A Non-American Way of Thanksgiving-ing #HazardousToYourSanity #ReadingCommunity #WritingCommunity #Holidays #Thanksgiving

Posted by Viviana MacKade on November 23, 2022 in Holiday Post, MacKade,

We don't have a way, actually, because we don't celebrate it in Italy.

We have a big November 1 celebration that goes on pretty much like this: you dress into something warm and dark and go to a flower-decked cemetery. You go with friends and/or family to meet, well, friends and family that left before you. It's a weirdly social moment, not a sad one at all. Thinking of it, it's like Dias the Los Muertos minus the concept of them, coming to visit from the other side. You go to them.

After that, we head straight to the trifecta Christmas - New Year - Three Kings’ Day. 

And honestly, I don't really miss doing Christmas there, or Thanksgiving here. 

Of course, I love and appreciated crushing someone else's Thanksgiving dinner, but it seems to me a lot of what goes on during Thanksgiving is what I didn't like about Christmas when I was little (or later).

I remember being stuck at a table with people I didn't necessarily hate but didn't really care for, either. But it was tradition, and so it had to be done that way and with those people. 

Note to the reader: with time, you’ll come to see my deep distaste for having to swallow something only because it’s tradition. Tradition is an obligation in disguise and if I’m certainly ok with being obligated to, say, pay taxes, feed my dog, and put the trash out on Tuesdays when it comes to people, I’m sorry but I don't have to see anyone. Blood-related or not. Being my kin, close or far, doesn’t make me obliged to hang with you if you’re a moron. Which, sadly, my family is not immune to having. 

And as time is a luxury, I don't see why I should waste mine with the morons mentioned above.

All of whom were, invariably, sitting at the Christmas table. 

Nah, man.

Let’s not do that.

So, anyway, with my husband and I not having to join the Thanksgiving circus, we’re left with time off. 

Thanksgiving always falls close to my husband’s birthday (November 22). 

With my son out of school for a week and no obligations, we pack up and go someplace nice for a few days, depending on how many days Marco can take off. 

In the past few years, we went to North Carolina

Tennessee, 

Key Islands, 

And Georgia, 

every time during Thanksgiving break.

And it was amazing every single time.

We try to hit states north from where we are, which is basically every other state because we’re in Florida, AKA the land where you sweat all the time no matter the month.

We’re looking for mountains, a respite from the heat (I know it’s not the heat but the humidity but I’m telling you, I’m sweating still and it’s not pretty and I need a break), the colors of changing leaves. 

It is our tradition, I guess, which only means it’s going to hold for as long as we find it fun and works for us. Then we'll find another.

So, what’s the tradition you’re doing because you want to, and plan to dismiss as soon as it doesn’t work anymore?

~*~

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