It used to be my embarrassing secret, like a schoolgirl who didn’t actually do her homework. Everyone would be talking about their turkeys, and guest lists, and leftovers, and I’m over here shopping for Shabbos dinner. After a number of years my husband would go buy some smoked turkey and have some on Thursday just so he could tell people he had his Thanksgiving turkey.

Why don’t we celebrate Thanksgiving?

No good reason, really. I think it’s because my grandparents are European, and my mother-in-law is Israeli, and it somehow just never took. I never really felt all that motivated to start it when my extended family wasn’t into it, plus Thanksgiving is always on Thursday night and Shabbos is always… yeah, Friday night. And we celebrate LOTS OF HOLIDAYS. So, really?

I am all about gratitude and family time. I’m all about holidays and rituals and food. But I am not looking for more work, to be honest.

I used to be filled with a certain superiority hearing all this Thanksgiving noise. OH MY GOSH. Shopping and birds and cranberry sauce and setting the table and leftovers. And I do this every week! Twice!

And then last year my son asked me: “Why don’t we celebrate Thanksgiving?” And I said, “I don’t know.” So I thought about it and decided to start. So I bought (cut up pieces of) turkey, and made cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and the works. And everything tasted so good. And I served it on Friday night. And everyone was happy.

Happy turkey day to all!