Happy Thanksgiving

The pleasant aroma wafting from the kitchen was unmistakable. We only got to enjoy this sweet smell once a year - on Thanksgiving morning! I never have figured out what she does to that turkey before she puts it in the oven. But it sure filled our humble home with a most pleasing aroma!

A couple days before Thanksgiving Dad would stop by the discount bread store and pick up a bunch of half price bread. On the night before the big day we all got to stay up late making toast and ripping it into small pieces to be used in the stuffing. “That’s too big” Mom would admonish us when we got lazy and tried to toss in too large a piece. Our old two-slice toaster got a real workout that Wednesday night before Thanksgiving.

Long before you could walk into your local superstore and pick up practically any variety of pre-made pie, Moms everywhere made pies the day before Thanksgiving. Oven space was at a premium on Thanksgiving day itself ! Mom put “the bird” in the oven early so it would be ready to eat by Supper.

Then, early on Thanksgiving morning and after Mom had stuffed and started cooking the turkey she would turn on the TV and we’d watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade. I can’t imagine a Thanksgiving morning without catching a glimpse of the numerous high school bands , incredibly big balloons and the famous Radio City Hall Rockettes. Long before Santa brought up the rear of the parade we’d start enjoying that wonderful scent.

As the afternoon grew long Mom would prepare the cranberries and start washing and cutting the potatoes. She’d put out little bowls of pickles and olives – all would be long gone before the feast began! An hour or so before she pulled that magnificent bird from the oven she’d prepare some more stuffing. Mom’s homemade stuffing always turns out so good – it has long been my favorite part of the whole Thanksgiving meal!

Somehow, everything would come together just in time to hear her call to Dad – “It’s time to carve the Turkey”! While Dad carved the moist and aromatic turkey meat we’d take turns mashing the potatoes and stirring the gravy! That meant that pretty soon we’d all be gathering around the table for another wonderful Thanksgiving feast.
Hoping all your Thanksgiving memories are pleasant. Or that you’ll make some new ones this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!