Everyone brings something, and there is always plenty to go around (at least once. Favorites will be eaten quickly until we run out). Once the food is all ready and everyone has arrived, we all pile in the kitchen, hold hands with everyone, and say a prayer for the food and for everyone with us and those we are without. Then we all dig in, eating one, two, or more plates of food until all the couches and beds and floor space is filled with napping children and sleepy parents sipping wine and chatting. Our house is pretty small, so each room seems to be overflowing with people, but it is so wonderful to go from room to room and catch up with everyone. Some of my family are only able to visit once or twice a year, so we tend to have a lot to catch up on. The children have grown so much since the last time, all the aunts and uncles have more gray hair or less hair in general, and grandparents slowly are no longer with us. It is amazing how many changes can take place in a year. And through it all, I never want the day to end. Being surrounded by people who love you unconditionally, and want nothing but to see you happy, well that’s a feeling I wish upon everyone. The one consolation at the end of the day is knowing that I’ll see most of them in a month when each side gets together separately for our family Christmases.
I know that each family has a different set of traditions and way of celebrating Thanksgiving, and that not everyone may have an experience quite like my own, so I will leave you with this. May your Thanksgiving be filled with yummy food, feelings of family and love, and may you make many memories to tide you over until next year. Happy Thanksgiving. :)
