Since Thanksgiving in the US was on Thursday I thought I would highlight some of my favorite family dinner moments. Preface: This is pre-COVID, everyone has a right to gather as they feel comfortable with the current world situation, I am not sharing our family’s decisions one way or another because there are valid arguments for getting together or to stay home.
A typical holiday usually consists of going out to my grandparents on my mom’s side early in the morning to cook a boatload of food. We usually (not this year of course) fit 35 to 40 people in their basement consisting of family, friends, and even strangers. I don’t think we ever had someone who no one knew show up, however, if someone brings a friend they are getting fed too. We aim to eat at 1 pm, which becomes 1-ish, but more like 2 when we are finally ready to sit down. We deliver meals to homebound neighbors and friends after dinner, and in good Italian fashion, we have ten pounds of leftovers.
I appreciate the dinner, however, I usually end up sitting beside my parents, who can talk to me whenever. So I don’t learn anything interesting until dessert, where without fail we all talk about politics. (definition: poly: many; ticks: blood-sucking insects. Pretty acuate in today’s world) Little kids are running around the house and property. I am the oldest grandchild and it is quite fun watching them play. I am usually with them, being in the woods, or playing with the dogs. Then we clean up and stop by my house for a hot minute to pick up more food.
Then we hurry up and leave and go to my other grandparents. We eat at five o’clock on the dot. So don’t be late! It gets entertaining there. There are 11 of us, and we are all ornery. We all gather around their small dining room table and listen to stories and gossip about people. I learn a lot about random stuff that I didn’t know I didn’t know. There is a lot of laughter in that house. To make it better we all have similar cackles, so it gets loud.
All of us just love to laugh and we all have a lot of fun. It’s nice for all of us. Then there is that one time where I was being “too annoying” and my aunt throws a carrot at me and it hits me in the ear. Grandma really doesn’t appreciate it when we have a food fight in her house, but it is destined to happen, between whip cream, carrots, and other easily throwable food something hilarious will happen!
We then come home and crash because we are all tired full! But these are just skimming the surface of all the beautiful memories that happened during the holidays! This year was more low key but I still had lots of good food and lots of things to be thankful for.
Just a Girl With Crutches 