Because it seemed appropriate to the season, I’m doing something I rarely do; I’m re-running one of my blog posts.  This post comes from November of 2008. Enjoy!

I just got some photos from some of my relatives and they were celebrating an early Thanksgiving…with pizza.  I’m going to guess that because of blended families and the annual hassle of getting to each families loved ones, they’ve had to start the week before Thanksgiving to fit everyone in.

My family isn’t much better.  In the weeks leading up to turkey day our plans have changed several times.

When looking at my relative’s photos the thing that first caught my eye was the pizza.  The second thing I noticed was the fact they all looked relaxed and happy.  I wondered if they had pizza for Thanksgiving every year.  And don’t get me wrong, I think having such an “easy to serve” meal is a great idea.  I just can’t do it.

No stranger to stuffing a turkey and setting a formal table, I thought about how nice it would be to call the local pizza parlor and order Thanksgiving dinner delivered in a flat box.  But then I thought about the many holidays that have come before.

For me, there is something enchanting about adjusting the light coming from the chandelier in the dining room and setting the formal table with our fancy tablecloth, napkins and fine china and crystal.  I’m not keen on making the meal but I sure love eating it.  Of course, that’s probably because I very rarely cook anything that can’t be microwaved.

But the point is, for the few weeks of the holiday season, I do a number of things I’m not keen on doing, but I do them because it’s tradition.  And to not do them seems “wrong”.   I enjoy the outcome and the efforts then seem worthwhile.

It worries me that my daughter doesn’t seem as bound to tradition as I am.  Especially since I recently learned that a custom I started in our family was one of her favorite things about the holidays.  I’m sure she’ll carry on that particular practice, but I’m not sure she shares my enchantment of setting a fancy table or spending days decorating the house with hundreds of seasonal baubles.

How will my granddaughter learn the joy of those acts?  I guess I’ll just have to carry on until she’s old enough to get “addicted”.  And if she doesn’t…I guess she’ll be serving pizza for Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Be safe and don’t drink and drive.

Until next time…

KMA367