Thanksgiving Celebration
This week I came across a Twitter post that said, “Thanksgiving doesn’t get the respect it deserves: no pressure to dress up, no presents/ spending money, day drinking is acceptable – if not encouraged (depends on the family), you get to eat up to your body weight with no judgment, fat naps, and there’s football with the boys.” After obviously giving it the like, I stopped and thought about how Thanksgiving is truly the best holiday. I can remember as a child waking up early to witness the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in my pajamas and staring in amazement at how much space the balloons took up and practicing my kicks in hopes of one day becoming a Rockette.
The Best Dessert
There is no better smell than the preparation of the big feast arising in the kitchen. While I must say, I can eat my body weight in mashed potatoes and turkey, the absolute best part of the whole day is dessert. No matter how full you are, your stomach always has room for dessert on Thanksgiving. Every family has a specific dessert that is prepared every year. There is a certain dessert that comes to mind after reading that, and yes, I can see the drool from your mouth. Every year my family makes the typical pumpkin pie with ice cream, but besides that, my mom makes a killer cherry pie. Ever since I was young, I have watched my mother prepare the delicious dessert. She would assemble the pie the night before and put it in the refrigerator overnight to bake the next day. I was always so fascinated by her special techniques and took mental notes in my head for when I was old enough to try baking it on my own.
The Importance
Cherry pie is not only my favorite dessert for the taste factor but also based on the fact that it has sentimental value in my family. Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around being thankful. Spending time with family and catching up is bittersweet and there really is nothing better, except dessert. Since moving into college, I have not been home nor seen my parents. Living roughly five hours away without a car simply makes it difficult to make trips home, and makes it difficult for my parents to find time to take the trip to Iowa City. As I get older, I am realizing that family really is the most important thing, and holidays, such as Thanksgiving, frames the significance of spending time with your loved ones.
The Surprise
Last Thanksgiving, my mom surprised me and allowed me to bake the cherry pie on my own. I had been waiting for this day to come, so I instantly took off to the store and gathered the supplies/ ingredients. With my mom looking over me, I followed her instructions carefully to ensure I was making it correctly. Throughout the time of baking the cherry pie, my mom and I listened to music and talked about my future together. Having a heartfelt conversation with my mom was so sentimental and made me realized how thankful I was to have her in my life. Fast forward to the next day, I put the pie in the oven and kept an eye on that baby the whole time it was baking. When the timer rang, I checked to see how it looked and got the okay from my mom. We let it cool while eating the big feast and spent time with my whole family. When it was time for the big taste test, I cut everyone in my family a piece and brought them to the table. Watching my family members scarf down the whole pie made my whole Thanksgiving.
The Final Product
I was so happy to have been able to make the special cherry pie for my family for this exact reason, seeing how happy and pleased they were with it. I know it sounds silly to say how a cherry pie can be so special, but that’s what makes it so sentimental in my opinion. The smallest thing, such as a cherry pie, can make people realize the importance of how tiny things like dessert can help with forming a bigger sense of what Thanksgiving really is. A time to spend with loved ones and to soak in all the conversation. Being away from home for so long has made me realize to take advantage of family, because in the end, they are all you got. So this Thanksgiving, take time to absorb family time. If you get anything from reading this, I hope you took a “piece” of gratitude for your loved ones, and of course a better love for cherry pie.
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