When I started writing this post, yesterday was the day when the post was due. By mutual agreement with Bice, we've postponed the due date to today, which on that day was yesterday's tomorrow.
On the actual day I was supposed to write the post, yesterday would have been the last Saturday of November, which was the day that Joliette & I celebrated Thanksgiving.
We invited a bunch of people around, including Bice who flew from Hobart specifically for the event, and did our best to celebrate Thanksgiving in this bizarre and unenlightened country that refuses to give us two days off to do so.
Since we can't be around family, we like to invite a bunch of friends over, especially if they're American and not able to make it home. We put on a massive turkey, make some corn casserole and invite friends to bring things like sweet potato casserole with marshmellows (actually a thing) or delicious brocolli casserole or a bottle of wine or what have you and have a massive dinner. Note that for maximum accuracy, whenever you see 'we' followed by something that sounds like work, you should read that as 'Joliette'.
It's really nice. Lots of warm, nourishing, tasty comfort food, and as many turkey sandwiches as you could possibly want for the next week.
As a thing, before we eat, we have to go around the room and say what we were thankful for in the year. For me, I'm especially thankful for being able to make a home here in London.
More & more American culture is making its way over here, but I don't know why Thanksgiving is not taking off as rapidly as Halloween. Less opportunity to sell stuff, perhaps? Having an autumnal harvest feast seems like a wonderful, obvious idea that all northern countries ought to do. (Sorry Australia, you'll have to stick with chocolate rabbits.) Specifically making time to be thankful seems like an even better idea.
For a start, it's really easy to forget how much of what we are and what we've achieved is only possible through the kindness and hard work of others. Those from Britain, Australia or America can't exactly take credit for being born in wealthy countries.
It's also a good time to wonder if there is anyone to whom we can be thankful. "To thank" is a transitive verb, and although it's all well and good to swell with feeling of graititude, if you have something to be thankful for, then you have someone to be thankful to. Thanksgiving is great time to find out who that is and thank them.
Also, pumpkin pie.
This post is part of the Alphabet Supremacy, a collaboration with Bice Dibley. Next week's (i.e. today's) word is "zombie".