Thanksgiving - Never Again -

 Today I had lunch with my two children, and I told them that if there was even a glimmer that I would repeat this year's Thanksgiving day, that I would quickly invite myself to their Thanksgiving events, rather than spend another like Scott and I did this past week. 

So this year all of our children went to their other parents or side-of-the-family, leaving Scott and me with an empty home. That is, until we also found out our adult grandson, who is away from home, likewise had no place to go. 

And we decided to alleviate any extra work or purchasing, rather - go to Chuck-a-Rama for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Enter laughing hilariously GIF here. 

We arrived at noon, with a line already outside the restaurant. Wind blowing, a storm coming in. We waited about 45 minutes outside, made it inside, for another 30 minutes, and when a table cleared, we were quickly seated and off to the Thanksgiving buffet. 

I put a thin slice of turkey on my plate, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a spoonful of dressing (picking out the dark meat as I could), and serving of green beans, another of corn, and a Diet Pepsi. I added a whole wheat roll, butter, and a soup bowl partially filled with gravy (because who doesn't like gravy with their potatoes?). 

Turkey was fine, vegetables were good, gravy was decent, potatoes had an odd taste, and dressing/stuffing were pure yuck. 

I like their German Chocolate Cake, and I love their Carrot Cake, so took a small piece of each. 

That's it - the chocolate cake was great; I picked around the carrot cake, leaving most on the plate. 

And within 40 minutes of sitting down, we were out the door, into the car, and on our way home. 

That's it! And grandson? He said, if we do this again next year, can we have it at your house? 

I was miserable the rest of the day, took Friday off because of a horrible head ache and stomach ache, and the weekend was spent just laying low (well ok, I made about 15 Christmas pillowcases, and we did get many gifts ready to deliver). 

As of today, 6 days later, I have lost 4 pounds, been dealing with just a "yuck" in my stomach, unable to eat raw vegetables, only fruit is bananas, and tonight I'll attempt to eat some soup for dinner. 

Seriously? Happy Thanksgiving? Nope. 

Looking forward to Happy Holidays though! 

On the other hand, these artist renditions of Freedom from Want by Norman Rockwell are awesome. Enjoy! 

Holidays and Traditions -

 I was asked to speak to an Intermountain group on Diversity and Holidays. 

Below are a few points I shared: 

Celebrations, Traditions, Rituals, serve 4 purposes in a community (group of people): 

1. Entertain  2. Educate  3. Social Control  4. Reinforce the Values of the Community

There are three mediums in which folk ways (the ways of the people/folk) are presented: 

1. Verbal (things we say)   2. Material (things we make)  3. Customary (things we do)

In order for a folk way to remain alive it must: Change over time, and the community (family, city, group, team, organization) will adapt and adopt other traditions and their own, to meet their needs. 

Awareness of an event and the traditions surrounding, must be recognized before they can be disregarded. 

What does this all mean? 

"Every year we go around the table and everyone has to share one thing their grateful for." Entertain, Educate, Reinforce the Values

"What? You don't eat turkey? Everyone has to take at least a piece of Dad's smoked turkey!" Educate, Social Control, Reinforce the Values

"The adults sit at this table, teenagers at this one, kids sit here." Educate, Social Control Reinforce the Values

"Grandpa, tell that story about the time you tried deep frying a turkey in a milk can!" Entertain, Educate

"What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?" Verbal and Material and Customary

"What are you baking for Thanksgiving this year?"  Material, Customary

"We're having pizza this year; It's just going to be two of us, and I don't want to cook." Verbal, Material, Customary, and awareness of the tradition, in order to not participate. 

"We have turkey for dinner, but we also have shrimp cocktails, my daughter-in-law's tradition that she wants to carry on." Adopting

"Grandma made the best sour dough rolls for Thanksgiving dinner, but I fail at that. So I've ordered rolls from Kneader's, not as good, but still pretty darn good." Adapting, changing over time in order to remain alive. 

"This year, instead of Thanksgiving dinner, let's make sandwiches and go to a movie. We'll have a traditional dinner next year." Acknowledge the tradition, do something different. 

"It's time for someone else to host, time to pass the baton on to the next generation." Changes over time in order to stay alive. 

Next up - A Walker Family Dinner Party - 

Traditions -

 More to come; yet for now: 

“The world in which you were born is just one model of reality. Other cultures are not failed attempts at being you; they are unique manifestations of the human spirit.”

― Wade Davis