Jennifer spent her young life learning the family traditions. Now as an adult, and with her mother being in heaven, continuing the family traditions was up to her. Jennifer took a moment to reflect on how every Thanksgiving, her mother would get up around seven in the morning. She would try to be quiet in the kitchen, but digging out the turkey roaster always made some noise. Jennifer rubbed her eyes and yawned as she put on her bathrobe and slippers. Everyone else was still asleep so she would tiptoe into the kitchen to watch her mom.
Jennifer admired how dedicated her mother was to make the holiday feast special for the whole family. She watched how she prepared the turkey for the oven. Her mother added the seasonings and the premade stuffing to the inside of the pale uncooked bird. Then lightly coat the outside of it with vegetable oil and a little salt. Even though the family didn’t have a lot of money, her mother tried to buy at least a ten-pound turkey. She also made sure that there were enough potatoes, vegetables, and rolls for everyone.
Once the oven was preheated to the desired temperature, her mother tented aluminum foil over the turkey, and carefully slid it into the oven. Now with time to spare, Jennifer and her mother always sat down for a while to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television. By the time it came on, everyone else was out of bed and eating some breakfast. The house started to liven up with conversation and laughter from her brother and sisters. The delicious smell of the turkey cooking started to fill the air of the small house.
Before the turkey was done, Jennifer remembered her mother peeling potatoes and boiling them to be mashed later. She also took some of the turkey juice from the pan and made homemade gravy with it and flour. And even though Jennifer wasn’t fond of sweet potatoes, she would still eat a small piece to please her mom. They also had slices of cranberry sauce from a can and buttered corn. For dessert, her mother made pumpkin pie the day before. As a young girl, it was only her mother and father, and brother and two sisters for Thanksgiving. It wasn’t a big family affair like many other families have. Just a single family enjoying time together with a specially prepared meal.
Even though her mother worked hard to create such a meal, the day of togetherness was simple. Talking, laughing, playing games, and enjoying the food prepared. The simplicity of the day is what seemed to make it so enjoyable. No hustle and bustle, no schedules to keep just family togetherness. Jennifer knew that in order to follow her mother’s tradition, she just had to keep it simple. However, now with her brother having a wife and two children, and her sisters with boyfriends, more food will be needed.
The whole week prior to Thanksgiving, Jennifer looked through her mother’s recipes and shopped for all the ingredients. Her goal was to make Thanksgiving day as special as her mother did. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Jennifer made three pumpkin pies and three dozen chocolate chip cookies. She also decorated the family home where her father still lives with some pumpkins and fall flowers. She washed all the nice china and set up the dining room table ahead of time. Jennifer told her father that she was a little nervous about making the turkey since it is her first time. Her father reassured her that it will be great, maybe even better than her mom's.
When Thanksgiving day arrived, Jennifer went over to the family home around eight. She prepared the turkey and stuffed it like her mother used to. Once it was in the oven, she made some coffee and oatmeal for her and her father. This time, the two of them sat down and watched Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade together. Jennifer’s youngest sister Carolyn arrived early and also sat down to watch the parade with them. Their brother and other sister have other family obligations so the meal won't be until two in the afternoon. Until then, Jennifer, Carolyn, and their father will have time to catch up.
When the parade was over, Jennifer and Carolyn peeled the potatoes together. Jennifer also mixed up the glaze for the carrots that Carolyn brought over. The satisfying aroma of the cooked turkey permeated the house once again. Not having her mother there with her was difficult, but new memories were being made. Laughter and conversation about new events and happenings start to fill the house. The in-laws and the grandchildren bring more joy and memories to the family home. Jennifer welcomes everyone with a smile as her mother would.
While Jennifer gets the rest of the meal put together, she hears compliments on the beautiful setup of the dining room table. She smiles at the laughter coming from her sisters over something that one of them said. She sees the niece and nephew playing with some toys that her father had given them. The joy and love that Jennifer feels now must have been how her mother felt all those years. The appreciation of a simple meal and togetherness is definitely rewarding, Jennifer thought.
As everyone gathered around the dining table, a big bowl of mashed potatoes sat there steaming. A gravy boat full of homemade gravy sat right next to it. The smell of freshly baked rolls from the oven also filled the air. The glistening red jelly of the cranberry sauce waited to be dug into. And the buttered corn and glazed carrots added beautiful color to the table. Jennifer walked in carrying the platter with the golden brown twenty-five-pound turkey and placed it at the head of the table by her father.
Everyone got quiet and all eyes focused on the turkey now sitting on the table. Jennifer walked over to her chair next to Carolyn and observed the smiles on everyone’s faces. One by one they all told Jennifer what a great job she did and thanked her for the day. Her father picked up the big fork and knife, ready to carve, looked at Jennifer, and said…
“Your mother may not be here in the flesh, but she is here in spirit. With you keeping her tradition, I believe that you have made her proud.”
I hope that you all enjoyed this story. Feel free to share your Thanksgiving traditions or memories below. I also want to thank you for being a reader of my work, and I wish you all a Very Happy Thanksgiving.