As we venture closer to the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope each of you finds a reason to celebrate. I wish everyone peace and to see the world with gentle kindness and appreciation.
In keeping with the tradition of holidays, it only seems fitting to pay tribute to the reasons and story behind the first Thanksgiving celebration. Today, each of us (I think) observes the holiday as an opportunity to eat magnificent amounts of turkey, mashed potatoes, your favorite bread and pie, and a gravy boat the size of the Titanic! Of course, I am in no way whatsoever meaning to elude or exclude any fantastic foods or traditions we might have the opportunity to explore at this food festival! Perhaps I recall food because, as you might remember, the olfactory system is one of our “superhero” senses!
On Thursday, November 26, 1621, the Pilgrims, also called Colonists, collaborated with the Wampanoag Indigenous People for a three-day festival. The Autumn meal was a celebration of giving thanks for the bountiful harvest. The Wampanoag honor the Pilgrims with a gift of five deer for the festival. The menu included maize, cranberries (although fresh and not jellied), lobster, seal, and swan. It may be ironic as our current standing celebration of turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie were not included in the first celebration.
In exploring these beautiful traditions and memories, I remember the bustle of grandmothers, moms, dads, aunts and uncles, and cousins, all gathered in anticipation of the forthcoming feast! I remember the delightful aromas that danced around from room to room. I remember my Granny’s sonnet she would recite with each slice of apple pie for someone! “An apple pie without any cheese is like a hug without any squeeze!” Do you have any of these beautiful memories that are a part of your history? Share the past, write it down, and celebrate it with the people you love! As always, there is so much more to every story! Gobble! Gobble! The celebrations and the stories! Remember to get up each day and #chaseyoursparkle and every #historymysteries!
Forest of Words 