The Holidays Are Here

Nashville, Tenn. – It’s here. It’s finally here. After another year of roller-coaster temperatures, near-unbearable New York crowds and a demanding work schedule, the Holiday Season is finally here. From decorations around town to plunging temperatures to a little more meaningful conversation when you see friends and family, the best time of year has arrived.

In my privileged experience, I have had the opportunity to, in my opinion, experience some of the best this country has to offer when it comes to the days between Thanksgiving and New Year’s day. Looking back, I can recall time during this period in Puerto Rico, California, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, Washington State and Florida just to name a few. You look around during this time of year, in the airports, shopping malls, hotels and even offices and start to wonder not as much “what” but “who” those people are going to see. What plans do they have for themselves and their families at this time of year? Are they going to see grandparents, children, cousins?
Or, as I spent one Thanksgiving a few years ago, are they going to be by themselves and take in what they don’t have? Spend a Thursday morning on the couch of their apartment drinking coffee and eventually getting dressed for an excursion to the parade route at Columbus Circle. I very distinctly remember that year watching the parade in the freezing rain and watching kids on dad’s shoulders pointing with gloved fingers at the larger than life Scooby-Doo and Dora the Explorer. I can also remember my next action that day was to dial the phone and call my parents. Certainly something about that day makes you remember what Thanksgiving is all about.

This Thanksgiving, I had the luck to be in Nashville (well, Goodlettsville, to be exact) with Kerri and her family. We came down on Tuesday afternoon and have spent the last few days between her aunt’s house, grandmothers house and the mall. Not exactly the time I would have had with the Loudis Uncles and family in Springfield but it is great to see/meet Kerri’s family and get to know how someone else celebrates Turkey Day.

Most impressive of the trip was the annual event of frying the turkeys that would be on the table later that day. If you have not seen the science that is involved in this, get to your local outdoorsmen and check it out. I was convinced after witnessing the process yesterday that this form of cooking may be the single most important the residents of Louisiana (“Cajuns”) have given the rest of the country. Forget Brett Favre, the New Orleans Saints, Dixieland Jazz, etc. Whole turkeys, injected with seasoning with a large syringe, tied up with twine and then placed in five-gallon pots of peanut oil heated to 350 degrees for 45 minutes should change the way we value the entire state.