As is our custom at this time of the year, some of the Here Be Magic authors share their thoughts about Thanksgiving ...
From Cindy
Spencer Pape:
No matter your
religious beliefs or nationality, the magic of Thanksgiving is in taking some
time to reflect on the good things life has brought you. It’s human nature to
focus on the difficulties that crop up, but sometimes we get so bogged down in
those that we forget to appreciate having food to eat, a roof over our heads,
and friends or family to share a meal. So whether it’s in November with turkey
or December with tacos, or whatever, I encourage you to take a day, any day,
and forget the struggles for a little while so you can focus on the simple joys
of life and laughter.
From
Rebecca York:
You don’t have to
have Thanksgiving on the real day. Sometimes it means more if you have to
shift the date. My son did a couple of tours with the U.S. State
Department in Afghanistan, and he told me that Thanksgiving there was a real
bust. They had turkey and dressing in the mess hall, but it wasn’t very
good. When he got leave and came home in July, I decided to make him and the
rest of the family a Thanksgiving dinner.
The biggest
obstacle was the turkey. I always have a fresh one, but the only kind I could
get in July was frozen. With no idea how early I should have gotten started, I
spent a long night with it in a pan of water in the bath tub, with water
dripping on it, trying to thaw it quickly. It was ready on time,
and we had a wonderful dinner with most of the foods we love, including
my sweet potato casserole and a white potato casserole. My husband hates
turkey, so I did what I always do for him—baked a ham. The only thing I
couldn’t make was fresh cranberry sauce. No cranberries are available in July.
This year
I’m buying lots of cranberries and making batches of cranberry orange relish to
stock in the freezer, so we can have it any time we want.
The
magic of Thanksgiving is...being united with friends and family to share your
blessings for another year — and being possessed with the spirit of love during
it so you don't harm the ones who drive you bonkers!
From Jax Garren:
The
magic of Thanksgiving is... going to be a little different for me this year. My
family always gathers as a huge clan to celebrate and eat turkey--or tofurkey,
in my vegan sister's case! But this year, after relinquishing the hope of
having bio-children, my DH and I get to introduce our two foster daughters to
everyone. So in 2012, the magic of Thanksgiving for me is not just gathering with
family, but having a family to bring to the gathering. And for my girls, I
suppose it's having a safe family to gather with. We all hope that 2013 will
see an adoption!
From Ruth A. Casie:
The magic of Thanksgiving for me happens at
the dinner table the day after Thanksgiving when I traditionally have our
famiIy dinner. There is no secret to my strategy. My children go to their
in-laws for Thanksgiving while Paul and I go out for a quiet dinner. Friday I
have them all to myself. I plan and cook for days but when I sit down food is
the last thing I want. I look around the table at each of them. I revel in how
they've grown in body, mind, and spirit. I enjoy their playfulness and banter.
We are a close family and while Thanksgiving isn't our only family dinner it's
the one where I stop and count my blessings and I'm thankful. Then I get nudged
to pass the sweet potato souffle!
From Hilary Jacques:
The magic of
November is...snow-covered streets, red cheeks and noses, secret holiday
shopping, and cozy, cocoa-filled nights with books.
From Shawna
Thomas:
The
magic of Thanksgiving is...
For
me Thanksgiving brings to mind images and scents that combine into a
sense of completeness and security.
Gold
and crimson against a sea of pale blue. Cool breezes, children throwing leaves
and adults joining in, long walks, a sense of family, intoxicating scents of
turkey, onion and way too many pies. Gathering in the kitchen where the warmth
from conversation does for the soul what the oven's warmth does for the body.
It's carrying on traditions from one generation to the next.
And
it's the feeling of blessedness when you stop for a moment
and truly consider how much you have to be thankful for.
Thanksgiving
is my favorite holiday not just because I love to bake, but because it's not
diluted by commercialism. It's still simple. It's about family and those
we love who have become family gathering together.
And
for those reasons, I think it is a magical time.
From
Nicole Luiken:
Canadian
Thanksgiving comes in early October--about two weeks too early according to my
dad. I grew up on a farm in northern Alberta, and we didn't celebrate
Thanksgiving until the crops were all off. (My sister quite horrified her
Ontario-born teacher when she told him this.) Sometimes we made it in
time for the official holiday and sometimes we were later, but we always had
roast turkey, my mom's special hamburger-mushroom-rice dressing and orange whip
salad. Yum.
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