The Traditional Thanksgiving
From my childhood
I grew up a lot like the Waltons. Tradition, tradition, tradition. The women did all of the work, the older kids too. The menfolk sat around and spun tall tails of deer they caught, and fish that got away. The kitchen was always hot and bustling. Women cooked and baked at home and then went to my maternal grandmother’s house where they collectively cooked and baked some more.
Turkey, stuffing (not dressing), baked corn, greens, homemade mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, candied yams, mashed potatoes (real nothing from a box), gravy, Waldorf salad, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, and a table full of desserts.
The guys would always sit down to eat first. If there was space in a different room there would be the inevitable kiddie table. Otherwise, they ate second. Then we ladies ate last. The whole time we’re still waiting on tables, refilling bowls, refilling ice tea glasses or coffee cups.
After we ate in the third shift it was time to do it all over again. Let’s not forget that there was no infinite stash of plates and flatware. So someone had to steadily be doing the dishes as people rotated through. Once we ate and…
