But It's Time

Thanksgiving was so fun. And our last in Montgomery. It’s sad to see the house go. But it’s time. - Miranda, November 2005

Much like Frances, I have very strong associations with places. Every year, as I begin the Thanksgiving preparations, I reminisce about Thanksgivings Past.

I remember our last Thanksgiving at my Aunt’s house in Montgomery. My cousin Claire was just a baby. My Grandparents were still young(ish). We had our classic family dishes. Nothing stands out as spectacular or unusual, but that’s what made it so lovely. The tradition continued, and that alone is perfect.

Houses come and go. They feel like home for a while, and then it is time to move on. But it is never the house that makes it feel like home. It is the people. The stories. The celebrations. The customs. This year, whether you are honoring the past or starting new traditions, I hope you have a wonderful holiday in whatever place feels like home for you.

Just like my diary entry, this blog post is short and to the point. I have to get back to my giant checklist. Now, where did I put that cranberry sauce….

And December Is Just Starting

I'm exhausted.  And December is just starting.  Thanksgiving was nice.  Sold Daddy's house.  He loved that house.  We worked so hard to keep him there.  I get so sad when I think about him.  I should be more gentle with myself, but I am so tired of being so emotional.  I'm just tired all the time.  - Miranda, November 2008

For me, the November-December transition can feel like a blur, rolling from a major holiday to a major month of performances.  A few years ago, I started intentionally keeping Thanksgiving weekend clear on my calendar.  No gigs or teaching obligations - just one last quiet moment before the December craziness begins.  Now, the Christmas trees are going up, and I'm happily dusting off Sleigh Ride and The Nutcracker for another season of holiday concerts, instead of feeling like Scrooge.  

This was not always the case.  2008 was a challenging year for me, all around - I remember being exhausted all the time.  Thanksgiving happened, and before I knew it, I was practically living in my car with my clarinet, concert clothes, and a Santa hat.  Through it all, I was grieving the loss of my Dad.  No time to sit around, though!  I had to get out there and earn that money!  I can even see it in my diary entries - lots of short sentences and repeated phrases.  Variations on 'just so tired' were particularly prevalent.  On top of that, we sold my Dad's house around that time.  Talk about emotional!  I spent a lot of time trying to process my grief and deal with it logically.  Sometimes, I ignored it all together.  Any guesses on how that turned out?? 

We don't always have the luxury of clearing our schedule to deal with our emotions.  As we head into the holiday season, maybe we can all steal a few moments for ourselves.  In this time of giving, maybe we can give ourselves a break - and be a little more gentle.

It Was Such Fun Having Company

My 27th birthday and the first one I've ever had when I didn't receive a single present.  Was sort of disappointed that Elsie forgot.  We celebrated Thanksgiving tonite.  I invited Mr. Chen + Miss Su + Doc + Mrs. Chen.  It was such fun having company for a change.  We had a very nice dinner I thot - chestnut stuffing + a pumpkin pie with nuts.  Our table looked very pretty with candles + the jack-o-lantern, tangerine place cards + red autumn leaves.  - Annette, November 1942

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  My family has a history of large Thanksgiving celebrations with polished silver, place cards, and delicious food made with love by all our guests.  Every year, my aunt and I start working weeks in advance to plan all the details.  This year, my Thanksgiving will be a bit smaller - just 6 instead of 20 - but I am excited for new traditions!  As I worked on my to-do lists, I started thinking about Annette's Thanksgiving celebrations.

While in China, they were never really sure when Thanksgiving was supposed to be, so they would have their celebrations when they could.  This one happened on a Sunday - maybe to celebrate her birthday as well!  I love that she used fresh tangerines as place cards, and decorated with leaves from their trees.  I love that they made chestnut stuffing and pumpkin pie.  I love that my grandfather carved a pumpkin as decoration.  I can just imagine this beautiful scene, and as I embrace my own inner hostess, it makes me feel so connected to her.

I also love that she mentioned how glad she was to have company.  And that she was a little bit sad to not receive a birthday gift.  So much of our existence on this planet is tied to the people around us, and celebrations can sometimes be bittersweet.  This will be my first Thanksgiving since I was I child that I won't be with my aunt.  That makes me a little sad.  But, I'll be celebrating with fiancé's family, whom I completely adore, so with the sadness there is also joy!  To me, Thanksgiving is a celebration of family - whether family by blood, by choice, by circumstance, or anything else.  I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, good company, and love.  And maybe a place card or two.