We don't have Thanksgiving here due to the lack of Pilgrims in the 1600's. Somehow the thought of Miles Standish and friends mingling with our ancestors makes me giggle.  I can envision a debate over who had the sillier hats. Our times living in the states did make us grow fond of the day.

    Every November we pick a day and call it Thanksgiving. We make the turkeys, stuffing, cranberries etc. There are more pies and cakes than the local bakery. Wine, strong beer, and brennevin, as well as cider and fresh egg nog round out the tables.

   We sit, eat till bursting, laugh and talk. We hear about the "old days" from the great uncles. We are updated on the latest technology from the kids. We reminisce over holidays past and those we have lost. We look forward to holidays future and make predictions of where the kids will be in ten or twenty years.

   One thing we do not miss is the Black Friday sales.  I tried to explain this to the younger ones, who have the idea of 50 people in a store is a crowd.

    The idea came up to search the web for Black Friday. What a gruesome turn to the day. Pepper spray, shootings and stabbings, all for a TV or video game.The mobs camping out in front of the stores.  Protesters camping out to protest the shoppers camping out. People shoving and fighting. Not my idea of a fun shopping day.

    My eleven year old nephew summed it all up.

    "Is it really worth risking your life to get a bigger TV on sale?"

    "No way!"

     Great Uncle Jon added his own wisdom of 91 years on this planet.

     "Be thankful for what you already have."

      "You cannot buy good memories"