Belated Thanksgiving
Recently, I came across pictures from a Thanksgiving feast that I was a part of when I went to elementary school. We were all dressed up in politically incorrect costumes.
Do elementary schools still have Thanksgiving celebrations? I haven’t a clue. All I know is that my Oreos do not celebrate Thanksgiving anymore. It is a day just like any other day. Do I have opinions on this? Not really. Even if I did, it wouldn’t change their minds, so what’s the point?
This year, I invited my mother and my mother-in-law to come for pizza night, because that is what Thursday night is. Pizza night. A bonus was that I had Strudel and her sisters. My mother decided that eating pizza on Thanksgiving is un-American, so she went to a friend who was having a more traditional dinner. My mother-in-law came and partook in the pizza. I got to hang out with Strudel, so it was a win-win for everyone.
I have written about my more memorable Thanksgivings in columns past. Driving out to Brooklyn to see my paternal grandparents. Eating the delicious takeout from a store called L and E — at least I think that is what it was called. The stuffing was worth waiting all year for. My brother has tried to recreate it over the years, but it was never quite the same, and then I think he gave up. Or he just hasn’t told me if he hasn’t.
There were a few years when the Orthodox Union’s convention was Thanksgiving weekend. I think I might have been at a few of those. The most memorable being the one when Husband #1 asked my father for “permission” to marry me. Ahh, good times. That was 30 years ago. Holy Moses, how is that possible?
And now, like I just said, Thanksgiving is just a regular Thursday. I don’t have to wait on the long lines at the supermarket. I don’t have to figure out what side dishes Husband #1 will eat. I don’t have to fight with the management at ShopRite demanding a free kosher turkey. So many things I miss out on! I still remember the year that the checkout lady, who I had become friendly with because I would be at ShopRite almost every day, let me take home a turkey for free. “It’s really not fair that you don’t get one — just take it and have a happy holiday,” she said to me all those years ago. See — it pays to be nice to your checkout lady!
Back to Strudel and her sisters. I am so thankful that they all came over for the long weekend. As the boy mom, any time that they come to me, I am still a little surprised and very grateful. And Strudel is just my favorite human on this planet. Sister #2 is just a little smiley mush ball who wants to do everything her big sister is doing, and Sister #3 is still figuring out what her hands are.
Seeing Son #1 with all these girls is just beyond. I can say, with full certainty, that he will never be taking them on any baseball road trips. But, hopefully, he will regale them with tales of the trips that he went on. God has a real sense of humor. Every time I go into our “hockey room” in the basement, I chuckle. We have all the pennants from the different stadiums we went to, as well as my great-grandfather’s gemarahs, and now, thank God, tons of toys and arts and crafts supplies. It is a little nuts.
The little yellow table and chairs that Strudel does her coloring on is the table that my brother and I used to sit at. Plastic really does last forever. It’s not good for the planet, but it is good for kids to color on. Strudel knows it is the only piece of furniture she can draw on, because there still are faded remnants of artwork from my brother and me.
So this brings us back to Thanksgiving. Even though there was no turkey or stuffing or sweet potato pie with marshmallows, there was so much to be thankful for.
Hope you all had a wonderful and healthy holiday weekend.
Banji Ganchrow of Teaneck enjoyed bribing Strudel with lollipops so she would go to synagogue with her.
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