What Thanksgiving Means to Me

Craziest day of the year.  Used to be anyways.  Now it is a month of crazy.

Black Friday.  Cyber Monday.  Sales upon sales upon sales.  Wal-Mart decided to match any Black Friday deal a week early BEFORE Black Friday.  Stores open on Thanksgiving now.  All for the almighty dollar.

I do love sales.  I love a great deal.  But it certainly adds a stress and pressure this time of year.  Am I getting the best deal?  Will there be a better deal tomorrow?

What did Thanksgiving used to be like, Mommy?

Thanksgiving Day night was probably the best day of the year as a kid for my sisters and I.  We spent as a family the day at Grandma's house.  Traditional meal...family together...great times.  Then all the parents would go home and the grandkids got to spend the night at Grandma's house.  It was a time of traditions.

The grandkids at my Grandma's funeral.

Decorating the Christmas tree.  Same lights...same bulbs...same tinsel.  We teased Grandma about that every year how she reused that tinsel.  She didn't bat an eye.  That was Grandma.  Scrimp and save.  Set out the Santa and Mrs. Claus.  Arrange the stable scene with Baby Jesus.  

Christmas classics played on the record player.  Now that is a memory. :)  

After the tree was decorated, we would turn off the lights and "pose to the Christmas tree".  Then we would eat and eat and eat.  Grandma had a sweet tooth and there was always goodies to be had from homemade caramel corn to peanut butter fudge.  

Then on to ping pong tournaments on the kitchen table.  Maybe Monopoly or another of the many board games Grandma loved to play.

In the morning, Grandma always had cinnamon rolls for breakfast and we would decorate the windows with her homemade decorations of trees, bells, stars made out of egg cartons.

So simple.  Every year, I wish I could go back and be a kid just once more.  I think I would pick this day to relive and be with her again.

It is the day I miss her most.  I can't wait to spend Thanksgiving in Heaven with her again.
I love you, Grandma.

These are some of my Grandma's Christmas things that my aunt sent me after she went to Heaven.  

Recipes, cookie cutters, ornaments and her egg carton window decorations.