Now that my birthday is over (and it was lovely I might add) I am ready to move on to the other November holiday. I bet you thought (judging from the title) that this was going to be a post about the December holiday season. Well – you were wrong! Before we start shopping for Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanzaa we need to celebrate Thanksgiving. I realize that each year the Holiday shopping season begins earlier and earlier, but I like to wait until 1 December to shop. That’s just me. Maybe you are different. Either way – let’s talk turkey instead!
This year we are spending Thanksgiving with my side of the family. My mother will be cooking the bulk of the food, but I will be baking my yearly pumpkin twist cookies. I use a recipe that I have modified from this book – Halloween: 101 Frightfully Fun Ideas. I say modified because I don’t bother with all the additional decorating. They are good with just the pumpkin and vanilla twisted together and don’t really need additional sugar to make them tasty. Although these cookies are a big hit I do like to help in other ways as well.
Last year (when I was working) I ran a turkey drive at my place of business. We raised a bit of money and bought 2 dozen turkeys to give out. Our Helping Hands committee chose two worthy recipient organizations and a couple days before thanksgiving we dropped off the frozen turkeys. It was a great thing to do for the two groups and it also helped us to feel good about the Thanksgiving season.
People tend to gloss over Thanksgiving because it gets in the way of their December Holiday shopping season, but I really feel that we all need to take a moment and think about what Thanksgiving means. What are we thankful for? What we can do to make our world (locally and globally) a better place? What was the original Thanksgiving feast about and how can we carry on a more equal and honest celebration? How do we undo the mistakes of the past and move to a better future? These are things to think about at Thanksgiving and beyond. Before you rush out to the stores to fight with other customers for the “latest holiday item” be sure to reflect on the season and what thankfulness really means.
Peace and Happy Autumn!
Chantale
appropriate links:
– Looking for great baking ideas and recipes? Check out Bakerella or Cakespy or I Heart Cuppycakes!
– How about party planning and/or host(ess)ing? Try Hostess with the Mostess
– Mahalo.com is a good source for How to Cook a Turkey.
– The “mother” of all party planners – Martha Stewart gives ideas for a perfect Thanksgiving!
– Not Martha Stewart, but still interesting and fun – not martha.