As a transplant to Canada it is always hard for me to celebrate Thanksgiving in October but alas this is what we do. The same weekend as Columbus Day for my U.S. friends we sit and give thanks. Instinctively as the month of November draws to a close I begin to think of the Thanksgiving that my American friends celebrate. The hustle and bustle of the airports, train stations and railways so that everyone can get ‘home’ to be surrounded by loved ones for this all important day. It has me thinking why is it so important to be together on this one day? Perhaps it is my Greek background that makes me think we should be doing this every day, every week, or at least once a month. Where have the family dinners gone? Where has the conversation gone while we’re all huddled around the table? Why must we text each other when we’re sitting less than 10 feet from each other? What has happened to the institution of family and is the thought of a parents and children sitting around a table with extended family and friends so archaic?
I know that for us Thanksgiving usually meant we were invited to someone’s home. Being Greek it is easy to feed four more mouths on a day like Thanksgiving. I mean one year my mom cooked a ham, lamb and turkey for the four of us. Never mind the roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, salad, pastitchio, spinach pie, cheese pie, feta, olives, Greek salad, tzatziki, tirokafteri and homemade baked bread. Now that I have my own family I understand the importance of starting our own traditions. I remember my father carving the turkey and uncovering the all important wishbone. I mean it was such a huge event in our house between my brother and I on who got the ‘win’. As my family and friends sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year know that you’re being thought of from afar and we’re wishing you an amazing day full of laughter, love and most importantly the creation of wonderful memories.
