Thanksgiving

After 10 years of celebrating Thanksgiving in November, it still feels odd to dust off our traditions in early October! When we lived in California, Thanksgiving was the beginning of the "holiday season" and we'd usually go get our tree the day after gorging on Turkey and my specialty, Sweet Potatoes With Cream Cheese. Yum.

Arguably our favourite family tradition is our Thanksgiving tablecloth. We began it in 1997. It's just an ordinary cloth, not at all the kind I usually buy. What makes this one special is that every year, everyone gathered around our Thanksgiving table takes a fabric marker and writes about what they're thankful for. These days, as soon as I spread it out on the table, while the turkey is sizzling contentedly in the oven, everyone circles around and starts reading.

In 1997, Benton was thankful for gingerbread boys. Every year, April mentions some pet or other. Kim often mentions her friends. We laugh at who couldn't spell, who wrote numbers backwards (April!) and reminisce about the friends and family that have celebrated with us. Our dear friends the Garcias were often participants in our tablecloth traditions, as were many people who have passed through our lives.

What precious memories. This year, I wrote "I am thankful for God's plan."

I am also thankful for everyone who has sat around this tablecloth over the years. Thankful for the little handprints of children too young to write. Thankful for every misspelled word and funny looking drawing. Thankful for the LOVE.

Good night, everyone. I'm thankful for you, even if you haven't had a chance to write on my tablecloth. Maybe next year?

Love,
Susan