Thanksgiving Speech, roughly translated from German to English

Celebrating Thanksgiving doesn't necessarily involve the single day marked on the calendar in November. Kids are out of school by Wednesday and some adults are able to take an extra vacation day around Thanksgiving. Many of my relatives live far from my hometown of Athens. So when we come together we try to hang out as much as possible from the time of arrival to departure, often as late as Sunday. Four things have to do with celebrating Thanksgiving: Family, Food, Football, and getting ready for Christmas.

Thanksgiving is always a time to get together with family. Months ahead of time the is question arises: whose house will we celebrate at? For my dad's side we are always on the farm, at my grandparent’s house or my aunt's house. Then for my mom's side it is either her house or my uncle's house. Thanksgiving is celebrated with more than just immediate relatives; cousins, aunts, and uncles all come together.

Three different programs come on TV for Thanksgiving. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which we don't sit for 3 whole hours and watch. But it is playing in the background of our morning as we begin the Thanksgiving Day. (The other 2 programs I will mention later.)

FOOD is important to discuss with Thanksgiving. Perhaps intentionally or maybe because I’m still a youngin’ I haven't been given the responsibility of preparing a dish for Thanksgiving but the Grandmas and Aunts and Moms in my family decide among themselves who will bring what. Most of the foods we eat are only served for Thanksgiving, with the exception of some also happening for Christmas. Some of my favorites are broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole (with pecans and brown sugar preferably but marshmallows are also good), cranberry sauce (from the can and without chunks of cranberries please), mashed potatoes, and pecan pie. (Btw I think pecans are a completely foreign concept here. Thanks Mimi and Paw for sending me some to make in a pie for our dinner.) What is even better is because we have so much food, there are plenty of leftovers to keep eating over the weekend.

Thanksgiving in the South and maybe a few others places involves football. In-state rivalries heat up as people prepare to watch the college football teams battle it out. This weekend I will be tuning in via internet or somehow to watch the Auburn-Alabama game. Then others celebrate Thanksgiving not just with watching a football game, but also playing a football game. My dad's side of the family play a game of football at a nearby park at some point during the holiday. Some years are much colder than others. Hopefully you won't have snow like we are getting here in Salzburg. One particular game was videotaped a few years back by yours truly. I don't remember if I volunteered for the job or if somehow that was the nicest way for them to keep me off the field.

By Thanksgiving, Uncle Bobby (my great uncle) has the Christmas lights at his house ready to go. If you live near north Alabama and have never seen his lights, email me and I will tell you how to get there. It is a must-see. He has his lights on every night until New Years and you can see them from way off in the distance because they are Incredible! Right now I can envision being in the car as we drive around his house, listening to the music playing from his yard, and just seeing the thousands of lights and different decorations.

At some point during the day, I will have watched one of two movies that come on TV. It's a Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th St. Both are quality; definitely watch them between now and Christmas if you get the chance. They always put me in the Christmas spirit and wrap up the perfect celebration of Thanksgiving.

Ok now how do you celebrate Thanksgiving?