As we prepare for Thanksgiving, a holiday synonymous with family, food and football, I started to think about how much I love the way my family celebrates Turkey Day. It’s a bit unconventional being that we are Cuban, but I guess it’s traditional enough to fit the American Thanksgiving standards.
Courtesy: Clare Ceresine on Pinterest
Ever since I was little, Thanksgiving was spent at my cousin’s house. They set a super long table with orange and brown plates over a burlap table runner full of simple, elegant centerpieces. When it’s time we each take our plates inside, serve ourselves to whatever we want, go back outside, say a prayer guided by my sister’s godfather and eat. No, we don’t do the traditional cutting the turkey thing, but we get to eat so much faster this way and that’s my favorite part of the holiday. Either way, I honestly prefer the delicious ham we have over the turkey, so I load up on that instead (Sorry. Well I take a little turkey because Thanksgiving, but that ham’s the move). No, we don’t have moros or tostones or fried turkey (yes, it is a thing) like other Cuban families, our main meal is a more traditional spread.
Courtesy: Manuela Espinosa
There we are, conversing, filling up on our delicious Thanksgiving foods, and we hear dessert is ready. If you know me, you know sweets are my biggest weakness and since I’m always thinking ahead, I only have one serving of the actual meal so I can actually fill up on dessert. Yeah, I know, not the healthiest (my mom is probably cringing being the health fanatic that she is), but it’s a holiday. We are allowed to do stuff like that on holidays. So, once again we all go inside, fill up on flan, cupcakes, apple pie, pecan pie, Cheryl’s cookies and whatever else they have. I try and get a little of everything because why not, then go back outside to eat and talk again.
Courtesy: Manuela Espinosa
We probably sit there for hours doing “sobremesa” as my mother calls it. Once we’re all done catching up, we take our plates and glasses inside put them in the sink and help clean up all the serving dishes. We all say our so longs and farewells so that those who have Thanksgiving dinners can make it to those on time.
This is when we get to my favorite part. My little family of five gets in our car for the long drive of five blocks to get home. We get inside, take off our shoes and clothes, which have become extremely uncomfortable, especially after so much food, and opt for our pajamas and sweats (something we can actually breathe in). We gather around the TV and put on my favorite movie, It’s a Wonderful Life to welcome the Christmas season. With our blankets and pillows, we just sit there and let the food digest unless we get hungry again and order a pizza, which shockingly has happened in the past.
Courtesy: Britannica
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