Nicole’s e-Pistle

November 27, 2024

Greetings, friends!

Wherever you find yourself on this crisp autumn day, I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends in preparation for tomorrow’s feast day! I can only imagine the warm, inviting smells coming from your kitchens as I gaze out the window at the gorgeous fall foliage. For our part, we have all four grandparents, plus my brother and three cousins coming up from Florida, as well as a family friend coming down from Kentucky. I am looking forward to filling our new kitchen with plenty of festive smells and our house with plenty of love and laughter!

Speaking of laughter, I’ll share a cute story with you from when I was a little girl growing up in Arcadia, FL. The Maassen family, which included my Dad’s parents and his two brothers and their families, would rotate holidays. My grandparents always hosted the Christmas Day feast and Easter Dinner was at my Aunt Sue and Uncle Johnny’s house. Thanksgiving was the holiday when everyone came over to our house. My Mom fixed almost the entire meal herself, including her famous carrot soufflé and a huge baked turkey in her signature brown grocery bag. One year, we had a few extra visitors, as my cousins had reached their teen years and had boyfriends that came with them. In anticipation of having roughly 16-20 people seated at her table, Momma bought an extra large turkey that year.

Now, I was in preschool at the time, and my favorite show on television was Sesame Street. Of course, this was Thanksgiving Day, so the only kosher thing to have on TV was the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. So, as was tradition, we were all gathered in the living room enjoying hors d’oeuvres and wine (for the grown-ups) while Dad was setting the table. When it was time to move to the dining room, one of my uncles complimented Momma on her turkey, saying, “Wow! That’s a big bird!” Then we sat, Dad prayed, and we all began to pass around the bowls and platters.

Normally, I was a good eater at Thanksgiving. Though I was usually picky, I loved almost every dish at the holidays. This year, though, I had my head down and refused to eat. I began to weep, and the more my Mom and aunts and Grandma tried to find out what was wrong, the harder I cried. Finally, I got up from the table (without permission) and ran back into the living room, just sobbing my little toddler eyes out! Momma rushed after me, scooped me up and finally made out between the gasps for air that I thought my uncle had said, “Wow! You cooked Big Bird!” It took a great deal of consolation to prove to me that Big Bird was still alive and well, enjoying Thanksgiving with all his family and friends on Sesame Street. The following Saturday morning confirmed what Momma assured me to be true, and all was right with the world once more!

May your Thanksgiving be filled with God’s love and plenty of laughter with family and friends!