While most of America sits in front of television sets to watch football games, our guests gear up for our annual Thanksgiving Day Walk.It’s more of a stroll, really, but it gets us in motion for a few minutes. We don’t require it of our guests—certainly not of my friend who suffers intense foot pain nor of my mom who is dealing with anemia—but we encourage everyone who is mobile to join us.We had to wait a few minutes as kids hunted down jackets and shoes. While we waited, shadows stretched across the lawn in the afternoon sun, inspiring letter-making. I think this was a “D.”
And this, a G.”
Finally, everyone arrived and we headed out on our short expedition, people of all ages, from our ten-year-old son to my 83-year-old dad. Even the dog came along, and we all rambled to a small lake, chatting in groups that would shift, split, and re-form to tell stories, catch up, laugh.The Belgian Wonder stayed with my dad, who meandered more slowly, pausing at the playground to sit on a bench while the rest of us continued toward the lake. Turning a corner, we ran into the neighbor who loaned us his compressor to use while installing the hardwood floor last weekend. He was out with his daughter, walking their two dogs. I gestured to our group as a kind of mass introduction and said these were all our people—neighbors and family who joined us from as close as next door and as far away as Belgium.We excused ourselves and continued on, conversations starting up again. At the lake, we snapped pictures, but before long turned back to make our way home for pie. Our pace was leisurely, burning few calories; but the fresh air and sunshine? Good stuff.The next day, while many Americans snatched up Black Friday deals, we enjoyed another outing under unexpectedly sunny skies.
Our Thanksgiving Day Walk has been a tradition for many years, but this first-ever Black Friday Bike Ride? Love it!What are your unusual Thanksgiving traditions?
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Your children have such wonderful imaginations to form letters on the lawn with their shadows. A nice walk after a feast is always a good idea. The bike ride seems safe, as I do not see a lot of traffic from your photos. We live on a quiet street, but some cars speed down our narrow “highway.”
Hi, Hazel! The two girls are cousins, and the older cousin had the charming idea to form letters while we passed the time.
And yes, the bike lane on the road makes it pretty safe, though we had to watch our 10yo, to be sure he didn’t get distracted and swerve. In the second photo, we are on a bike path…very safe except for the really fast cyclists who zoom past like they’re in the Tour de France.
Hope you had a happy holiday!
Ah…that was lovely! H and I were guests this year, for the first time in many years. Afterwards, when we got home, we took a stroll with the dog in seventy-degree weather under blues skies. And Friday? It was a running day. Second year in a row.
My husband took a run this morning (Saturday), so he did the walk, the ride AND a run. I just did the leisurely stroll and the leisurely ride. I’d better get moving, or Thanksgiving will linger.
Someday maybe we’ll be the guests, and while I like hosting, I think there are advantages to showing up at someone’s house with a side dish or two and then heading home afterward.
We mix things up a little every year, I think. But the gathering is always here…has been, at least, for the five years we’ve lived here to host it.
This year my brother, his wife, their two children and my sister’s younger boy delivered pie to our neighbor Sue, who was home tending her animals and couldn’t join us to feast.
I wouldn’t mind working pie delivery into the annual routine.
Hosting is a lot of work, but our guests are amazing and pitch in to help with dishes and other cleanup chores that free the table for games later in the evening.
Pie delivery–that sounds like a great tradition! I wonder who I might have served some pie?
I have to say, I’ve never seen anyone do shadow letters before!
I love your new Black Friday tradition. My mom and I took a lovely walk before dinner on Thursday…and then we all did some mega Christmas decorating on Friday — out with one holiday, in with the next, all in 24 hours!
Your outings sound lovely, even the shopping together. For those who enjoy the bustle and deal-searching, I think it could actually be pleasant. I just happen to be someone who gets anxious with all that, so it is not a good fit.
This was our first holiday in Mom and Dad’s new place. Dad remarked, as we left today, how happy he was that it really seemed like home with everyone there. We played piano, put up Christmas decorations, watched movies and ate way too much.
Great tradition! I think this is the way it’s supposed to be.. 🙂
I think the original pilgrims and Native Americans played a lot of games, so maybe we’re supposed to be tossing axe heads or something?
Karaoke. It’ll be my post on Wednesday at my new blog, but you can get to it from the same site.
Oooo…can’t wait. Sounds nutty.