Thanksgiving is going to be a bit different this year, as it’s the first time we’ll feast without our families. Apparently this is hitting me a little harder than I thought, as I had a minor meltdown (read: eyes watered, but no tears were actually shed) at the grocery store while searching for refrigerated biscuit dough. Seriously, where do they keep the refrigerated biscuit dough? Not in the refrigerated section next to the cheese and yogurt, like it is in every grocery store in Kentucky, I’ll tell you that.
Anywho, in hopes of making Thanksgiving still seem like a real holiday this year, we’re having a feast of our own, albeit a somewhat non-traditional one. There will be no turkey served in the Ringer household this year, mostly because neither of us really likes it unless it is shaved, deli-style, and flavored to taste almost exactly like ham. Plus, even if we loved turkey, there’s no way we could eat an entire bird by ourselves. And there’s no way we could fit even a turkey leg in our tiny joke of a refrigerator, which is currently so full that I had to select the items that could handle not being refrigerated for a few hours to rotate them in and out of the fridge for the remainder of this holiday week. The Brita water pitcher is the current loser, in case you were wondering.
Back to the feast. Eric’s only Thanksgiving food request was sweet potato casserole, so I spent a few days perusing my cookbooks and Pinterest to round out our meal. You can find links to the recipes for everything we’ll be eating at our non-traditional Thanksgiving feast on my Ringer Thanksgiving 2012 Pinboard.
We’re still trying to determine what we should do this year to make it feel like Thanksgiving, rather than just a random Thursday off from school. I think we’ll try to catch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which I haven’t gotten to watch since childhood due to holiday traveling. Any other ideas on how to make it feel like Thanksgiving? How do you plan to celebrate?
-Ally
Betsy Ringer says
Ah yes…well…I wish I could tell you that you won’t get emotional looking for something at the store ever again. You most certainly will!!! What I CAN tell you is that there are different life stages and you are starting out GREAT making the most of shifting life situations! I LOVE having LOTS of people around for the holidays and we too have had to make some shifts. It doesn’t change our love for our families…but finding slightly different ways of celebrating is healthy. And YOU are doing a GREAT job!!
Definitely watch the Macy’s Parade!! It is my favorite. The Ringer family takes a walk/hike on Thanksgiving Day. In Louisville we went to the Anchorage path or a reserve or wherever. Here…we walk on the beach!!
Put some Indian corn in a basket. Then each of you take out 10 kernels and put them back in one at a time sharing something you are thankful for.
Volunteer to deliver food or serve the homeless.
Be sure to share with us any new things you think of to do to celebrate!
Call or Facetime with your parents!!
We will miss you!! And look forward to seeing you soon!!!