This is Not Your Norman Rockwell

From the cover of The Saturday Evening Post, 1923

Thanksgiving is such an odd holiday. Don't get me wrong, any holiday that includes sweet potato pie (...which I totally prefer over pumpkin) is fine by me, but what, exactly are we celebrating? The beginning of the near annihilation of the Native Americans? Gluttony brought to the brink of being catatonic? The opening of the most greedy, shamelessly exploited examples of capitalization in the modern era, as "Black Friday" (...which has apparently been moved to Thursday this year) is launched in industrialized nations around the world? None of these things put me in a festive mood. In order to do that, I have to give myself a serious mental shake, turn off the TV, and shift my focus towards what my father would call more pagan rituals for this time of year.

Harvest festivals have been held in many cultures around the world for thousands of years. One common theme is the celebration of the end of the growing season, a thankfulness for the bounty of the harvest, and a time to enjoy a meal (often accompanied by dancing) with close friends and family. This, to me, sounds like a GREAT idea...in theory. It doesn't, however, always work out that way. I don't know about any of you, but for me the Thanksgivings I remember from my past weren't always cause for celebration. And try as I might, I don't recall a single one ever fitting the ideal shown in Mr. Rockwell's picture above.

As a child, this time of year was extremely stressful, especially being shuffled around between sides of the family after my parents divorce. Later, when I added my significant other, Thanksgiving became a day I dreaded with a passion. The traffic was a nightmare and after going to visit family all over, by the end of the night I was exhausted and wanted to puke from over-eating. When we started our own family, I put the kibash on "traditions" that made me want to hide in a closet until New Years. We began to shape our holidays after happy things we remembered and new things we added as our girls got older. One lesson I've learned from all of those non-Rockwell-like holidays of the past is to take that beast in hand and make it your own...do only the things that make you happy, go only the places where you know you're truly welcome, and don't let anything trample on a time of year that is supposed to be about fellowship and love. Oh, and have a slice of sweet potato pie!

Here's a link with some great information on Harvest Festivals....

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/uncategorized/ten-amazing-harvest-festivals-from-around-the-world/