Your favorite Thankgiving memories?

[Linda Z]

Hope you'll share some of yours. Here are a few of mine.

When I was little, watching my tall, white-haired, apron-wrapped grandmother presiding over the preparation of the huge meal with laughter and smiles.

Grandma's huge dining room table. There were usually at least 12 of us sharing holiday meals there.

My cousins, who, if not carefully watched, would put black olives on all 10 fingers and run around the living room eating them, to the horror of all the adults who weren't their parents.

Playing cards with Grandpa or my aunt after dinner.

Fast forward to the late 60s:

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner in July in California for my husband, my son, and a dozen or so friends. We had a huge turkey in the freezer that one of our housemates had received at work, and I got the brilliant idea to have a summer Thanksgiving feast. I remember how cool it was that the big house we rented then had a double oven, so I went nuts baking bread and pies and more, while the turkey quietly roasted in the other oven.

Fast forward to Rome City, Indiana, 1978:

Courtesy of 7th Corps LL's brother (who was in the movie-distribution biz in NY or something), we had recent-release movies to watch all day in various locations around the campus. The supply of food, which we had access to in the kitchen all day and night, was endless, and it was sooooo good.

The only damper on that day was getting sick in the middle of the night because a certain 7th Corps brother R McB (who always had a huge wad in his jaw) talked me into trying chewing tobacco, and I was too embarrassed to spit into a styrofoam cup!

Fast forward to today:

Storing up new memories: My son's here from Colorado, so every family member I love will be gathered around the table. We'll probably play charades or Pictionary or something after dinner, at the urging of my youngest nephew.

The blessings of Thanksgiving are simple ones, aren't they? But their memory lingers long after the leftovers are gone. I hope you're all making some happy memories today.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!

Love,

Linda Z

[OCD #2]

black olives on the fingers....thanks for the memory!

Food, food and more food!

I'm starving right now, but won't eat anything 'til dinner!!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and yours!

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Mom calls me Jake ....but you can call me Norm

time is on our side

[firebee]

Some of my memories:

sitting at the table with mom and dad, learning how to carve a turkey (I miss them)

Holding hands with Julie & taking a walk after a Thanksgiving feast (high school sweetheart)

seeing my kids grow up and knowing that they'll be fine

being able to love the 'loveless' and see God in their eyes (me included)

[aCertainDiciple]

with my dad and Uncle Walley at 4:00a.m. on Thanksgiving morning. That was a popular tradition in the midwest during the 30's and 40's.I was about 7 or 8 years old at the time. My father taught me to handle and respect all firearms when I was a kid and I haven't shot anyone yet. Smile.

acd

[Abigail]

When I first saw this post, I thought most of my Thanksgivings were pretty much alike and there was not one that stood out above another.

Then I remembered Thanksgiving of 1990. Usually Thanksgiving is spent at my cousin's house with all of our extended family present.

However, during this year my mom had been diagnosed with cancer and she was nearing the end. We all knew it was probably going to be her last Thanksgiving and we were praying she would hang on through Christmas.

Shortly before Thanksgiving she ended up in the hospital and it didn't look like she was coming home again. We made arrangements with the Doctors to let her come home for a few hours and made a huge Thanksgiving feast at her house. It was our last one with her and I am thankful we were able to pull it together.

To every man his own truth and his own God within.

[bowtwi]

Hey, Abigail! I have a similar Thanksgiving memory to yours. I think mine was in 1968 though, and my mom lived almost another 10 years.

My mom was in the hospital over Thanksgiving that year, and was allowed something like a 2 hour pass to go home. I was 9 years old and had the honor of preparing the dinner. Her husband at the time helped some, like with lifting the turkey in and out of the oven, but the rest was up to me.

I think that's the most appreciated I ever felt in my childhood - there were no complaints about anything I did for that meal.