Thanksgiving My Way

WARNING: crazy woman ranting/rambling ahead.

Thanksgiving was always a day about family for me growing up. We got up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade together in our pajamas, while we could peek at Mom cooking in the kitchen through the awesome saloon-style doors.

(For real - they looked like this.)

After the parade, we'd keep the dog show on as we got all fancy and nice to head over to Aunt Iz and Uncle Ray's to have the big dinner with the cousins and aunts and uncles and Grandpa Red and sit at the big table - laughing, sharing stories, eating the macaroni pie... It was the best of the best of the big family dinners. I love my family.

We could fall asleep on the floor or the couch or whatever, after we'd stuffed ourselves and nobody cared. You just wake them up when it's time for dessert.

As I've been at school, I've been really blessed to know amazing, sweet, caring people who have invited me to their own family dinners. Spending the weekend with Asia's family at their awesome church-house (I want to say we slept on a couch in the basement and Thor was my pillow or shared my pillow...?), going with Alex to her grandmothers's houses (yes, plural. And I fell asleep at one...), and having dinner with Anna's and Katie's families have made the past few years away from family GREAT and WONDERFUL and I am forever grateful to them for opening their homes to me.

I had so many sweet, thoughtful offers this year to spend the holiday with friends. But, I decided to do something different this year. Which brings me to the rant portion of this post: I'm tired of people giving me a look about how I spend my day or telling me that my Thanksgiving was "sad". No, it wasn't. It was what I wanted to do. I picked this.

This year I made "Thanksgiving4One" a thing. OK, it's not a thing, but today it was a thing. I decided to cook an entire Thanksgiving meal for myself. I got an awesome little five-pound turkey, I made corn casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and made sure to have some rolls and cranberry jelly on hand - with some sparkling cranberry juice for the "classy lady" in me.                            

I've never made turkey before. I've never made sweet potatoes before. Those who cook are probably reading this like, "pssh, girl it's not that hard." But if you know me, then you know I can make cereal and mac and cheese and that's the extent of my culinary skills. Pulling off this meal was going to be a huge accomplishment for me - but it was something I really wanted to do on my own. Does this sound crazy to you? Maybe. Does that mean it's "sad" or wrong? No. Not when it's my choice.

I got up and watched the Macy's parade like when I was little, having missed past years because I was working. I talked with my sister most of the morning, figured out how to make ALL that food with one oven and one me, talked with more family that I love and miss - but also, I got to celebrate and be thankful for me and what makes this holiday special for me. I got to spend time accomplishing something awesome (one that provides lots of leftovers), I could fall asleep after dinner without the embarrassment of it being at a stranger's house (tell your grandma sorry again, Alex) and connect to those things I loved about Thanksgiving when I was six.

So, yes. My Thanksgiving was unusual and different and wasn't spent with family and friends in the tangible sense (since, come on - Skype, google hangouts and cell phones let me connect with the people I love). But don't tell me it was sad or look at me like my choice was wrong or pathetic. I had options and this was just the one that I felt like trying. I am so thankful that I did! What a wonderful day! I had Christmas songs on all day! I had pine-tree candles lit! I got to think about all of the incredible blessings I have! And there wasn't anything sad about that.

...If the turkey hadn't come out, THEN there would have been something to be sad about...

(Yes, it's a plate of mush, but it's MY HOMEMADE plate of mush.)