OK I know it’s really Tuesday. I read about Friend Makin’ Monday (FMM) on Carrie’s blog late yesterday and I really wanted to participate. The idea is to answer a question of the week on your blog, then post a link to your response on www.alltheweigh.com. This is a great way to discover other blogs out there. This week’s question is fitting given the upcoming holiday. I love to hear how others celebrate holidays.

FMM: Thanksgiving Plans

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year?  Does your family have traditions?  If so, share them…(I know that some of you live outside of the US so  feel free to fill us in on other holiday traditions!)

My family always celebrates Thanksgiving at my Mom’s house. She cooks a huge dinner with all the usual fixings, turkey, gravy mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables and lots more. I am from a big Italian family so no holiday meal would be complete without some kind of pasta. This year it will be stuffed shells with homemade marinara sauce. The dessert table boasts pumpkin pie, apple pie, Italian cookies and various other treats. There is always way too much food.

Sadly we don’t have any family traditions other than eating dinner together. My parents divorced when I was ten years old. As children, my sister and I would spend the morning at the local high school football game. In my college years while living off campus I often rolled out of bed in the late morning hours and drove home just in time for dinner. I missed four Thanksgivings while living in Mozambique as a Peace Corps Volunteer. There was usually some kind of celebration in honor the of the holiday. The American volunteers would get together at someone’s site and create a Thanksgiving feast to be shared with Mozambican friends. Upon return to the United States in 2002 Thanksgiving is still hosted by my Mom.

I started my own tradition two years ago and I treat myself to a run on Thanksgiving morning. Last year I made it a 10 mile run and I plan to do the same this year. There are no Turkey Trots or other races in my area so I just get out there and run on my own. The best part is that I can taste a bit of everything including dessert later on at dinner without feeling guilty.

We have started urging my mother to allow more time between dinner and dessert. It was always eat dinner, quick clean up and then get dessert out. There was no time to relax and digest. Now my sister, my son and I usually end up taking a walk after dinner if the weather is decent outside.