No, Thanksgiving
I know, I know. It’s a national holiday. A time to give thanks. A celebration of history, family, tradition, and other things I can’t think of at the moment. And I don’t dislike it at all—in fact, I have many lovely memories of Thanksgivings past.
But I’ve had a hectic few months, and I’m beat, and the main thing I’m thankful for this year is the chance to spend one day doing nothing. And that’s exactly what I’m doing for Thanksgiving. This year, it will be a festival of no. For example:
No cooking. My mother spent days shopping for the Thanksgiving feast. She started cooking on Monday and was still at it Thursday. She set a beautiful table lavishly arrayed with pies, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, marshmallowy yams, green beans, ambrosia salad, cranberry sauce and home-made biscuits. An hour later, she donned her hasmat suit and went to work on the clean-up. I love her for it—she always created beautiful holidays for our family. And I realize a lot of people (okay, a lot of women) still create these sumptuous meals for Thanksgiving. But me? I’m throwing a frozen vegan pizza in the oven.
No turkey. I know too much about what happens on turkey farms to take part in that grotesquery.
No visitors. I’ve always enjoyed getting together with family on the holidays, and, if I weren’t so tired, I’d be looking forward to it this year, too. Instead, I’m going for quiet, solitude, and the blessing of not having to talk to anyone all day.
No grading papers. This may seem like an odd thing to include. Unless you teach. Grading takes up hours and hours and hours of my time, and it is my least favorite part of my job. I enjoy guiding class discussions. I like giving an occasional lecture. I love working one-on-one with my students when I can. I do not like trying to decide how to rank my hardworking and eager students on a scale of “A” to “F”. Plus, it’s time consuming and exhausting. This term, I somehow ended up teaching four classes that all have significant writing components. I grade papers every day. But not on Thanksgiving.
No Black Friday. On the rare occasion when I get up at dawn, it’s to enjoy a quiet morning, watch the sun rise, get a head start on the day’s work, meditate, or take a walk, not to battle hundreds of others in a mass stampede for consumer goods. Perhaps I’m missing part of the American experience, but I just don’t get the appeal.
So, while others are going around the table saying what they’re thankful for, and consuming enough food to feed a small nation for a week, I’ll be luxuriating in three simple pleasures:
A glass of wine.
A fire in the fireplace.
A good book.
Bet I’ll feel a lot better than most folks, come Monday.
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About Jill
I have spent a lifetime exploring spiritual traditions throughout the world--from Siberia to Afghanistan, Syria to Japan. I have also spent a lifetime writing. In my work, I weave together those two threads, combining the spiritual and the artistic,...
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Causes Jill Jepson Supports
Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Interational Society for the Protection of Burros and Mustangs, National Wildlife Federation,...
Thanksgiving
If you think about it, Thanksgiving is a harvest celebration, and the first Thanksgiving was an inter-faith celebration since the Native Americans were invited to the Pilgrims' table. The Native Americans didn't come empty handed and it was a potluck meal of venison, turkey, lobster, oyster, corn, and other foods that were plentiful in the coastal region where the Pilgrims had settled. I personally think that turkey became the symbol only becuase it is a native bird that is relativly inexpensive and comes in sizes that can feed a large number of people. Anyway, times have changed and, although I grew up in a family that celebrated Thanksgiving every year even while being abroad, I'm now comfortable with the idea of not celebrating a traditional Thanksgiving or at least having the choice not to participate in one. However, I do try to attend an inter-faith Thanksgiving service and actually just came back from one. These services usually involve several communities from Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, to Sikh, who come together for a potluck buffet meal after the service which consists of various religious leaders giving Thanksgiving speeches and members of different communities reading poems. Although it is a pre-Thanksgiving event, it can easily substitute for the real celebration that takes place on Thursday, especially for those who are unable to rejoin their families for a celebration for any reason or feel the need to rethink the holiday or feel the need for a change of pace. There are also vegetarian and vegan restaurants that feature wholesome alternative Thanksgiving meals for people who are ready to give up the turkey dinner. With or without a feast to mark this day, I think of Thanksgiving as a day to reflect on the things we accomplished that year and be thankful for the things we have.
P.S. Many French eagerly await the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau (the new Beaujolais wines of the year, i.e. vintage) which come out around this time of the year. Things may have changed but the one I remember to have been consistently good at a friendly price was Georges DuBoeuf. I remember liking the idea that it is the wine of the year and soaking the empty bottle overnight in water to remove and add to my collection of wine labels.
An excellent reflection, Kim.
An excellent reflection, Kim. An interfaith ceremony sounds like a wonderful way to celebrate. And I love what you say about Thanksgiving being a time to reflection on accomplishments and be grateful.