Thanks A Bunch For Turkey Lunch…
We don’t do Thanksgiving in the UK, this sometimes comes as a shock to some. Not too long ago, while booking at Hilton in the US for next year, I had a discussion with a very sweet young lady (ok, a cute girl) about the encroaching Halloween and the Christmas, and she was rather taken aback by us not having Thanksgiving. It also comes as a surprise to some that we don’t even have an equivalent of Thanksgiving.
“Turkey Day” for example, is usually Christmas, which is when most turkey is eaten in the UK. Though some families go for alternative fayre at this time, turkey has become the tradition.
I’m not always one to stick to convention though and I’m always willing to embrace other cultures, and also people from other cultures so long as they haven’t planned ahead with restraining orders or pepper spray. This year, I decided to do a Thanksgiving Dinner.
Kinda.
I did a Thanksgiving Lunch. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving. By choosing then, I could tie it in with the arrangements I always have of cooking the family roast on a Sunday, and yet enjoy a private thought of Thanksgiving spirit.
Maybe it wasn’t exact or traditional, maybe it harboured on it, that’s something that no doubt my American friends will advise on. It was, however, well recieved and promptly devoured. Turkey, cranberry sauce (jelly), mashed potato, baked sweet potato, mashed butternut squash (cos pumpkin isn’t easy to get), peas, carrots, baby corn cobs, fine green beans, gravy. It went fast.
We even had a parade of sorts the other night, as the annual pre-Christmas carnival rolled through the town. (Go here and select 2008 and Weston-super-Mare)
There was one element that hadn’t been taken care of. No not the Snoopy or Garfield specials, cos I have them on DVD, but the being thankful bit. Well, I recorded it, but…then I re-recorded today…
Lots of love and here’s to a pleasant and enjoyable forthcoming festive season. Happy Thanksgiving, folks.
this is precious. i am amazed that some americans don’t understand why other countries don’t have thanksgiving exactly as we do. okay, not amazed, just perturbed. we are not all morons, they just get more attention.
also, you did not reply to my fb message. i assume you do not want to dignify the question with an actual response.
or i am right. hahahahaha. yikes.
Actually, I thought it was rather endearing of the girl, and she was rather sweet about it which actually made the whole call really good. My follow-up call wasn’t as interesting, the lady on the phone was much older sounding. I like sweet, naive girls in my call centres.
Bleh, thought I had responded. I’ll get right on that.
oh, i did not mean to be negative about that girl in particular. where in the states are you coming to next year?
Heh, it’s cool. I don’t think it’s anything too bad not knowing about other countries and thanksgiving, because it is such a big part of life in the US. It’s just one of those differences that seems so small and frickin’ huge at the same time, and at least for me, I have no problem with anyone not knowing at first the cultural difference – I’m pretty damn sure I’d appreciate it when there’s differences I don’t realise.
That said, I’ve always wondered about how some people don’t get that, yes, the English have halloween too.
As for me, it’s a poorly guarded secret in that most people know or can easily figure it out. But I’ll be on the West Coast.
yeaaaaaaaaaaaah. now i think i know where you’re going. how cute.
i find it so much easier to imagine that other countries have halloween and christmas than that they celebrate a holiday that originated with pilgrims and native americans. but enough already.
Geez, precious AND cute in one thread?! Not sure how The Beautiful South got me there, but oh well. I must find some way to remedy this…
Pyramid Head-O’s by ~GuiseDugal on deviantART
hm, Pyramid Head cereal anyone…?
i see two big, blank, white boxes. not loading. dunno. doesn’t matter so much, but it sure is adorable. there, now three smooshy adjectives for you.
No idea what you mean by all this cute and adorable stuff…have you, perchance, been hoggin’ the nog?
no, i try my best not to drink alone. but that suggestion is just so darling.
Aw crap. Now I feel even worse for not keeping up over here and missing the last few posts. I’m sure you probably won’t even notice that I’m leaving this reply but just wanted to say I’m thankful for you, Dan, Dio, and loads others around here as well. I’m really glad I’ve gotten to know you guys over the last year or so.