Persimmon Puddin' 'n' Turkey Laigs

Artist's rendition of The First Thanksgiving

We’ve all heard the First Thanksgiving story.... “The English colonists we call Pilgrims celebrated days of thanksgiving as part of their religion. But these were days of prayer, not days of feasting.  Our national holiday really stems from the feast held in the autumn of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag to celebrate the colony's first successful harvest.”  (Scholastic.com)

We continue that annual tradition even today, celebrating not only harvest, but taking time to realize just how much we DO have to be thankful for.  This year, more than any year I can remember, we need to pause, spend time with family, and count our many many blessings... because we DO have them.  There is always always ALWAYS something to be thankful for. 

When I was growing up, this was one of those family gatherings at Grandmother’s house that I’ve mentioned in past posts.  The men folk (Dad, Granddaddy, and Mom’s brothers) would always gather early in the morning, and as Mom and Grandmother were putting the turkey in the oven to start the preparations for a feast to end all feasts, they went out in the woods and went hunting.  I can’t remember what they were hunting for... squirrels and rabbits, most likely.  It was rare to see a deer or wild turkey in those woods back in those days.  They’d stay out there until on toward noon, and come back in.  After all, it wasn’t going to be long before the football games started.  Us kids, of course, were situated in front of the TV to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. 

Many traditions have sprung up around a typical Thanksgiving Day around here, not least of all a feast to end all feasts, complete with all the favorite family recipes.  This was when I could always expect to get a piece of Grandmother’s persimmon puddin’... made from this year’s crop of persimmons.  There would always be Grandmother’s potato salad, and her cranberry salad.  One of my Aunts always brought her “Pink Stuff”, which was a salad with lots of fruit mixed in a whipped cream base... we just always called it “Pink Stuff”.  Everyone brought something to go with the turkey and dressing and yeast rolls that Grandmother was cooking. 

The tables were set with the “fancy china” and we had to be sure to use the “correct way to lay a table” (fork here, knife/spoon there, glass here, etc.) Food was served buffet style, and after we filled our plates, the adults would go to “The Big Table” and we would go to “The Kid’s Table”.  We always wanted to get big enough to finally be invited to “The Big Table”, but looking back on it, “The Kid’s Table” was where the fun was... laughing and giggling about something or other all the time.

Somewhere around Thanksgiving was when I remember Dad always going to at least one Turkey Shoot.  I knew it was some sort of shooting contest because Dad always spent a lot of time cleaning his guns before they began... and I knew someone was supposed to have always won a turkey, but I don’t remember Dad ever bringing one home.  It wasn’t until later that I found out it wasn’t a “real live” turkey that was to the prize, but a frozen one that someone had bought from the grocery store.

Thanksgiving in the South usually means that the weather is still pretty good some days, and while the nights are starting to get chilly sometimes, the days are usually in the 60’s and 70’s, so that meant that us kids would get shoo’d outside to play, so we’d be out from under foot for all the cooking that was going on. 

It wasn’t until later in life, when my oldest son mentioned it actually, that I realized that Thanksgiving was actually better than Christmas, in a way.  There were no gifts to worry about, no tons of decorations to get placed just so, just lots of family and friends and food.  These days, family is all over the country, having moved away over the years, but they still try to make time to come in for Thanksgiving.  Christmas is often too busy with church and family obligations to travel very far, but Thanksgiving is another thing altogether.  We get extra time off work since it’s a national holiday, so what could be better than a long weekend road trip and come home for a family gathering. 

Thanksgiving is actually a pretty unusual day, if you think about it.  It’s a day set aside to be thankful for the many blessings we’ve had over the past year... a time to reflect on what’s gone on over the past year, and take a moment to realize just how very blessed we have truly been.  In this age of hurry-hurry and instant gratification, in an age of uncertainty and change.... in this age of feeling that the world is spinning too fast and you just want to get off...  It’s good, no – it’s important and necessary, to stop...  take a deep breath, and look at all you DO have... look at your family, your friends, your loved ones (2-legged and 4-legged).  Those precious things are your blessings.  They make your life better.  They are the priceless treasures that you hold dear to your heart. 

So on this Thanksgiving Day...  take a few moments...  As the song says, “Count your many blessings, name them one by one...” !!!  YOU will be on my list.  I am grateful for each of you that read these memories.  Thank YOU!  And have a wonderful, wonder-filled Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!