Thanksgiving, 2007

It was our year to have the kids on Thanksgiving Day. Like many kids in this genteration, they are all about entertainment, - sitting around the dinner table at home, talking, and/or playing games with the family afterwards isn't really their scene. They have to go somewhere... so, we made the decision to take advantage of "Veterans get in free" at Knott's Berry Farm. Ron and I got free admission, then it was only $12.99 for each kid - for a day at the theme park, that's a great deal. Of course that didn't inlcude the price of lunch - but that's another story. (We would have spent that much on food at the grocery store anyway).

Initially, I was fine with the plan. But then Wednesday night we watched this TV show on the history of Thanksgiving - about the whole family thing, taking time out of busy schedules to reflect on the blessings we have ... and I started feeling guilty that we weren't having a 'traditional' Thanksgiving. But as my daughter-in-law pointed out when I talked to her, I shouldn't feel guilty about not having a Thanksgiving they don't want anyway.

We enjoyed lunch at Marie Callender's and the afternoon at Knott's was fun. The kids took off to ride the roller coasters and other thrill rides...Ron and I walked through shops, and stuck to the rides rated 1 or 2 on the thrill meter. You know, the Merry-Go-Round, the Stage Coach, the Train, Bumper Cars ... I enjoyed the time with him without the distraction of work, TV, or the computer, he enjoyed just hanging out with the family, and the kids enjoyed doing their thrill-a-minute thing... In reality, we have 'thanksgiving' every night. We have dinner together around the table, we hold hands while someone gives thanks for the food, and we talk about the good things that happened in our day. So, maybe it wasn't a 'traditional' thanksgiving - but maybe the memories we create around the dinner table every night, will mean more in the end - than trying to do it all just once a year. And in the big picture, I guess that's what's really important - family and memories, and tradition.