Thanksgiving: Traditional or Unique

[docholly]

Because my children were either born or raised in Jamaica, we really don't celebrate traditional Thanksgiving and being Native American myself, it's not really on the list of our "high" holidays. We kind of evolved some traditions of our own over the years including working at our local shelter then going to the movies or a show.

But this year we are back in Vegas with family around so we are doing something a bit more traditional tho we are still doing the shelter thing. An elder lady who we are sharing our holiday with is all miffed because we are doing ham and not turkey. Well i would have done turkey if the local supermarket's 29.95 special hadn't been sold out. I told her it was time to start NEW traditions. Why is change so hard for some people??

sooo what do YOU do?? Do you partake in a traditional t'giving dinner with all the trimmings or has it evolved over the years??

Besides the NON-US webmasters, do you think of T'Giving as just a bonus day in the week for football and gorging or do you make it family??

Holiday time is always stressful, no matter how small or large your family is. Just take a moment and BREATHE when you are overwhelmed.

Have a safe, happy and healthy day!!



|rasta|

[SirMoby]

It's often not a traditional sort of thing but I always manage to spend some close time with people I care about. It's also the only time of year I even consider eating turkey. I can't stand the stuff any other time of year but give me stuffing and gravy and I'll eat for days on end.

[Cleo]

Where is the I don't Eat Dead Bird Cadaverous choice?

I'll be going over to FoxyAngel's place for a bit and then if I have enough energy I may also go over to Luna's place.

I was planning on doing my guest bathroom's fixtures but the tile guy didn't finish that bathroom yet.

If I get real energetic I may take all my doors off and put them in my garage so that I can paint them. LOL

[Useless]

I'm a fan of feasting no matter its purpose, so Thankgiving is a biggie for me. We'll be heading over to my parents tomorrow for dinner. I am thankful that this year it is just us and my parents for dinner. My father loves to invite every asshole that shares our last name to dinner and I really don't enjoy being around my felonious cousins and half-dead aunts.

[Alphawolf]

Well, considerin' the Holidays are the only times I see my 'family' I suffer through it.

Actually, the only reason anyone shows up is because my Grandmother is still alive, though lives in a home now and is getting worse. So, people feel obligated to show up.

I have to help get Grandma out of the home and the big scary part id when we carefully lift her wheel chair over the large cement steps on her front stoop.

The more scary part is going back down after drinking and eating too much.

Great fuckin' weather today too.

Well, it's better than waking up with a blood clot in the lung...I guess.

[Jim]

Thanksgiving and Christmas are the big days for me and my family. I just put the 30 pound Turkey in the oven and already can smell it cooking

[Greenguy]

Cleo - you can always eat Tofurky

Traditional for me, sorta - we decided a few years back that we got sick of leaving the house on Holidays, so now we force the family to come here & eat, which upsets some people I guess

[amber438]

Well, with all our relatives either no longer living or scattered around the globe, it's just Honey and I.
I cook a little but it's a day off to rest, relax, watch the tube and maybe go fora bike ride if not too cold..

[Toni KatVixen]

This is my first holiday away from my family. To me the holidays are all about family & I'm a sap for it. So this is tough one.

So we are having our Thanksgiving at Brett & Sammy's with a few other friends.

In my family, turkey wasn't every Thanksgiving we would switch it out with ham and then Christimas would be the opposite. Just for variety.

[docholly]

We just got back from 3 hours working in the Clark Co. Battered Women's Shelter otherwise known as Safe Nest.

In 1997, my children and I spent from the friday after Thanksgiving until mid january at this same facility. Being there today reminds me very much how even the littliest things we need to be thankful for.

The atmosphere is so somber and the children as so very sad. The mother's are confused and even more sad because as their wounds heal, and they think about the "things" (homes, lifestyle, security) they are giving up vs. the life they are currently in (dorm style cots, group meals etc) they tend to drift back.

The director told me that only 1 out of 10 actually leave their situation for good
on the 1st stay, that 4 of 10 return worse off and the other 5 either leave on their own or tolerate it "for the kids".

There were also a few families with battered fathers as well, a situation that has grown so much, they've added a men's section to the facility.

My son, who is now 14, told me on the way home, that he is very happy we stayed out even if we did have to start over because he didn't want to have the sad eyes of those people again.

So hug your kids and try to tolerate the "uncle joe" and "aunt graces" of your family.

[Toni KatVixen]

It takes a woman (on average) 7 attempts to permanently leave an abuser & most women will tolerate more at this time of the year because of the holidays & not wanting to up root the kids.

Before we moved, I use to volunteer at a woman's shelter for about 9 years. Volunteering there really puts your own life in prespective & makes you thankful for the things & people you have in your life.

[Cleo]

My relatives are also all dead or scatted around the globe. I'm also single, mostly be choice, so today I'm just having a very quiet day at home enjoying my new home.

I did take my new stove for a test drive and made some real espresso and roasted some bread with cheese and tomatoes. Then I laid on my couch, found something on Tivo, looked around at my new surroundings, and thought how lucky I am and how much I have to be thankful for.

I am suppose to go over to Angel's house but really I'm very much enjoying relaxing in the tranquility of my home.