Thanksgiving holidays have different meanings for each of us. And most of the meanings are derived from memories as a child. For me, because we were never around extended family for the holiday, usually living in the south, it was all about being with my three immediate family members. Mom put her special touches on the stuffing, pushing it into the cavity of the smallest turkey available at the grocery store. We loved turkey, but mom didn’t want to reheat it repeatedly to the point where we all hated it, or it was too dry, or we might waste any of it.
Included with the turkey were the staples, mashed potatoes, and homemade brown gravy from the boiled insides of the turkey to make the broth which was part of the gravy, along with the liver and gizzard chopped up into tiny pieces added to the broth, rolls, green bean casserole, green Jello salad, and my all-time favorite dessert - cherry cream pie.
We usually gathered at the table and ate at 1:00 p.m., after watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and right in the middle of the football games. My dad was usually found lying on the floor, on his stomach, watching football games. That’s how we women learned the game. Dad was patient and would answer our questions no matter how silly they might be. We each had our favorite teams, and mine was the Dallas Cowboys. When we were younger and smaller, he would tell us to walk on his back. He encouraged it as he felt like he was getting a massage. Our challenge of staying on top of his back as his shirt and skin would move in all directions.
During my freshman year in college, I studied nursing at Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas. My family was later than usual, moving south to dad’s next assignment in Nacogdoches, Texas. For those who don’t know where Nacogdoches is, it is in East Texas, called the piney woods. That area of Texas is like a forest.
Nacogdoches is considered the oldest town in Texas. The story is told that an Indian Chief gave each of his twin sons property – one in Nacogdoches, Texas, and the other in Natchitoches, Louisiana, before his death. This story has been retold for years and years, yet when doing research, it is stated that it is a folktale.
For the Thanksgiving holiday in 1976, I flew to Denver to be with my family and extended family for a nice change. The plan was that I would travel by car back to Denton with the family on their way to their new location. We did not anticipate the massive snowstorm in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which altered our plans; staying in Denver for a couple of extra days to avoid the icy roads in Texas. I then notified my professors at school of my plans to return late. I became anxious, with finals approaching in the next week or two. Not having participated in finals at college before, I wondered if they would be more sophisticated and detailed than in high school. Would I be prepared? My mother suggested that I study on the boring highway trip, but I was one of those people who often got tired traveling in the car, giving way to a needed nap.
The two-day trip from Denver to Amarillo and then to Denton was uneventful, except for visualizing snow on the grassy areas along the highways, on rooftops, and on vehicles. Once back in my dorm, catching up with my roommate, she informed me that many classes had been postponed or canceled due to the inclement weather. I was somewhat relieved, hoping I wouldn’t have homework to make up.
That Thanksgiving was an out-of-character holiday. Many people are thrown off when this happens, finding themselves in an uncomfortable situation. Others enjoy the out-of-the-ordinary scenes. Just remember, no matter the view, take it in stride and remind yourself to have an attitude of gratitude, making it an event to remember in years to come.
It is a special day celebrated each November, but tomorrow is a new day. Enjoy the day and offer thanks to all involved in preparing the celebration.
I’ve included a couple of sites with Thanksgiving memories you might enjoy reading.
- https://www.focusonthefamily.com/pro-life/thanksgiving-memories/
- https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/2542/family/thanksgiving_memories.html
- https://www.pinterest.com/colleenshelnutt/thanksgiving-memories/
In Everything, Give Thanks!
All my best,
Julie
Throw Kindness Around Like Confetti