Over the River and Through the Woods

When did it get to be mid-November?

Suddenly I need to create a Thanksgiving menu, figure out whether my husband is working on that Thursday, decide if I'm baking pies this year or visiting Baker's Square...so much to do. This holiday crept up on me, despite my excitement at this time of year. Excited, yes, but ready? Not so much. 

When I was a child, Thanksgiving was usually spent at my grandparents' home in Cincinnati. Arriving at the house, we would enter through the breezeway, like a little room connecting the garage and the kitchen. On the breezeway would be pies cooling, fresh from the oven. Cherry, pumpkin and apple are the pies that I recall. Once inside, my uncle and aunt would greet us, and I'd hear football coming from the family room. There was always lots of activity in the kitchen, of course, and we were immediately called on to do our part. I love the pictures of my sister, brother, and me wearing too-big aprons and standing on chairs to reach the kitchen counter. 

Dinner always meant crowded plates and a crowded dining room. I remember gaping at my uncle's plate, which was so full of food I thought it would topple over. Lots of stuffing and crescent rolls, gravy, turkey, and cranberries. Once the feast was over, it was time to clean the kitchen, which was always a bit dramatic. I don't ever recall seeing a man anywhere near the kitchen for clean-up duty, and as we hid in the family room, Grandma would come in to ask if anyone was going to help clean up. Which meant us kids. Since I only have one son, if I tried this technique with him, he'd be lost in the kitchen after a major holiday dinner. Maybe when he's older I can revive this tradition (she said sarcastically...)

Later in the evening, coffee and pie were on the table, and my sister and I were brushing our aunt's long hair while the adults talked. I have such warm memories of these holidays. Now, we live hundreds of miles from our families, so Thanksgiving is usually a very quiet day with just the three of us. Occasionally, family will make the trip to join us for the long weekend, and then our little house is full to bursting. These are fun times, too, though its always a relief to hear the solitude after having a houseful of company. 

The day after the big turkey, we put the small Christmas tree up in my son's room and hang the ornaments. I would have loved having my very own tree in my very own room when I was a little girl! This year, I might attempt hanging lights on the house. Its all part of making some memories for my child, like those I have from my own childhood.