Thanksgiving with My New Family

Growing up as kids we were told in school that Thanksgiving came to be after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and had much to be thankful for. The tradition began with the Pilgrims and Indians sharing a grand feast. While this was the imaged that we were to believe as kids, I now see Thanksgiving as a time to relax, enjoy family and be with those who love you. I see an excuse for excessive amounts of wine to flow and for people to overeat until they feel they may burst.

This is the typical Thanksgiving I have seen every year for as long as I can remember. However this year was different. Instead of seeing my family, I got to experience my new family, my fiancé’s family and it was great. We spent the time up at their family cabin in Lake Arrowhead, with the entire family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) for three days. Much of the same experience that I have every year was shared by her family. Stories were shared, feelings of gratitude and joy were exchanged and too much alcohol was consumed. The family welcomed me in (since it was the first time I had seen them since we got engaged) and congratulated both of us. The entire time together was all to brief, but the best feeling in the world is getting back to your own bed after being away for a week. Although Thanksgiving has changed from the days of maize with the Pilgrims and Indians, but it is still a great time of celebration.