Tradition, Tradition, TRADITION!

The savory smell of turkey, celery, and onion tantalizes me this morning.  It's already been in the oven for 2 and a half hours, roasting away. I'm watching the start of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade in my pajamas with Tony and Therese, while the other kids are still fast asleep.  The best thing about this parade is watching the numbers from Broadway musicals, and the Rockettes.  It's the next best thing to being there (and in my pj's!).

I baked my pies yesterday, and really can't wait to dig into some pumpkin pie!!!  I almost sliced it for breakfast, but realized that would  spoil the anticipation of waiting till after dinner. 

Thanksgiving is low on the totem pool of my favorite holidays.  It seems a little 'bland', especially in years past. The thing I appreciate about Thanksgiving, however, is all the family traditions we have and have had in the past.  The memories I hold are very dear to my heart.

As a child, we usually spent Thanksgiving at my dad's homestead with my Grandpa, Uncles Bill and Jack, Uncle Jim, Aunt Maggie, Uncle Tom and Aunt Jane.  The table was set with a lacey white cloth and pretty china plates and glassware.  My uncles and Dad usually found a spot on the living room floor after dinner to lie down for some TV football.   (While the ladies went to the kitchen sink to do DISHES--what was with THAT?)

I doubt that a Thanksgiving ever came and went without my Aunt Maggie telling me that I was 'snoopy' (her word for 'picky') because I didn't like vegetables.

I always enjoyed seeing my uncles and aunts who had 'come down' from Cleveland.  They always brought their 'kids' with them, too--Twiggy and Chugga--a couple of dachshunds! 

Some years, we stayed home and Mom did the cooking.  She didn't make turkeys most years, she preferred to roast a large chicken, which was just as tasty!  Mom even let us drink from wine glasses, which is a tradition I've passed on to my own kids.  They will have sparkling cider this year--nothing alcoholic!  Sorry, kiddos!

After marrying John and having my own children, we have fallen into a comfortable tradition of having my parents over each year, and sometimes my Aunt Maggie, who is now the last of my dad's siblings. 

I always make a turkey with all the traditional sides.  John loves brown and serve rolls (I can take 'em or leave 'em), so I always buy several packages of them.  (The kids love them too.)  He calls them 'burn' and serve rolls. 

I guess the thing I have learned to appreciate the most about this holiday is that it IS bland.  The thing that seemed boring as a kid and young adult has come as a breath of fresh air to a middle aged mom who is tired from all the harried stuff of life.  It feels good to sit here in my penguin pajamas, coffee in hand, and not have to run people to school or do any other number of things I have to do on a 'normal' day. 

HUGSxxxAnnie