I Hate Thanksgiving
Before you think I am a guy that just hates holidays please read on. It is not that I hate holidays but there are various aspects of each holiday that I hate. And hate is such a strong word here.
This started when I was quite young. You see my birthday falls in the end of November and because of my birth date; my birthday occasionally falls on Thanksgiving Day. I was always told that, “Everybody celebrates my birthday when my birthday is on Thanksgiving!” Yeah, right.
Like all young children I attended all my friend's birthday parties. These gatherings were quite the celebration as dozens of kids brought toys and presents for the birthday child. Many of my friends received the latest games and toys which were quickly enjoyed by all. I was especially envious of the summer birthday children who got to have their birthdays in the park or at the pool with the parties lasting all afternoon.
I, on the other hand, had Thanksgiving birthdays. If you didn't know, holiday birthdays are quite different. Ask anybody born near a major holiday. The difference is that instead of dozens of friends bringing me presents and toys, I had dozens of relatives visiting for Thanksgiving Day and my birthday combined. They didn’t bring what I wanted, they brought what my parents thought I needed which was usually clothes, boots, gloves and other items I needed, not necessarily wanted. On top of that, to avoid having 2 special meals within a week, my birthday was usually celebrated on Thanksgiving Day, not the actual date of my birth.
Regardless of my overall feeling for this holiday, I do have some fond memories. My fondest memory of Thanksgiving Day starts in the summer as a young boy. I spent most of my summers staying at my Grandmothers cabin on a lake. Sometimes I stayed with my cousins who lived nearby. With my cousins, we explored, hiked, camped, canoed, boated, swam and did just about everything else in the woods and lake that you can think of.
Occasionally my Grandmother sent me out in the early morning with an empty coffee can to collect Blueberries. The Blueberries were best by the waters edge so I would use a canoe and get as close to the bushes that I can. I picked blueberries for hours in the early morning light. They tasted sweeter with the morning due still dripping from those wonderful berries. I loved collecting Blueberries and I usually ate about as much as I collected.
When the coffee can was full, or at least close to full, I would return to the cabin. My grandmother would take these Blueberries and make all kinds of things with them. We had Blueberry muffins, Blueberry cakes, Blueberries in my cereal and even a bowl of Blueberries on the counter for that quick snack. I still love Blueberries to this day.
My grandmother always took some of the collected Blueberries and put them away. I didn't know this at the time. One Thanksgiving, I don’t even remember how old I was at the time, maybe 8 years old, my grandmother brought out a Blueberry pie with the letter ‘B’ on it. Of course, ‘B’ for Blueberry I thought. But I was wrong. ‘B’ was for ‘Bob’. This pie was reserved just for me. Another pie was brought out for everybody else but this one was made special for me. My grandmother explained to everybody that I helped to make this Blueberry pie. I said, “No, I didn't.” But she told me that I had picked, all by myself, all of the blueberries in this pie. I couldn’t believe it. She used my Blueberries that I picked all by myself? Wow. I really enjoyed that pie over the next few days, every slice, every berry and every crumb of crust of it.
Now, don't get me wrong. I still dislike the holiday for falling near my birthday. But the purpose of Thanksgiving Day is to give thanks for what we have. To that, I am thankful for the Pilgrims who moved to this land, and I am thankful for the Native Americans who helped them in their time of need. I am especially thankful of the first thanksgiving because I am told my ancestors were among the first arrivals there.
I am thankful for our proud country we have and thankful for our military personnel serving proudly and honorably in our time of need. Let us never forget those who have served and those who are serving now.
I am also thankful for my family and friends. Without them life would have no meaning or purpose. And finally, I am thankful Grandmothers and Blueberry Pie.
This started when I was quite young. You see my birthday falls in the end of November and because of my birth date; my birthday occasionally falls on Thanksgiving Day. I was always told that, “Everybody celebrates my birthday when my birthday is on Thanksgiving!” Yeah, right.
Like all young children I attended all my friend's birthday parties. These gatherings were quite the celebration as dozens of kids brought toys and presents for the birthday child. Many of my friends received the latest games and toys which were quickly enjoyed by all. I was especially envious of the summer birthday children who got to have their birthdays in the park or at the pool with the parties lasting all afternoon.
I, on the other hand, had Thanksgiving birthdays. If you didn't know, holiday birthdays are quite different. Ask anybody born near a major holiday. The difference is that instead of dozens of friends bringing me presents and toys, I had dozens of relatives visiting for Thanksgiving Day and my birthday combined. They didn’t bring what I wanted, they brought what my parents thought I needed which was usually clothes, boots, gloves and other items I needed, not necessarily wanted. On top of that, to avoid having 2 special meals within a week, my birthday was usually celebrated on Thanksgiving Day, not the actual date of my birth.
Regardless of my overall feeling for this holiday, I do have some fond memories. My fondest memory of Thanksgiving Day starts in the summer as a young boy. I spent most of my summers staying at my Grandmothers cabin on a lake. Sometimes I stayed with my cousins who lived nearby. With my cousins, we explored, hiked, camped, canoed, boated, swam and did just about everything else in the woods and lake that you can think of.
Occasionally my Grandmother sent me out in the early morning with an empty coffee can to collect Blueberries. The Blueberries were best by the waters edge so I would use a canoe and get as close to the bushes that I can. I picked blueberries for hours in the early morning light. They tasted sweeter with the morning due still dripping from those wonderful berries. I loved collecting Blueberries and I usually ate about as much as I collected.
When the coffee can was full, or at least close to full, I would return to the cabin. My grandmother would take these Blueberries and make all kinds of things with them. We had Blueberry muffins, Blueberry cakes, Blueberries in my cereal and even a bowl of Blueberries on the counter for that quick snack. I still love Blueberries to this day.
My grandmother always took some of the collected Blueberries and put them away. I didn't know this at the time. One Thanksgiving, I don’t even remember how old I was at the time, maybe 8 years old, my grandmother brought out a Blueberry pie with the letter ‘B’ on it. Of course, ‘B’ for Blueberry I thought. But I was wrong. ‘B’ was for ‘Bob’. This pie was reserved just for me. Another pie was brought out for everybody else but this one was made special for me. My grandmother explained to everybody that I helped to make this Blueberry pie. I said, “No, I didn't.” But she told me that I had picked, all by myself, all of the blueberries in this pie. I couldn’t believe it. She used my Blueberries that I picked all by myself? Wow. I really enjoyed that pie over the next few days, every slice, every berry and every crumb of crust of it.
Now, don't get me wrong. I still dislike the holiday for falling near my birthday. But the purpose of Thanksgiving Day is to give thanks for what we have. To that, I am thankful for the Pilgrims who moved to this land, and I am thankful for the Native Americans who helped them in their time of need. I am especially thankful of the first thanksgiving because I am told my ancestors were among the first arrivals there.
I am thankful for our proud country we have and thankful for our military personnel serving proudly and honorably in our time of need. Let us never forget those who have served and those who are serving now.
I am also thankful for my family and friends. Without them life would have no meaning or purpose. And finally, I am thankful Grandmothers and Blueberry Pie.
posted by Bob Ackerman at 7:17 PM
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