Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday. I love that it is about being together and eating delicious food, rather than about presents. I love getting together with the Verscheldens and spending days playing all kinds of games and catching up with everyone. Unfortunately, even if Thanksgiving was a holiday that is celebrated in NZ, which it's not, it wouldn't be the same to celebrate it without the big gathering with my family. It is not surprising, therefore, that neither J nor I noticed that Thanksgiving was coming this year. We have been (and this might sound familiar, but it continues to be true) very wrapped up in business and stress at our jobs, and it didn't even occur to us that it was going to be Thanksgiving, especially since it's just a normal Thursday at work for us here.
I was so utterly not aware that when a new parent at work asked what I was doing Thursday, I responded that I'd be doing all the normal things I always do. She then asked if I liked Thanksgiving, and I enthusiastically responded that I absolutely love it and it's my favourite holiday, then left plenty of space for a thoroughly awkward silence before capping off the embarrassment of the situation by exclaiming, with rapidly disintegrating enthusiasm, "Thursday! Thanksgiving! Yes! Thursday! No, I'm not doing anything at all." This kindhearted parent, who had lived in New York City for five years and fallen in love with Thanksgiving, seemed heartbroken that this poor, lost American who loved Thanksgiving hadn't managed to do anything about it. She generously invited me to the Thanksgiving dinner they were having at her work, which is a meteorology office. Apparently, they have about 10 Americans working there, which is crazy, because I haven't met that many in the whole time I've been here. Who knew that Americans were so into the weather?
Anyway, I was actually at home feeling quite sick on Thursday, so I couldn't go to the lunch, but when I went back to work on Friday, she showed me pictures and told me all about it, and seemed genuinely upset at my total lack of Thanksgiving. I tried to tell her that while I miss getting together with my family, to me holidays are just another day, and I really wasn't upset about Thanksgiving in particular, but I don't think that she bought it. I think she thought I was trying to be brave, but that's only because she doesn't know me very well yet. She'll soon learn that I'm willing to bemoan my fate when necessary.
Despite my lack of trauma at missing Thanksgiving, I was actually touched by how kind and generous this mother was, especially when she insisted that we plan ahead next year and organize it so I can come to their celebration. This is a mother I've only known for a couple of weeks, and it is amazing how she is reaching out and trying to help.
With this in mind, I realized that it would probably make her happy to know that I did something for Thanksgiving, and decided to throw something together. I was still not feeling great, and have injured my neck (a bulging disc hitting a nerve) so I was not inclined to spend the day in the kitchen, but J and I decided to just have whatever Thanksgiving-y food we could get at the grocery store, and call it Thanksgiving dinner.
Our first Thanksgiving in NZ, we discovered that cranberry sauce doesn't exist in NZ, which is not too traumatic, as neither of us are huge fans, so we didn't even look this year. J sent me to the store with instructions to buy a box of pre-made stuffing, which he informed me was called dressing in NZ. After a fruitless search, I asked an employee, who showed me the salad dressings. When I explained what I wanted, he said, "Oh, you mean stuffing?" So much for our bilingualism. Unfortunately, even the "pre-made" stuffing required more work than I was willing to invest, but then I brilliantly found a rotisserie chicken that came with stuffing inside! J was not in the mood for mashed potatoes, so we went with corn, and so completed our meal. Not exactly the thanksgiving feast one would usually expect, but it was actually delicious, and I don't think I've ever eaten a rotisserie chicken in my life, so... now I have. And let me tell you, they are much more delicious than I thought!
We even did the wishbone!
J won, as I believe he always does.
We have also discovered that pumpkin pies, or even the ingredients to make pumpkin pies, are not easily accessible in NZ. I looked for any kind of sweet pie at all (instead of the meat pies they have here), and turned up nothing, and so I got an assortment of pastries. Actually, the white ones had apple pie-like filling in them, so that kind of counts!
Following a lunch that turned out to be both delicious and entertaining, as we got quite a laugh out of our pretend Thanksgiving food, I Skyped with some friends and family, and then curled up on the couch with my neck propped up (to try to get pressure off the discs), and watched silly TV shows. Which, I think might actually be part of Thanksgiving as well. I know it wasn't American Football I was watching, but I still think it counts. And it was nice and relaxing, and I was thankful for the time to do it, so all of that counts, too. And J played video games, for which he is always truly thankful.
And the best part of the story is, I can go back to work tomorrow and tell that mother that I had a lovely, relaxing Thanksgiving with my husband. I'm hoping that will bring a smile to her face.
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