Theresa Wilson is Bon Voyage’s resident Yankee Doodle – hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin! She has also lived in Alaska, Arizona, Kansas and Florida and now calls Winchester, UK home!
The fourth Thursday in November is one of the most important and eagerly anticipated holidays in the North American calendar. What’s it all about?
It’s accepted that the first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 – making this year the 401st Thanksgiving Day. As I’m sure you are aware, there was a contingent that left England looking for a fresh start. The colonists were helped by a local Indigenous tribe and at one point had a meal to celebrate their thanks for each other. Whether or not that is an embellishment on history, the day is still a celebration of thanks, family, friends and FOOD!
Thanksgiving is seen as the kick-off to the holiday season. No self-respecting American advocates anything to do with Christmas making its way into shops and city streets before Turkey Day. Traditionally, families gather for the entire weekend – having the holiday on Thursday was inspired – possibly because historically the thanksgiving feast would last for three days. Cooking starts early – I remember my mom setting her alarm for 4am so she could put our 20 pound bird in the oven. Pumpkin pies would have likely been baked during the week, so it’s all about the turkey sides on the day. The list was huge…..stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes and gravy (this country isn’t huge on roasties, although my British husband insists on them), corn, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls. Some families have variations and this can be down to where in the US you live – pecan pie in the south is as popular, or more so, as pumpkin pie – although it does feel wrong to this Midwesterner! AND, there are always family recipes handed down through the years – my Great Grandmother’s stuffing was the stuffing of legends and luckily my mom continued that recipe through the years.
So everyone is gathered in the kitchen cooking and suddenly it is 9am EST – the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is about to start in New York. Watching the parade on tv was non negotiable and as much a part of the day as overeating. The parade started in 1924 and originally was Christmas themed – to get people in the mood for shopping no doubt and surely a precursor to Black Friday. It runs every year, rain or shine and only 4 times, in the nearly one-hundred year history, did it not happen – during World War II and most recently during the pandemic. It is an incredible spectacle with floats as large as 6-storey buildings. If you get the chance to visit NYC during this time, you won’t be disappointed.
Parade underway, feast cooking- it’s now time for football! Another BIG part of the day are the NFL games – typically one in the morning, one at lunch and one in the evening. When your team is playing largely depends on when your actually feasting will occur. Some families have a properly set dining table and make it a grand occasion. Other families set up the food buffet style and you make yourself a plate and sit and watch the game. Our family did a mix of both depending on who was hosting and coming that year.
Over the years, it has been harder for families to get together and most certainly the pandemic has had a huge part to play. Losing both my parents has made it very hard to keep the old traditions alive. Being married to an Englishman, who can take or leave it all, adds another dimension! Many people we know opt for Friendsgiving – it takes the pressure off family having to travel and allows them to be in their own space with the ‘family’ they choose. Some people I know take the family to volunteer serving meals at shelters and downplay the day. And even still, others I know spend the day planning their Black Friday shopping route! There is no wrong or right way to celebrate and the common thing that still rings true is the gratitude people have for the opportunity to spend time with those you are most grateful for.
Last year we spent Thanksgiving with my brother in Kansas. Not to do too much sharing, but it was actually my brother’s ex-wife who hosted us all with a mix of people that life would not have normally put together. I was incredibly thankful that there are people willing to open their doors and embrace those in their lives past and present. This year my nephew and his family including brand new baby, Joy, are hosting in gorgeous Arizona. Pass the mashed potatoes, please!