The end of the year has so much going on. There are three holidays back to back and it seems like a everlasting gathering. It begins in autumn, the leaves changing colors and air crisp and cool. You're on a natural high rolling into the month of November. Probably from all that Halloween candy or the excitement for whats to come. You don't take the time to figure out which, just going with the flow. Time to start preparing for Thanksgiving. This is the time you begin to think, who's turn is it to host Thanksgiving dinner? This year it was my turn, time to plan dinner and get a head count. I knew the main dishes the symbolizes Thanksgiving had to be on the table, Turkey & Stuffing and in my family Macaroni & Cheese, but what else should I prepare. After a little thought, I decided not to go crazy with to many dishes.
My Dinner List:
Turkey
Stuffing
Mac&Cheese
Bake Beans
Potato Salad
Collard Greens
Dinner Rolls
Desserts
Now that I know what I am making, I have to do a shopping list because many of these dishes require more than one item. I love shopping, but at the grocer, not so much. I decided to pick the perfect time when the store is not to full. For me, that's 5 o'clock in the morning the Monday just before the holiday. Everyone else is sleeping and waiting to do their shopping later in the week or just finish shopping that weekend. I can stroll the aisles and price match items. Such a quiet time. I don't start cooking until Wednesday night. Actually, I only make my desserts and maybe prep some of the meals. Then, I am up early Thanksgiving morning to start cooking.
The beautiful thing about cooking during the holidays is, it's a family event. In my family, there's music playing in the background and we are dancing, taking and reminiscing in the kitchen. Everyone has a job. One person is chopping all the ingredients, another is mixing and another cleaning the dishes to be reused. No one notices all the work that goes into making a delicious meal because the work isn't really that hard when you have family together. Even though things have changes since the very first Thanksgiving meal, I would imagine this is what the Pilgrims and the Indians did to prepare the food they then shared on that very last Thursday in November 1621.
Now that Thanksgiving is over, our thoughts go towards preparing for Christmas!
The Holiday for Giving.
For some, the Christmas decor goes up before Thanksgiving. But for me, I wait until the day after, that Friday, to hang my Christmas decorations, place my tree and turn on my lights. I am not thinking much about what to cook for dinner, I am thinking about what gifts to give those I love and respect. As long as I can remember, my family has celebrated Christmas. It is a long tradition dating back to ancient times. Before being named Christmas, this holiday was named Saturnalia by the ancient Romans. In the 1800's, Santa Claus came into the story to excite the children. As a child, I enjoyed getting new toys and games to show how well behaved I was for the year. Now, I enjoy shopping and purchasing the gifts to be given. I look around for hours and days until the right gift comes to sight.
Yes!!! I found it, and now time to wrap it. 
These are the things I enjoy about Christmas. Putting your heart into picking the perfect gift and wrapping it. I do not really like putting gifts in bags, unless I have decorated the bag or it has something on it that stands out. For me, picking and wrapping the gifts has to resemble to person I am getting the gift for. I want that person to know that their gift from me was given from the heart.
New Years is more like a night of celebrating and a day of relaxing. 
I celebrate a year of greatness, of accomplishments, of happiness, all night long. There is music and family and friends together feeling euphoric with smiles from ear to ear that last the whole night long. In the last minutes of the old year, you look up at the sky, and see fireworks, confetti and glasses of champagne. Everyone is singing the "New Years" song, hugging, kissing and relishing that moment of new beginnings. I love these three holidays. It's all about celebrating Life, Love and Family. How do you feel about these three holidays? Share your story.
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| Koketta Knowles |
