e-mail
It’s November! And as such, it won’t be all that surprising that a lot of the traditions presented this month will focus on the holiday that looms near the end of the month: Thanksgiving! I don’t know about you, but I love me some turkey. And stuffing. And cranberry sauce. And mashed potatoes. But not sweet potatoes. Or, really, sometimes sweet potatoes. It depends what mood I am in.
Since our families live so far apart, it is unlikely that we will spend a Thanksgiving together unless super-special arrangements are made far enough in advance. (Can you see my optimistic side in that sentence?) Since many other open adoption families have busy schedules, large extended families and some distance involved, I’m figuring that similar circumstances exist for more than just our family. And so, here’s a way that you can share Thanksgiving tradition without being physically present.
It’s a recipe exchange!
I don’t know about your family, but we eat certain foods on Thanksgiving that we really only see once per year or on other special occasions. For my paternal side of the family, it’s the must delicious sausage stuffing you have ever tasted. In fact, this year I plan on bringing it into my in-law’s Thanksgiving bash. Within my married family, where the Munchkin would be eating on Thanksgiving if she had been raised by me, we eat homemade noodles and gravy on top of or beside our mashed potatoes. That (kind of) makes up for the lack of homemade stuffing! And, since I’m somewhat strange (ha!) and allergic to cinnamon, we’ve got some various ways to make a pumpkin pie without cinnamon! (This also means that I usually get an ENTIRE PIE to myself on Thanksgiving. Mmm!)
I’m sure your family has some recipes that are standards on your Thanksgiving dinner table that might not be in your child’s house. I’m also willing to bet that they make something for Turkey Day that you aren’t aware of or know how to make. Yet! That’s why you should have a recipe exchange. Now.
Don’t wait until the day before Thanksgiving to mail/e-mail the recipe. People need time to buy ingredients, check for allergens within the family and, if they cook like me, time to test it out to make sure you’re doing everything properly before setting it in front of a room full of people who are hungry!! Sort through your recipes now. Discuss it with your family members and have them state what is most “unique” or what most stands out about Thanksgiving on your own family table. Pick one recipe and send it to your child’s parents or to your child. Ask them, if they have time, to do the same.
On Thanksgiving, as everyone is sitting down to eat, explain that x-dish is a recipe from your child’s family’s traditions. Or, if your adoption is not as open with extended family members (which isn’t uncommon), simply say it’s a special dish that you’d like to introduce to your family tradition. You’ll know what it is.
Don’t forget to take a picture of the dish and send it off to your child’s family along with a thank you for such a yummy treat!
Okay now, who is hungry?
//
For more on Creating Traditions, read:
1. Sending a Boo-tastic Treat!
3. Costume Sharing.
//
Photo Credit.
