Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday – more than Christmas (I’d rather eat than have to shop); more than the 4^th of July (sometimes hot and buggy); and even better than birthdays. Nobody is the center of attention, nobody is obligated to live up to expectations, and nobody has to prepare, shop for, or do anything creative. Like all holidays, Thanksgiving is only as good as we make it – it’s easy enough to rattle off a thank you or two; you can usually find someone that will invite you to dinner; and watching football is the über statement that you just don’t give a damn. Did I mention dessert? So, the baseline is pretty good – building from such a simple starting point can only make for the best of holidays.

I come from a good-sized Irish-American family, growing up with two terrific parents, five acceptable siblings, and somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty first cousins. So, clearly there is a strong family tradition being passed along here. Thanksgiving was always basic food, nothing fancy or gourmet – just voluminous amounts of mashed potatoes, squash, turnip, stuffing, cranberries, and turkey. Still, there would always be room for dessert – apple pie and pumpkin pie mostly, with the occasional minced meat or cherry pie. Now, I’m beginning to get hungry!

When my sisters, brothers, and I started our own families, Thanksgiving grew tremendously. It is the holiday that we liked to host. There were only good times, no fights or disagreements – well maybe we did have some conflict now and then when the football game was actually well contested and the call to dinner would come at the most crucial point in the game. But, for the most part, it is a laid back holiday and, therefore, a time that is enjoyable to share with families and friends.

The reason thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, however, is because with effort it can become truly special. We work hard to prepare the best food – nothing off-the-wall or out-of-the-ordinary, nothing over or under cooked, nothing over or under seasoned, no compromises on quality or quantity. We work hard for days getting it all ready, invite any family that we can, and invite whatever friends are orphaned or without a plan for whatever reason. Finally, we give thanks – we don’t just say “thank you” for this and that – but, we mention only what we are truly sincere about. Mostly, we give thanks that we are together in a comfortable home with each other on a day that is easy to enjoy. How can you beat that on any other holiday?