Back to it

Thanksgiving break was good, but too short. (The one consolation is knowing that in 2 1/2 weeks I get to go again, for a much longer break).

A couple of observations:

1. As much as I love the Macy's Parade giant balloons, I have grown exceptionally tired of the "let's push Broadway shows/NBC network shows." This year, they had one of the guys from one of the many clones of Law and Order shouting over a marching band that was going by in the background, and I realized: Yeah, they've totally re-prioritized what the parade is for.

I'd love to see a network do a "highlights of" parade - just the parade, the balloons and marching bands and groups of people walking and waving, without the silly pun-filled commentary and the break-ins to promote Broadway shows that 95% of Americans will never see, or NBC shows that probably 85% of Americans don't watch...

I will say I flipped to the Chicago version of the parade, which was more enjoyable (there were no interviews or stagey musical numbers) but there was one host whose voice really grated on my ears.

2. For once, not one chestnut in the batch was bad. Yes, we put chestnuts in the stuffing. I'm sure it's a throwback to my mother's ancestors, who lived in Michigan, and before that, upstate New York/western Massachusetts.

We make the "northern style" using dry bread, onions, chestnuts, an egg, and parsley and marjoram. (None of us like sage so we substitute marjoram). And no celery, because three of us have an allergy to it.

The stuffing is one of my favorite things about the meal. I know I could make a small batch of it myself but it would not be the same, somehow.

I did my usual sous-chef type tasks while my mom tackled the heavy lifting part of the cooking. Until my hand slipped while trying to slip open a chestnut and I wound up stabbing the meaty part at the base of my thumb. (It's mostly healed up now).

3. I did do a tiny bit of "black Friday" shopping, but it was in one of the small downtown shops. I bought a couple "fancy" chocolate bars (of a brand more expensive than I know he'd ever buy) to finish off my brother's present. I think my shopping's done now; I do still have to order the gifts for my uncles and their families but as I know exactly what I want to get them that will be easy.

Coming up on the train, I read an editorial in the USA Today, just somewhat tongue in cheek by the author, I guess, suggesting we celebrate Christmas "only once every five years." I don't know. My attitude is, if there's a part of it that bugs you so much, work to eliminate it from your celebrations. If giving gifts is such a pain, see if people would be willing to do something else instead (I know some families that pool the gift money and have a big outing, or something else. Or families where they draw names and each person buys - and receives - only one gift). I admit it, I feel a little sad for the people who say they don't enjoy getting gifts for people. For me, that's one of my favorite parts - going through the catalogs and magazine "gift ideas," scheming and planning, trying to figure out what someone would enjoy or cherish.

Even people who have "everything they need" - some nice tea, or a fancy box of cookies, or some kind of little game if they enjoy games - I think those things tend to be appreciated.

Perhaps I enjoy gift-giving because there's never been money-pressure to impress in my family: the best gifts are still seen as the ones that involve more thought than money.

These days, I give a lot of "practical" gifts, or food-type gifts.

For a person who's busy, even a few books of stamps (if they write a lot of letters or still pay bills by mail) can be an appreciated gift. Because it means they don't have to take the time to go to the post office, or to remember to buy them when they're out at some grocery store that happens to sell stamps at the service counter.

4. One thing that amused me on the train: one of the waiters in the dining room figured out a good compromise between the "miss" vs. "ma'am" way of addressing women (It's hard, for someone of indeterminate age, and some women are taken aback by "ma'am." I know I was the first time students started calling me that. And these days, "Miss" is a little surprising too - mostly some of my foreign students call me that). But this guy had a good solution: He referred to women as "My Lady," which to my ears sounded almost chivalrous, and it made me smile. (I'm sure it doesn't hurt his tips.)