Happy Thanksgiving…

 

 

 

(credit: Jeff Foxworthy)

Thanksgiving, as we know it today, is a predominantly American tradition, rooted in a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims.

Centuries later, in 1863, President Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a holiday—perhaps with the hope of fostering unity between the U.S. and tribal nations, as well as between the Northern and Southern states.

 

 

 

Today, although Thanksgiving is still predominantly an American celebration, it is a day where we can all take a moment to gather with family and friends, reflecting on the things we are truly thankful for—even if it’s simply the gift of being alive. (Me and my wife with my writing and broadcast mentor, Kate Turkington. at her 90th birthday celebrations)

 

 

 

So what are some Thanksgiving traditions?

Seeing that it is an American tradition, several suggestions might not be able to be enjoyed here in South Africa…

Like watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, unless you are a South African in New York currently or you watch it via YouTube

 

 

 

Break a turkey wishbone for good luck.

It may sound silly, but this is a real thing!

Did you know?

The wishbone symbolises good luck.

When you make a wish on a wishbone, the person who has the larger piece is considered to be the winner and will have their wish granted.

However, if they feel inclined the wish can be ceded to someone else.

Here at the Southern tip of the African continent, we could do this with a chicken perhaps?

By contrast, if a chicken was killed, it was the collarbone that was thought to be sacred, thus it was not touched and was left to dry in the sun. People would gather around and hold the unbroken bone and make a wish.

This tradition which has been around for thousands of years, is thought to have been started by the ancient Etruscans in Italy who believed that chickens had magical powers.

 

 

 

Eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Given that it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere at this time and the height of summer here, this meal might be a bridge too far…

Must-eats are: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts. Green bean casserole has become a popular dish, especially in the Midwest.

Completing the meal is, of course, pumpkin pie for dessert.

 

 

 

However, here at home, a traditional braai could be substituted.

Nothing says grateful like a boerewors roll and potato salad!

Unless you are vegan or vegetarian, in which case there are a slew of dishes that do not contain a meat-based protein as the main ingredient.

And for dessert a Malva pudding, of course.

 

 

 

Did you know that taking a nap after lunch is a Thanksgiving tradition? A tradition that resonates universally, and I, for one, am profoundly grateful for it!

BTW, if napping is a Thanksgiving tradition, then I celebrate the holiday daily! I obviously have a LOT to be thankful for.

 

 

 

What I am most grateful for…

In no particular order.

 

 

I am grateful that at 95 my Mom is still with us.

 

 

 

I am grateful that although my Dad died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2004, his presence remains a constant source of strength and comfort to me.

 

 

 

I am grateful for my sister, even though we do not see each other nearly as often as I would like.

 

 

 

I am immensely grateful that my wife and I have been together for 20 years. Through good times and bad, we have stood by each other and have been supportive when times were tough and the death of family members was too difficult to bear alone.

“I got your back”…

 

 

 

I am grateful for my child, Jayne, who shared their 40^th birthday with Carolyn and me in Johannesburg.

 

 

 

I am grateful for the family I gained when I married Carolyn, not all of whom are in this image.

 

 

 

I am exceptionally grateful for my Executive Assistant, who, although he wakes me in the early hours of the morning, is one very special cat!

 

 

 

I am grateful that I was able to be in the company of this icon on more than one occasion.

 

 

 

I am grateful for the good friends that I have.

 

 

 

I am especially grateful for the opportunities that my chosen career path has offered me over the past 20+ years.

If it was not for a certain South African satirist saying to me that I need a “job to fall forward into” I might still be focused on the “job that I had to fall back on”.

Thanks, PDU, you unknowingly changed my life with one sentence.

 

 

 

I am grateful for my father-in-law and the knowledge that he has shared with me.

 

 

 

I am grateful for every individual whose path has crossed mine.

Whether our connection was brief or lasting, each encounter has enriched my life in some way.

 

 

 

At the end of the day, we all have something to be grateful for.

 

 

 

For all that I have, I am truly grateful…and I hope that you are too.

 

 

 

Travel is the proud winner of this prestigious award from the digital British lifestyle magazine Luxlife. The award is in the category Best Travel & Experiences Blog 2024 – South Africa.

 

 

Check out the archived and current interviews… click on the image above.

 

 

“Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?”

Edgar Bergen