Boozhoo!
I spent much of this weekend preparing for our feast on Thursday. The menu is much like the traditional Thanksgiving dinner with wild rice, squash, turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes homemade cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, 2 pumpkin pies (one without a crust for me!) an apple pie, jello and homemade whipped cream. I did all the shopping today. I always buy Butterball turkeys, they are yummy! I bought some new dinner plates from the World Market, plain white with a wire rack to carry them. I also bought a new table cloth and some paper napkins with fall leaves on them.
Brad and I finished raking leaves today and I hung up the Christmas light, because it was the first decent day to be outside in a long time. I won't light them up until Dec. but they are ready to go. I just have to get Brad climb onto the porch roof to hang my new big wreath that will be lit with red lights to match the garland on the porch pillars. It will hang between Autumn's and Caleb's bedroom windows in the front of the house.
Okay... back to the harvest dinner, I super cleaned the bathroom and threaten all the kids not to mess it up too bad before Thursday or else! I made some harvesty candle holders, I do this ever year. I just love how it looks. I fill canning jars with popping corn, nuts, and cranberries, tie a bow on them and place a candle in them. Because Harpo is a busy body I've opted for battery candles, so I don't have to watch them every second. I haven't made the cranberry one yet. I did buy them, just haven't done it.
I've written our dinner prayer. We will sprinkle tobacco over a flame of a candle as we read it. A native offering to the Great Father. We will do this just before dinner. Also everyone will write down on a small piece of paper 3 things they are thankful for this year. No names! We will take turns after dinner and pull one out of the basket and read it out loud. It will be fun to figure out who the author is. Before dinner we will take turns honoring a past loved one by sharing a memory of them. When we are done eating and enjoying a hot toddy we will play some games. Cranium, spoons, and maybe a round of charades. There are other things that are normally included at a Ghost Supper like making a plate for each of the honored loved one and burning in a open fire. Like everything else in our lives we take a little of this and a little of that to make it work for us. Oh yeah, I need to find my Cd of Native flute and drumming to play softly during dinner. Now there will be an afternoon of cleaning and baking on Wed. Then preparing the feast on Thursday while watching the Macy's parade. That is one of my favorite memories of my dad. He always woke me on Thanksgiving to come downstairs to watch the parade with him. He loved the parade and so do I. :) I hope you all have a wonderful and Thankful week!
Megwetch (thank you) in Ojibwa.
9 comments:
Oh...I love your write three things you are thankful for and putting it in a basket/jar...and being read anonymously...i think we might have to adopt this as a tradition.
your day sounds like a pleasant, happy, family filled, fun game playing...kinda day!
Hope you have a day of peace & happiness as you celebrate Ghost Supper/Harvest Dinner!
I agree with Eluciq, that's a very nice way to express gratitude, that tradition you do. You are so good about getting out the decorations. I have gotten very lazy in the last few years. I did clean off the porch and put summer furniture away yesterday! It was beautiful and sunny, great huh?
This sounds really nice – I love how you have created your own take on the holiday by blending together all the things you love. The coolest thing about this post is your enthusiasm; it shines through just as bright as can be. Have a beautiful Ghost Supper/Harvest Dinner!
Wow, after having been sick last week I'm amazed you had that much energy. It sounds wonderful. You're lucky we're all so far away or we'd be crashing your dinner! Things here won't be half as interesting.
Sounds like it will be a meaningful and fun holiday. I haven't even started the final planning for menu or any shopping - G has been so sick and we were at Dr's all weekend. We may end up with pizza! ;)
We have a giving thanks ritual we like that is similar to your jar - that sounds like a great idea for when my boys get older.
Thanks Tiff, I hope you stuff yourself with goodies!
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Hey Ruth, yeah I've been teased about been a Martha Stewart want-a-be.
I probably will slow down when my kids are all grown and out of the house.
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Thanks Tara, I get a little excited about the holidays:)
Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
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Oh Sharon, I would love to have you all! That would be too much fun and we'd probably get into some trouble! :)
I am feeling much better. Still a bit sick, I hope it doesn't come back again. Megwetch!
Thanks Denise, My kids would be very happy with pizza! I hope everyone is feeling better.
A few years ago we were planning on traveling to upper Michigan to my sister's for Thanksgiving. We woke to a snow storm. We had to stay home. Bummer! We had chicken.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Lovely decorations and traditions Anet.
We don't really have any set traditions for Thanksgiving except to eat dinner at Mark's parents home. His dad turned 81 a few weeks ago and his mom will be 82 in May so they are pretty stuck in their ways.
This year she's too mentally frail(dementia) to cook but Mark's dad will do almost as much. We will bring some sides, broccoli rice casserole is our standard, and some sweet potatoes and maybe even mashed potatoes(his dad isn't real good at gauging how much to make). I really miss her 5-hour yeast rolls but I cannot duplicate them to save my life so we'll bring some brown and serve store-bought ones.
Of course we always watch football and I TRY to watch the parade but end up missing it most times due to cooking and/or planning of some kind. We also play toss the football too, I guess that's our main family tradition. Unless it is raining of course.
Molly
ps, my veriword is "flurn", what an interesting word!!lol
Sounds lovely, Anet. It's nice to know other people who love to go all out. My guy will be putting the lights on this week also and we also have the Macy's parade tradition--we most look forward to Santa because that signals when we can start playing Yule music! It's tradition!
Oh, and silly Harpo--we have Max, the buff tiger cat, who seem determined to burn his nose off. I just can't give up my beeswax candles. Dumb cat.
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