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closeThanksgiving is a time to create great memories
Karen Sundell
Guest columnist
My husband and I love to cuddle up on these rainy, blustery fall days and watch old movies. Our favorite era is the 1940s; those great black-and-white movies with actors like Bette Davis, James Cagney, Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey.
At the end of one of these movies, when the heartwarming story is wrapping up, my husband will sigh and say, “Those were the days.”
“No,” I will reply. “These are the days.”
I see what he’s saying. When we reflect back on days gone by, the days behind us often look easier. Time seemed simpler, and we seemed to have more of it. Especially now that the holiday season is ahead of us.
My favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is next week. Being someone who loves to cook, I tend to go overboard. I usually prepare more food than my family could possibly eat in an entire week.
I love to serve a large variety of dishes on the special china I seem to only take out about three times a year. I find recipes, each one sounding better than the last, and therefore I have to make them all.
I don’t have any family in Gig Harbor, so I often invite friends in a similar situation to eat the meal I have prepared.
How about a little history? Thanksgiving began in 1621 as a symbol of cooperation and interaction between the English colonists and the Native Americans. Today, I believe, it’s a time when family members of all generations agree to gather together for one meal at the same time for more than the five minutes in what you hope is a peaceful atmosphere.
It’s a symbol of cooperation and interaction among family members before the Christmas season begins.
The original Thanksgiving feast lasted for three days. With all the leftovers I have, I think my family should go back to the original Thanksgiving three-day event.
But then I discovered that, on Thanksgiving Day, the average person consumes 4,500 calories. That’s enough for a person to gain one pound in just one day.
Forty-five million turkeys are sold around Thanksgiving. That’s 535 million pounds of turkey meat, and 91 percent of Americans eat turkey on the fourth Thursday in November.
And the reason why turkey was chosen for the main dish on the original Thanksgivings was because it was the most abundant bird at the first few celebrations. I’m glad there weren’t a lot of pigeons that first Thanksgiving.
In my younger years, I use to love to sit at the table at the holiday season and listen to my grandmother talk with her siblings. My grandmother was one of 13 children. They would talk about other holiday gatherings, but the story that has stayed in my mind most clearly is the story about my grandmother and her brothers and sisters when they were cooking dinner together and listening to the radio.
The Charleston began to play, and all of them started to dance the Charleston in the kitchen.
Or the time when the old car that barely ran and had no heat broke down on the way home in the snow after the big Thanksgiving meal, and the family had to walk the rest of the way home. Those who recount the tale say it was the best thing for all who were in the car, because they had all eaten too much. After the walk, they all felt so much better.
Ahh, those were the days.
No, wait. These are the days, and I must remember that the memories I share now will go with my children.
I did a very unofficial survey with some of my friends by asking them what their best Thanksgiving memory was. Almost all of them referred back to when they were kids.
This holiday, with all the smells from the kitchen and family coming to visit, embed some incredible memories.
These great memories happen without Santa or presents. The memories are about family.
So when you gather together and look across the table at the people you are related to, remember that the young are looking, too. And most likely, they will remember. So smile, pass the potatoes to crazy Uncle Harry and remember that this day is one where we need to step back and give thanks for all the blessings we have.
But if those relatives start to get on your nerves, then remember the phrase from my husband’s grandfather about family: “Nice to see you come, nice to see you go.”
We’re looking for a new panel of community columnists
For the past couple years, The Peninsula Gateway has asked Gig Harbor or Key Peninsula community members for their opinions as community columnists. Now is the time to apply for our 2010 panel.
This year, Burt Talcott, Lucinda Wingard, Karen Sundell and Haley Miller wrote about politics, the greater Gig Harbor community or their notes on life. They provided different views — some historical, some comical — while sporting one common trait: They love their community.
We’re looking for a diverse set of people and a cross-section of opinions, ranging from different ages to length of time spent in the community.
We’ll expect our 2010 columnists to stay on top of current events, put their own spin on how they see our ever-changing landscape. We want fresh perspectives with topics that will relate to all readers of The Peninsula Gateway.
If you’re interested, here’s how you can apply:
Write two sample columns between 600 and 800 words each. Attach a cover letter telling us about yourself and why this community needs to hear from you.
Send your information to: Community columnists, The Peninsula Gateway, 3555 Erickson St., Gig Harbor, WA 98335, or e-mail them to: gatewayeditor@gateline.com with “Community columnist” in the subject line.
If you can commit to writing one column per month for the entire year, we must receive your entry by noon on Thursday, Dec. 31.