The Thanksgivings of my childhood

As I prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday to come, I can't help but reflect on turkey days gone by. I remember what it was like going to my grandparents house for Thanksgiving every year. My sister and I would fight over a shirt for forty five minutes before we'd leave the house, and then whomever the victor was would prance around in said shirt, and we'd be on our way. Mom, in the passenger seat holding her annual seven layer salad, Dad driving, completely annoyed because my sister and I had made the last hour and a half miserable with our shrieking. But by the time we got to Grandma's house, he'd be better (mostly because he knew my sister and I would be out of his hair for a little while, and hey, who could blame him, we were pains in the butt). When we would arrive, we'd see Grandma at the stove cooking something up, most likely a ham, (I don't ever remember having turkey, always ham.) Grandpa sitting in his chair, making some "Grandpa joke" about how tall we'd gotten or how old our dad looked. Dinner always had 3 main staples, Ham, Mashed potatoes and gravy, and "the green stuff". Jello salad, in variations mind you, but it was always there, and my sister loved it every year. She'd have a massive pile of it on her plate, and on her face. And we always washed our dinner down with the Fresca. I don't know if you know this but Fresca is apparently the official brand of soda for the association of Grandparents. It was also a staple at all Holiday dinners. (Imagine gym socks and lime juice.)

Most of the details of the holidays are vague, but
mostly what I remember is seeing my family get together and laugh. I just always remember a sense of comfort and familiarity that doesn't happen often now that I have to be a responsible adult. I hope that I can provide that same feeling for my children every year like my family did. And that we always remember that we have so much to be thankful for throughout the year, and not just for this few weeks in the winter when the chill in the air reminds us that it's the Holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving.