November 26, 2009 at 6:33 am
· Filed under America, Australia
In the land of November beach days, it’s not Thanksgiving today.
It’s just a Thursday in November and I am already at work.
There’s no steam in the kitchen as multiple pots come to boil. No one’s setting up the children’s table or ironing out Mimere’s lace tablecloth. There aren’t chores like shucking corn or stirring pearl onions or laying the fire. No one’s uncorking the wine or seeing if we remembered cranberry juice.
It’s all rather quiet.
I try to explain Thanksgiving but no one quite understands. What are Pilgrims? Didn’t you wind up killing Indians? Is it religious?
You can’t explain the conflicted thinking as you help yourself to a third serve of turkey - even though you were full after the first plate. You can’t explain the contentedness of being so squeezed onto a table three people need to pull out their chairs if you want to go to the bathroom. You can’t explain the wonderful incongruity of three generations together for one day a year - even if there are arguments. And you can’t explain why one woman…or two…or three…or some men…would cook for two days only to face a cavalcade of dirty pots.
No one understands Thanksgiving outside of America. And nowhere have I travelled that there’s been an equivalent holiday. It’s not like Christmas because you don’t have to buy gifts. It’s not like Easter because you don’t have to go to Church. It’s not like the Fourth of July because the weather keeps you indoors - all of you - and you have to wear nicer clothes. Plus they don’t televise football in summer!
Thanksgiving is a holiday completely unique in the world. And wherever I am I wish I was home.
Happy Thanksgiving. I miss you all!
Wally Down Undy
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As another American living down under this made me cry. How true, how true. Nor can you explain why in the world you’d eat cranberry with your main and pumpkin as a dessert. That too is uniquely American.
MaryS-NJ wrote @ November 26th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
This makes me sad, and nostalgic. There are so many fine, fond memories of Thanksgiving - more than any other holiday really because it’s all about gathering to be thankful for the blessings and spending time together and yeah, there’s a table full of food and pies - plus a little bit of sanitized history around Thanksgiving to make it truly is uniquely North American (my Canadian neighbors get to celebrate it twice every year!) Thanksgiving or not, I must confess to being jealous of your nice summery weather. It seems like it’s been raining forever here.
Eileen wrote @ November 26th, 2009 at 11:12 pm
Yes, Thanksgiving originated with the Pilgrims and the Indians but it has changed with the years and it is all about family now. Getting together with loved ones whether they are biologically related or have been adopted as family. Each year, I am more and more grateful for the wonderful people that I now consider my extended family…some reaching as far as Australia. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Troy wrote @ November 27th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Agreed. I tried explaining what it was on facebook but i think most people just don’t really get what is so significant about the holiday. As an American living in australia for almost 13 years, i have yet celebrated properly as to what we used to celebrate but now its more privately because I am the only one in my family that lives in Australia. I miss all the pies and yams and the turkey. oh and also waking up and watching the Macy’s day Parade :’(. i miss that
Sreed wrote @ November 27th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Happy Thanksgiving Dude. Put on the shorts and head to Bondi - the feelings will pass soon enough. Love ya
sam wrote @ November 29th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
I enjoyed my first Californian thanksgiving this week. My last thanksgiving was at your home a couple of years ago! Both experiences were rich in culinary gorging, colorful conversation and crowded tables of family and friends. As we drove away from thanksgiving at seal beach this last week my 5 year old daughter, tiger, yelled out the window to our hosts “thanks for giving!” What western culture doesn’t need a holiday to stop and remind themselves of this!
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