Post Thanksgiving Day Friday Five

Ah, the day after Thanksgiving--groan! Fortunately, I love Thanksgiving leftovers.

Thanksgiving is the American holiday when the greatest number of people travel somewhere else to celebrate. I am posting this from my son’s home in Minnesota where we are recovering from the food shopping and the preparations and the meal and the clean up. It is difficult to think of anything requiring much energy today, and I am enjoying my sweet baby granddaughter, so I will keep it simple.

For those of you not in the USA, I apologize for the nationalistic tone of
this Friday Five!

1. Did you go elsewhere for the day, or did you have visitors at your place instead? How was it?
We drove to my parents' farm in Nebraska, where we had a great Thanksgiving Supper with the whole family: myself, my younger brother and his family, my youngest brother and his girlfriend, my parents and my Grandma Janke.

2. Main course: If it was the turkey, the whole turkey, and nothing but the turkey, was it prepared in an unusual way? Or did you throw tradition to the winds and do something different?
Because my mom worked yesterday morning, we decided to just keep things simple, so we didn't do a "whole turkey" dinner. Mom had a turkey roast ready for heating, we kids brought pies and Butterfinger dessert, and we made potatoes and green bean casserole and dressing yesterday afternoon after everyone arrived. Someday when we host Thanksgiving we'll do something wild and crazy, but simple is great, too. In our house, it's the family stuff that counts; the food is just, well, extra.

3. Other than the meal, do you have any Thanksgiving customs that you observe every year?
Those of us who have the day off will sit down later this morning to watch the football game between the University of Nebraska (my alma mater) and the University of Colorado. When I was a kid, the day after Thanksgiving was reserved for the Nebraska - Oklahoma game, but money and conference regulations interrupted that wonderful tradition about fifteen years ago. It's not the same, but it's not so bad, either. And it could be worse: my baby brother has to work today.

4. The day after Thanksgiving is considered a major Christmas shopping day by most US retailers. Do you go out bargain hunting and shop ‘till you drop, or do you stay indoors with the blinds closed? Or something in between?
You wouldn't catch me within throwing distance of a mall or a store today. I don't care how good the bargains are - I'm too stuffed to move and I re-he-he-he-he-HEALLY don't like the Christmas shopping crowds. Last year I did all my gift shopping online and it was wonderful - think I'll do the same this year.

5. Let the HOLIDAY SEASON commence! When will your Christmas decorations go up?
Most likely the day that Kristin and I have our traditional "It's Christmas - NO, IT'S ADVENT" argument, at which point I usually wind up feeling like a Scrooge and put up the first of the decorations as a peace offering. "It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas..."