Even though Halloween is my favorite holiday and I dressed up at least four different times this year, somehow, Thanksgiving snuck up on me. I bought all the ingredients to make, what I thought would be an annual tradition, Naturally-Dyed Red Velvet Cupcakes.
The cupcakes turned out delicious, but there was absolutely no joy in making them, unlike in the previous two years. After making breakfast, I immediately started making the cupcakes and once everything was completed, including the on-going burden of washing up dishes from breakfast, cupcakes and the two side dishes Mom had made, I had just enough time to shower, get dressed and hop in the car to attend our Thanksgiving celebration.
That was the worst start of a vacation day. Still happy not to be at work, I put that domestic manual labor on myself. Also, I didn’t have Black Friday off either to make up for it.
I’d juggled creative projects and studying for my pharmacy tech license, then I put that baking effort on top. By the time Mom and I started the production of getting Dad into the wheelchair-accesssible van, my mind was racing.
I wrestled whether to bring my iPad. I wanted to either study or work on my digital art. I made the correct decision and didn’t bring it. I broke away from my usual tight-scheduled routine for three and a half hours.
The biggest joy for me was that my parents made the celebration. Once we rolled up, Dad couldn’t enter the house with his motorized cadillac wheelchair. In true thanksgiving, several men assisted walking Dad into the house.
After several stone-skipping conversations with my nieces, nephew and their relatives on their father’s side, we ate an elaborate buffet for the different diets: omnivore, pescatarian, and vegan.
Mom, Dad and I left in time to meet the evening caregiver. That was right on time as far as I’m concerned. Those delicious collard greens had worked their magic. So much so that the next day, when I weighed myself for before swimming, I was nearly a half pound lighter than the week before.
I went to bed at midnight on Thanksgiving Day. At least I’d finished up my daily “routine,” which consisted of studying and working on the only creative project that had a firm deadline.
In contrast, on Black Friday, while seemingly everyone else shopped, I had a markedly unroutine day at work. I razzle-dazzled all day long to arrange for my patients to pick up their medications locally. Something about the holidays that brings out the “I needed it yesterday” urgency among patients.
My greatest afterwork reward was having the indoor pool all to myself. The type of luxury my actual day off should have been.
When I returned home, my sister had finished stir frying a spicy vegetable dish to accompany her famous egg rolls, followed by Mom’s famous cheesecake. Like having a distinctly different Thanksgiving sans turkey.
Next year, I’ll be more mindful to wind down the number of creative projects and I’m going to make a less time-consuming recipe. Regardless of whether I have Black Friday off, I’m planning to have a restful Thanksgiving.