Sunday, November 6, 2011

your favorite...

I usually dislike "your favorite [something]" questions because I don't ever have an answer. In any given "favorite" category I have many things I like, often depending on my mood and most recent experiences. While I realize that most of these questions are meant to open up conversations rather than pinpoint my exact self on a multi-dimensional graph of things, I'm still not a fan.

But I do actually have one true favorite. A favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. For me, it's the perfect holiday. Eating delicious food, visiting with family and friends, sleeping, relaxing with games and leftovers of delicious food. There's not a lot of pressure to meet up in one place in particular, and no gift-giving worries. Plus, people tend to be in pretty good moods because they are just starting into the holiday spirit but haven't exhausted it yet. It's kind of like how you feel really excited at the very start of your vacation as opposed to weather-worn by the end of it.

Bonus if we get a crisp fall day or a late autumn warm spell.

Several weeks (months, sometimes) before Thanksgiving I find myself day dreaming about the Thanksgiving feast. Must-haves for my Thanksgiving are freshly baked rolls, fluffy potatoes (regular or sweet), stuffin muffins (think hearty, seasoned bread pieces baked with tons of butter in individual muffin tins with a piece of bacon over each), and cold pumpkin pie with real whipped cream. Last year we had an amazing turkey cooked by our friends (more to the point, basted every 30 minutes by our friends) that almost got the bird on the list.

One thing I feel Thanksgiving is missing is music. Typically, I celebrate the music side of Thanksgiving by starting to play Christmas music on that day. But it could be fun to have a soundtrack just for Thanksgiving.

Any suggestions for what it should include?

7 comments:

Sherry said...

I believe you will need to share the recipe for stuffin muffins. And if not the recipe, then at least the source of the recipe. Believe it or not, stuffing is one of three things Eric does not eat. But maybe he'd go for it in the form of a muffin with bacon on top.

amydear said...

Yes, share the recipe please! And I whole-heartedly agree about the cold pumpkin pie. Must. be. cold. Thanksgiving soundtrack? Oldies but goodies -- and all American.

Jen said...

I, like you, usually wait for Thanksgiving to start breaking out the carols. Things have changed this year. I've discovered that having kids in piano lessons means that Christmas music starts at the beginning of November (in order to be ready for a Christmas piano recital).

For me, the Thanksgiving day soundtrack us usually the Macy's parade!

Weezie said...

Rosemary Clooney. I always find the perfect compliment to the nostalgia that accompanies Autumn is Rosemary Clooney, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and other Golden Age classics playing around the clock. From there, it is a nice transition into Christmas music, then back to Coldplay in the Spring...

Weezie said...

http://www.thanksgivingnovember.com/thanksgiving-songs/index.html

Erin Gong said...

I will get the stuffin muffin recipe online soon.

Thanks for the song ideas! Adding a new playlist on my to-do list.

Margaret said...

AHHH!! I spent about five hours coming up with my perfect Thanksgiving playlist last year. I listened to nearly every version of every song on Amazon. Here's what I came up with:

"Prayer of Thanksgiving" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"We'll Shout and Give him Glory" - BYU Men's Chorus
"Shaker Hymn Tune - Simple Gifts" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"Amazing Grace" - Susan Boyle
"My Shepherd Will Supply" - Atlanta Sacred Chorale
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"All Creatures of Our God and King" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" - Mormon Tabernacle Choir
"How Can I Keep From Singing" - US Air Force Singing Sergeants
"Come Ye Thankful People Come" The Abilene Christian University Alumni Chorus

Yes, I am heavily biased towards MoTab - I grew up in it, and it just sounds right!

And was that our Turkey that almost helped push you over the edge?