Thanksgiving, as American as apple pie, is the one holiday that we reinvent every year.
As a teen, I used to long for a traditional Thanksgiving. My Argentine mother didn’t have a history of celebrating this holiday. Even if she had, she’s never learned how to cook. She’s known for creating burnt meals and spaghetti topped with ketchup.
Instead, my parents took us to Thanksgiving dinner at fancy restaurants, but all I really wanted was to sit around at home with family and friends, eating a home-cooked meal.
When I moved into my first apartment, I tried to create that family meal of my imagination. Actually, I stressed myself out trying to create the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Fortunately, I got over that dream real quick and discovered various ways to simplify or skip out of Thanksgiving altogether.
This year, we’re finally having the Thanksgiving of my imagination. You know, the one you see on TV, with a bountiful table filled with dishes brought by various friends and family members.
I rose at the crack of dawn, well, I got up before nine AM, thanks to my sister’s special coffee delivery service. But, all I had to do was to prepare my special stuffing recipe, and that was it.
One sister prepped the turkey, and my husband took over the hourly basting. Another sister made a corn casserole, my mother-in-law the green beans. My Tia Nelly made batches of Sangria, another sister brought a ham. There is so much food, I’ve lost track of the dishes.
Kids are running inside and out, playing Calvin Ball (a Calvin & Hobbes game where it’s never the same twice,) princess dress up, and Guitar Hero World Tour.
Even better, we’re surrounded by our loving, crazy family. This is what I dreamed of, with all the loudness and drama, the celebration that could never be created by one person.
Want more from On Living By Learning?
Follow me On Twitter or Facebook.
Sign up to receive free articles from On Living By Learning by Email. (Click this link. Fill out the form. Don’t forget to click on your verification Email. Look for this in your mailbox.) You can also click here to receive updates on a RSS Feed Reader.
Share This Post:
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m so glad you finally got the Thanksgiving celebration of your dreams, and you’re pictures are great!
Natasha’s Corn Casserole recipe:
CORN CASSEROLE
————–
1 stick butter, melted
1 (16 oz.) can cream style corn
1 (16 oz.) can kernel style corn
1 (8 oz.) carton plain yogurt or sour cream
1 box corn muffin mix (Jiffy or similar size)
Mix together all ingredients. Pour into 2 quart casserole.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour, uncovered.
Test with knife for doneness. Freezes well.
See http://spedr.com/19p3o
The first year I was married, my in-laws decided to invite themselves out to visit for Christmas. I was so anxious about hosting my first big holiday meal that I literally spent MONTHS worrying about it. It didn’t help that my DH insisted on having 100% of the items be made from scratch and I was too insecure to tell him to keep his nose out of my kitchen. Or that my mother-in-law, who I assume was trying to be helpful, sent me a THREE PAGE LONG highly detailed shopping list. I was a nervous wreck because I felt like I had to “prove myself” as a wife by making the perfect holiday dinner. In retrospect, I can see that I blew the whole thing WAY out of proportion to its actual importance. But at the time it really felt like a huge deal…