Tradition!

When I was a child, November meant starting early looking through the Sears Roebuck wish book catalog and planning my list for Santa. It was learning about the Mayflower and singing “Over the River and Through the Woods” at school and “We Gather Together” at church. We made turkeys with pinecones and construction paper. On Thanksgiving, my grandmothers would be at the house to help celebrate. There would be wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen while the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade was on the TV. We then would be in a turkey coma watching the most important football games of the year.

When my children were young, all the family would gather at my parent’s house. After the meal, we would load up the car and head for their place at the beach for the remainder of the holiday. While there, we would stop by the Christmas Shop were my daughters would pick out their yearly ornament.

Steven and I got married at the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday over two dozen years ago. We honeymooned on Hilton Head Island, never realizing at the time that we would be moving there a year later and remain in the Carolinas for over two decades.

We have lost many loved ones over the years, including Steven’s father, his mother, and my mother. Recently, my sister-in-law lost her sweet sister to Covid. Due to the virus, we won’t be getting together with anyone this year, but we will be holding everyone in our hearts. I will cook a turkey with all the traditional sides; we will have the television on the parade while the food is being prepared. After the meal, we will watch football.

Covid may change how we celebrate, at least for now, but it won't stop our celebrating Thanksgiving this year.

Tradition!