This is being written before the election returns come in; when you read this, we should have a new President-elect!  Which is great news, because…well…Now that the fuss is over, we can all get down to REALLY IMPORTANT matters…
Like, should we roast the turkey or deep-fry?  What about the mini-marshmallows-on-the-yams dilemma?  And are they called yams or sweet potatoes?  Oysters in the stuffing–yummy or gross?  Chestnuts in the stuffing–luscious or revolting?  Stuffing at all –mandatory or potential salmonella deathtrap?  Green beans, creamed onions, Jell-O?  Whole-berry or jellied cranberry sauce?  Turkey, Tofurkey, Turducken, Goose?  People can argue ferociously over questions such as these; each person has his or her own strong convictions about what makes a traditional holiday meal.
Thanksgiving is such a deeply American holiday.  It’s a celebration of diversity–there are as many different “traditional Thanksgiving meals” as there are Americans–and of hospitality.  It’s a day for welcoming strangers and extending kindness; it’s about opening your doors and opening your hearts (and opening your mouth to wedge in that last bite of pie!).  Thanksgiving is about inclusiveness and generosity.  What could be more American?
Whatever makes up your holiday meal three weeks from Thursday, we hope it is also nourishment for your soul.  For those who have loved ones far away, we send our hopes that you are reunited soon.  For those who will be traveling during the holiday, we wish you safe journeys.  For those who are cooking, we wish you enthusiastic clean-up crews.  To those who are on cleanup detail, we wish you the ability to fit all the leftovers into the fridge.  To Black Friday shoppers (you intrepid souls!), we wish you quick reflexes and triumphant checkouts.
And to ALL of our members we wish a healthy and happy month, and a wonderful Thanksgiving!
from Richard and
The PaperBackSwap Team