Thanksgiving Traditions

My sister cooks Thanksgiving dinner at her home every year. My family attends every other year, and in the off years we spend the holiday with my in-laws. Usually I cook, and they all come here--though there have been exceptions, like the time Pop was in the hospital. That year I cooked it all and brought it to my brother-in-law's house and finished making the dinner there, since they lived closer to the hospital, and the adults visited Pop in shifts throughout the day.

When you cook Thanksgiving dinner you have to get up early. REALLY early. There are a lot of details to take care of, and a big turkey does take a while to stuff and cook. So my sister and I have developed our own little tradition. Whether it's our year to visit her home, or the "bye year" as she calls it, we spend part of the early hours of the morning on the phone. Even if we're having dinner at her house later that day, she's got so many guests and is so busy that we don't get to talk much. So we enjoy our Thanksgiving phone call.

Even if I've got nothing to cook in a particular year, I'm always up early anyway. As the coffee is brewing, I’ll open an email from my sister telling me that she's awake, and that those participating in the annual Great Pheasant Hunt will be leaving at 5:45, so I'm welcome to call anytime after that.

It may be a while before I get to cook Thanksgiving dinner again, as my cousin-in-law has extended us a standing invitation for the "bye years." I'll have to find another time to do a turkey dinner, I guess.

But the early-morning phone call with my sister will stand as a Thanksgiving-Day tradition.

After I get off the phone, I’ll hurry outside on a cold morning and do my weight-lifting for the day—bringing in the newspaper loaded with Black Friday circulars. Most of those will go right into the recycle bin. My Black Friday shopping will be done online! And best of all, Cyber Monday is next. I don't have to get everything done on Friday. Some great deals will be awaiting me on Monday as well.

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