For the Love of Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving.

I love that the weather gets colder and people seem friendlier. I love the commercials with perfectly set tables, perfectly groomed guests and perfectly cooked food.

I love that my family is nothing at all like that.

I love that every year we set a dinner time that no one adheres to. I love that by the end of the night my Uncle B will have taken out his teeth and put them in his pocket. I love that some years he doesn't bother to wear them at all. I love that every year during the blessing my Uncle C asks us to go around the table and state what we are thankful for. I love that every year we refuse.

I love that my Uncle G gets a kick out of lifting up his shirt to show us his overstuffed "yellow belly". I love that every year we watch the lighting of the Macy's tree together. And that every year there is a battle over which channel airs the program. "It's channel 2" "No! It's channel 5!" I love that every year the tree gets more crooked. I love that for weeks after the holiday we will eat turkey prepared in every conceiveable variation. Turkey sandwiches, turkey over rice, turkey hash, turkey soup, turkey salad...
I love that we draw names for Christmas gifts every year.

And that every year someone's name nearly gets left out.

Perfection.