I still believe that, but this year I'd like to make a corollary statement: one of the best things about holidays is that they aren't limited to the days the calendar recognizes as such.
Because this Thanksgiving, my celebration will consist of some of this and some of that:
I'm staying home. I'll be grading, writing rec letters, finishing up my fellowship proposals, and watching a movie or two. I'm looking forward to it.
This plan, however, has not gone over well with most of the people to whom I've announced it, who have kindly but rather anxiously offered alternatives: I should join them and their extended families for dinner! I should call Colleague X, whose kids are all grown and who'd love to have me over! I should go to Y City and see some friends! It's been surprisingly hard to convince people that this is the way I'm choosing to spend the holiday, and that doing so does not indicate that I'm sad and friendless and lacking in options.
If anything, I have too many friends to keep up with. Even when I'm in town I'm usually out three or four nights a week for dinners or drinks, and this past month has been busier and more delightful--but also more frantic--than most, featuring a big blogger get-together over Indian food in Conference City; a long football-game weekend surrounded by college friends; and just last night an amazing Greek dinner over at a friend's house that went until nearly midnight. Next weekend I'll be in NYC, where I'll again be ensconced among friends and drinks and conversations that stretch well into the night.
In other words, I have feast days and celebrations all the time, whenever I get together with my friends and family. Thanksgiving--or at least this Thanksgiving--is just an opportunity to relax, recharge, and prepare for the next holiday.
5 comments:
You go! We're staying in and eating pasta (with pear and Mascarpone sauce, so there's SOME indulgence), but basically just trying to catch up on our sanity, too. I have to say, given the time of the academic calendar, this holiday is rarely restful, and so the big indulgence of the day feels forced.
A bottle of low-cost, high-quality Cristalino Cava, though? Never forced.
good for you! i won't be eating any turkey either, but for other reasons.
Horace:
I'm so glad that someone else appreciates/knows about the amazingness that is Cristalino--it was my Champagne-swilling friend Lulu who first introduced me to it several years ago (when she started throwing much bigger parties and serving the expensive stuff became impractical), and it's now all I drink, serve, or bring for any marginally festive occasion. I admit that I don't have especially refined tastebuds when it comes to wine, but I actually prefer Cristalino to Veuve Cliquot or Moet (though Perrier Jouet may still edge it out).
Giving thanks for down time sounds like a very fine idea. I hope the weekend is restful and you emerge fortified for the next round of togetherness.
We drank vats of Cristalino around our table on thursday, replete with jokes about popping the Cris.
No relaxation for us until friday, when we both lay on the couch in our pajamas all day reading comic books. Having 12 people for supper will do that to you.
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