Although it’s called ‘Thanksgiving,’ Foodsgiving would probably be more apropos. Each year, the Turkey industry skyrockets during the second week of November as families prepare for the feast of the year. Old cans of cranberry get dusted off for their day of glory, and food is cooked in furious anticipation. Nothing is quite as exciting as the thought of eating your weight in green beans and mashed potatoes. To get you even more excited for this amazing holiday, here is a preview of what you can expect on this year's Thanksgiving Day.
1. The Arrival of the Relatives
You’ve just arrived at your thanksgiving destination and see distant relatives who you haven’t seen in a while. To make up for lost time, question after question spills out of their mouths in rapid-fire speech. “How are you?” “Do you know what you’re going to study?” “Have you found a job yet?” “Are you dating anyone right now?” You mumble a quick response, “I’m currently considering a variety of options,” which is broad enough to seem like you have your life together. Then, you move on to the next bombardment of questions from the nearest relative.
2. The Pre-dinner Salivation
At this point you’ve devoured all the light pre-dinner appetizers and are drooling from the smell of turkey wafting from the kitchen. It’s 3pm, and you’re so hungry that you consider eating that dried raisin that’s been in your jacket pocket for months now. After all, desperate times call for desperate measures, and if this food doesn’t come out soon, you might have no other choice.
3. The Long-Awaited Presentation of Food
Finally! The time comes for the food to parade out of the kitchen, one glorious entrée at a time. You see all your favorite Thanksgiving treats: cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, gravy, and, la crème de la crème, the turkey. This is Thanksgiving paradise. You mound the food on your plate and proceed to dig in with full vigor.
4. The Annual Family Debate
It’s not the Holidays without a family-wide fight at the dinner table. Conversation always starts out innocently enough, until some sorry soul brings up politics, religion or some other hot-button topic. The table is divided into sides and the once heavenly tasting food begins to taste bitter in the mouths of all involved in the conversation. Luckily, desserts comes out soon enough to rescue the scenario and lighten the mood.
5. The Post-Dinner Food Coma
You furiously blink your eyes to try and stay awake. That tryptophan gets you every year. After stuffing your face with pie, you politely dismiss yourself from the dinner table, drag yourself over to the couch, and settle in for a three-hour nap. This is what Thanksgiving is all about.
6. The Start Of Christmas Galore
It’s 11:59 and it seems as though a light switch has gone off. All the sudden, green and red fill your vision, and all you hear is the tinny sound of over-produced Christmas music. Like it or not, Christmas season is officially here. Time to empty your wallets and sell your soul to the Christmas commercialization that starts in one minute time.
In all seriousness though, Thanksgiving is about more than just the food. It’s a time to remember all the wonderful things in your life, including the amazing family you are blessed to have. Though family fights may happen and awkward moments may occur, they are your family nonetheless. Take time to recognize all the good things in your life, and get prepared for the Christmas craze that is to come.
