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| Christmas Eve 2011 |
Christmas sneaks up on me every year. If you know me it
should come as no surprise that I try to avoid shopping centers or just going
shopping period. So, today when I went into town and saw the Christmas lights
already in place, dangling in the wind and the rain, I felt a slap in the face
and woke up. There is no avoiding the inevitable holiday stress of shopping for
gifts. Americans have this tradition called “Black Friday,” the day after
thanksgiving huge sales attract swarms of consumer hungry people to stand in
endless lines looking for the best buy. Shop owners, which are comprised mostly
now of large corporations, and credit card companies jump up and down rubbing
their greedy little hands in glee. For one day the economy is fat and stuffed
like the turkey that was eaten the day before.
We have no Thanksgiving here in Norway and the turkeys in
the frozen section are never bigger than 12 pounds. Still, as an American, I
have carried the tradition of thanksgiving every year, until now. This year I am forgetting the turkey. My
family is too busy to set aside the time to help me celebrate this part of my
American heritage. Maybe I will make a turkey dinner later, but it would not be
the same. Times like this are when I miss my family in the states the most. I
miss having this part of my family around a large table, sharing a meal and celebrating what
we are thankful for. So tomorrow when all of you give thanks, remember the most
important thing to give thanks for, time spent with your family. Happy Thanksgiving
to all my American friends and family and for those of you that are planning on
standing in “Black Friday” lines, good luck! You can be sure that I am grateful
there are no such lines here in Norway.
How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year, and what do
you think of “Black Friday?” Make sure you come back on Friday for some Minnie
Gibberish Fun, as she goes shopping and invites you to come along.
For the
month of December I will be sharing my Christmas in Norway as each day I open
my advent calendar. Hope you stop by!
