Preparing for Thanksgiving 2020

Today, we’re preparing for Thanksgiving 2020. And it looks a good bit different than Thanksgiving 2019 and every other Thanksgiving through my entire life.

I have no complaints about that. It’s merely an observation… a contemplation… a reflection. Because above all else I’m deeply, humbly grateful that we’re in the position to celebrate this holiday in good health.

The Baked Goods

Preparations actually began yesterday (Tuesday), as it’s a well-known fact that baked goods - pies, cookies, cakes, etc. - are always better a day or two later. On the to-make list were:
✔ pumpkin pie (of course)
✔ three-layer cookies
✔ Aunt Alma’s date bar cake

It’s worth noting that the three-layer cookies are something our Garmy made every year at Thanksgiving. To my recollection, we haven’t had them since her passing in 1989.

It’s also worth noting that Aunt Alma’s date bar cake has been enjoyed at our family Thanksgivings every year - every year! - since about 1940. It might have even been earlier than that.

And perhaps it’s worth noting that this was our first time making the pumpkin pie from scratch. We used pumpkin puree rather than the ready-made pumpkin pie mix, magically changing both the texture and color of the pie I was used to.

The Sides

Today is sides day. The goal here is to leave as little work to do tomorrow as possible, so we can simply enjoy the day. On the to-make list:
✔ mashed sweet potato
✔ mashed potato
✔ green bean casserole
✔ dressing

All are easy enough to make. They’re just a little labor-intensive, which is why they’re made today and stored in oven-safe dishes. They’ll join the turkey for its last hour or so of cooking tomorrow (Thanksgiving Day).

I was the one who added green bean casserole to the list. I haven’t made it before this year. Normally, it’s my Auntie Pat who makes it and brings it to the big family Thanksgiving gathering.

Thanksgiving Will Look Different This Year

It’s Thanksgiving 2020, though, which means there’s no big family gathering. Instead of 20 or 30 or 40 or more people for a sit-down meal, there are four of us.

We’ll certainly connect with other family through various means, and yet I’ll miss the hubbub and all that goes along with feeding so many people at once.

Heck, I’ll even miss doing all the dishes with my cousins afterward… maybe… Well, maybe I won’t miss all the dishes, and yet I will miss the camaraderie and familiarity of my cousins.

We are so blessed, though.

No one in my family - immediate and extended - is sick with COVID-19. Blessed be.

Everyone is in the position to keep a roof over their heads and food on their tables. Blessed be.

There’s much to be thankful for - even including Thanksgiving looking different this year. It’s the first time in my life I’ll be eating Thanksgiving at home on Thanksgiving Day, and it feels cozy and comforting.

So, preparing for Thanksgiving 2020, while different, is special in its own way. It’s a sort of rite of passage, for all of us.

And besides, according to my Grandpa Oliver, my mom’s dad who passed long before I was born, Thanksgiving 2021 will restore our familiar traditions. He visited me last Thursday afternoon and delivered that sweet message. If it is for the highest and best, so may it be.

May we all find something to be grateful for within its differences. And so it is. Blessed be.