As the family prepares for our Thanksgiving feast, and ZJ captures stills before the onslaught of guests in the afternoon, I have a moment to reflect on what and whom I am thankful for.
My parents did prep yesterday, and my sisters and I baked the pies: a cranberry brown sugar tart, chocolate pumpkin pie, and an apple crumble with a cinnamon roll crust.
We’ll have the usual fare of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, and a green vegetable. My dad also smokes turkey thighs and family friends will bring along appetizers, soups, and other sides. We have two turkeys this year, a rare occurrence as my parents normally prepare one 27+ pound bird.
It’s the first time in five years my sisters and I are all home for the holiday. ZJ and I celebrated Thanksgiving in Xi’an, and even partook in putting together a Thanksgiving feast one year. Most years we ended up at Village Cafe, a restaurant serving up Western fare, including a turkey meal with all the trimmings. It pales in comparison to a homemade Thanksgiving affair.
New Jersey and most of the Northeast is celebrating a white Thanksgiving thanks to a Nor’easter dumping three to four inches yesterday, prompting panic about holiday travel. This panic happens every year, thanks to the media and their innate ability to induce said panic. Snow threatens to damper Thanksgiving plans every year!
As this is an obligatory Thanksgiving post, it’s appropriate to discuss what and whom I’m thankful for.
I’m thankful for ZJ, my loving, doting, selfless husband. I’m also thankful for my parents, sisters, friends, and acquaintances (you know who you are are!). Lastly, I’m grateful for the online AMWF community, and friends I’ve made through Xiananigans, whose support, guidance, and care has surpassed what I could type on this page.
If you’re one of the countless readers living in China, or in some way touched by China, as in learning the language and have relatives or friends from China, Speaking of China and Linda Living in China have great resources for you.
Ever wondered how to aptly describe Thanksgiving to Chinese family and friends? Jocelyn over at Speaking of China has you covered!
For those of you learning Chinese, Linda put together vocabulary as well as links for talking about Thanksgiving.
Happy Turkey Day! I wish you and your loved ones health and happiness all year round 🙂
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Xiananigans on the Prairie 
Too bad it is not celebrated in Germany, would be a good reason to eat some nice 🙂
There is a similar religious celebration here however it is not a public holiday (anymore) and most people dont even remember when it is (including me! I only know it is during autumn time )
Oh wow, I didn’t realize Germany had a similar holiday, but then again, I do recall many harvest festivals exist across religions and cultures. I’m Jewish and we have a harvest festival, called Sukkot. It’s an eight day lesser-known Jewish tradition, usually in October. The Jewish calendar is also lunar, like the Chinese.
Yeah I remember few things from the Jewish celebrations and also about the calendar. In school (Germany) the religion studies are about learning about the own religion (in my case ev. Lutheran) and then learning about other major religions. I think we had all about Jewish stuff for at least three years and from that time few things are still in my head 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had an amazing time with your family and friends!
Thanks, Constance!
Thank you for the link! Sounds like you had a nice Thanksgiving with your family! 🙂
You are welcome, as always! Yes, Thanksgiving turned out great. I’m working on a reply to your email 🙂