Growing up, Thanksgiving was one of those Holidays we always spent with friends. My immediate family was small, so long-time family friends WERE my family. And we always celebrated with them. Usually a pretty good-sized group, and always fun. Best part was that even though it would be at one person’s home, because they had the space for the gang, everyone pitched in – it was a group effort. Everyone was in charge of a dish, and then we kids were in charge of the washing dishes, lol. Which, I think we played around in the water more than we washed anything and we got booted out of that job usually – smart kids, lol!!

But this is where my thoughts on Thanksgiving came into play – it was a holiday to be celebrated with friends, family too – but mostly it was friends. As I got older, it was just mom and I, and we’d spend it generally going in two different directions, I was headed out to make and have dinner with my group of friends, and she was headed out to her group for much of the same. I imagine I go against a lot of the norm (I always do!), but it’s how myself, and of course a lot of my friends, celebrated the holiday – to me it made so much sense when I recently saw the term, “Friendsgiving”, my first thought was “Yes! Someone gets it!”

So, with that said, that’s why for me, Thanksgiving has always been about a potluck dinner. One person made the meat of choice, and the rest of us either brought a dish, or even more fun, we made it there as part of the festivities. I feel awkward when I go to a dinner where I didn’t participate somehow. It makes me feel like a child, and that’s the only way I can think of to describe it. I’m an adult, and I can cook, and more importantly, I like to cook! Therefore, I like to contribute! Plus, I have so many good and fun memories of either helping or just being involved somehow. I need to help! I need to be a part of it because that’s what my best memories of Thanksgiving involve – the most fun was had by all of us creating the meal! The poor mashed potatoes we laughed about for years because it was decided to use the electric hand-held mixer to make them and they turned into paste, or the year my mom put too much sage into the dressing – things like that are what I remember, plus the laughing and the fun we all had because of these things.

So, please, if you ever invite me to Thanksgiving, don’t let me just sit there waiting to be served! I want to help, I want to cook and I want to create some fun memories of all of us having a great time creating the meal that I know I won’t remember anyway – it’s the journey to that meal I remember!!!!

Happy Friendsgiving to you all, and Happy Thanksgiving too!!

Tracey

xoxo