Giving Thanks

There has been a great deal of chatter amongst the preschool crowd regarding Thanksgiving. Specifically, giving thanks. There is list making to be done, and even songs to be sung. On a recent post preschool afternoon Zachary informed me that he was thankful for the following things "Mommy & Daddy, preschool, Mr. Brown Doggie, grandparents, food and friends". "Great list Zack!" I responded, following up with "But I think you forgot something. Is there anyone else that you are thankful for". "No!" He said emphatically. "I am NOT thankful for my brother". Now that's the thanksgiving spirit kid.



But who am I to judge? I don't know that I am really exuding Thanksgiving cheer when topping my list of blessings this year (besides the usual suspects-family, health, home, yada, yada, yada) is the fact that I am damn thankful not to be hosting Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. That's right for the first time in years our family will simply be a guest at someone elses table. Hallelujah. I know that probably sounds a bit Scrooge like, but I have to admit that I have never particularly enjoyed hosting big family holidays. I do love my extended family but I feel that there are more pleasant ways to show it than packing everyone around a too-small table piled high with the type of food that could easily result in a heart-attack, and that spawns all of those after-the-holiday diet and fitness club marketing blitzes. In my house hosting Thanksgiving dinner means my husband feels he has carte blanche to destroy the kitchen, pulling out every cooking apparatus that we own to create cajun sausage stuffing, three different kinds of sweet potatoes, and greens fried in bacon grease, he won't be satisfied with the ordinary. It drives me nuts, all of that preparing, all of that mess, all for a meal that takes roughly 15 minutes to consume and then another two hours to clean up. And then....the leftovers. As if one evening of consuming a bird stuffed with it's own organs isn't enough, we have to continue on with it for days after.



So this year I am breathing a huge sigh of relief that our only responsibility is to show up at my Aunt's house with a bottle of wine and one of my husband's cooking inspirations (this year-Stuffin' Muffins). I'll leave the mess and the leftovers to someone else, and for that I am truly grateful. Bah-Humbug.