November 26, 2024 • 41 mins
Thanksgiving in the United States has long been associated with feasts and family gatherings, but throughout its history, people have developed traditions that seem unusual or surprising by today’s standards. Today, we are going to cover touch upon common preferences and then learn about a few of the more quirky and lesser-known Thanksgiving Traditions. We learn about the triumph and perseverance of Sarah Josepha Hale who wrote five presidents over time to have Thanksgiving officially made as a national holiday. We talk about regional and personal culinary preferences for this fantastic four-day weekend holiday. Muge and I also touch upon ways to be grateful during Thanksgiving and beyond. We hope you will join us!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
Today we're going to be talking about unusual Thanksgiving traditions and preferences.
(00:34):
So as we think about this, it is around the time of Thanksgiving here in the United States,
and this holiday has long been associated with feast family gatherings.
But there are some things that have been a little bit unusual and things that I learned
in researching for this episode that might be surprising to our listeners.
(00:58):
Today we're going to touch upon some of the more common preferences, get Muge's take on
Thanksgiving and what her experience is, and then learn a little bit more about some of the
lesser known Thanksgiving traditions I can speak today.
(01:18):
So before we dive in, any reflections, Muge, from last week?
Yes, Christine. Hello. I have quite a few, but I will just stick with the most major one.
I was in Seattle last week for a work trip, and it was the usual Seattle rainy, a little gray,
nothing big, and then it turns out a bomb cyclone hit Seattle halfway into the trip.
(01:45):
I'm living in Houston. I am familiar with hurricanes and aftermath. I've never been
in the midst of a bomb cyclone. I didn't even know what that was, and apparently they are very
strong winds up to 100 miles an hour. So much like Houston, the power is about the ground.
So what that did is knock down the power, dark outages. So it rigged the havoc on everything.
(02:12):
So it was stressful. I was a little bit luckier. The hotel kept the power, but many people
were impacted for days. The trees blocked the street. So I just couldn't believe I did not think
Seattle was prone to that kind of thing. Apparently it was the strongest one since 2006.
So we navigated. We made the most of it, you know, how crisis brings people together. So
(02:38):
we survived it, but I just couldn't believe I was in the midst of a bomb cyclone, and I love
saying it, bomb cyclone, bomb cyclone. So I feel like a survivor now. But I'll tell you,
returning to Houston last Friday was a real treat, and I really embraced the sun and the humidity
like never before. I'm like, yeah, this is my kind of place.
(02:59):
I bet that was crazy. And is the cyclone, is it just more wind less rain? Is that the big
difference? Because hurricane winds could be 100, 120 miles.
Right. So this is apparently winds up to up to 100 miles an hour. It's swift.
It develops and leaves rapidly, and it's more about the wind and rain. Yes. So there's really no
(03:24):
flooding. It's more the wind. Interesting. Yeah. I've been watching some of our friends on LinkedIn
and a couple of friends still, I think as of two days ago, were still without power. Like it was,
it's still, that area is still recovering. Yes, it's still recovering. It is about 700,000 people
(03:45):
who get impacted, a lot of wooded areas, people got trapped in their homes. It was, it was really,
it was really rough and schools closed and people were saying their kids went back to school yesterday,
but the outreach still continued. So they had to go back home. So big impact. Big impact. Wow.
(04:06):
Wow. Well, glad your home's safe. Yes, very glad. I'm like, what is this? The weather conditions.
Yeah. Yeah, mother nature's no joke sometimes. She just unleashes. And you feel quite helpless.
Given all the technology you have, when nature decides to act up, you just have to take shelter
(04:27):
and survive. Yep, that's right. Totally. How about you, Christine? How was, how was your week
since the last episode? It was good. It was good. I was also on a business trip. I visited South
Carolina. I've been working with the organization, the Ideal Life on their coaching services. And we
recorded a course. So it was the first time that I had been in front of the cameras in a while.
(04:50):
Oh, wow. As you know, that's a whole different experience than just speaking here on a podcast
or speaking to a group of people, which I really enjoy doing. Yeah, I will be very thankful for
our editor. And we will embrace all the blooper reels. But it was very fun. I have to say the
(05:13):
course is called Leading with Purpose. And it will be out, I am assuming in the next couple of weeks.
But essentially, it's kind of a leadership tune up course where leaders can learn a little bit
about growth mindset coaching. They can learn how they're doing across the areas of helping employees
(05:34):
with purpose and value alignment. And then also, of course, business strategy and execution.
So it was real fun to do. Looking forward to releasing the course. And yeah, it was just
a good experience. And I was fortunately in a very sunny South Carolina, actually stayed about
(05:59):
15 minutes away from Charleston, stayed at the beach this time. And it was just wonderfully
wonderfully relaxing and beautiful. Oh, wow, that's that's amazing. And you're right. There's definitely
different degree of engagement. And I guess how we show up depending on is a podcast is a video,
is it in person, the different modes evoke different types of some maybe healthy anxiety and how we
(06:25):
show up. So I'm sure it was fabulous. I'm looking forward to it. Yeah. It was just, it was something,
I mean, you know, when you get through like a whole take and then you say one thing at the end,
and you're like, God, I was so close. I know, I know. There was a little bit of that. But anyway,
(06:46):
glad, glad it's glad it's done. Glad we, you know, both had good productive weeks. And now we're
back at the podcast. So we're going to talk about traditions and preferences. And the first thing
we're going to talk about is very, very maybe decisive topic, stuffing versus dressing. What do
(07:08):
you call it? Okay, the, the wonderful ingredients that you can either put inside the bird to cook or
prepare them separately. So when we look at what's the what's the difference. So stuffing,
like you said, as I look at it is what you put inside the bird. And when I hear stuffing, I always
(07:33):
think of granny smith apples, raisins, and breadcrumbs. Nice. So that to me is a good stuffing
combination. And, you know, for me, for Thanksgiving, if you're going to go with turkey, all the
side dishes and everything that goes with it enhances the turkey. And it's much necessary.
(07:56):
So the dressing is what you put on top. So we are talking gravy, we are talking about the
sauces. So that's, that's what I am thinking. How about you? Yeah, I mean, I am in the stuffing
camp. And we grew up just always calling it stuffing. In fact, I never heard of,
(08:18):
of what you would call dressing before researching this episode. And some of the facts about it
were, I guess, kind of interesting. First, I mean, stuffing is more widely used in the
northern and eastern United States than my family's from Philadelphia. And that's
didn't surprise me. And then they said dressing is a term that's more often used in the south,
(08:41):
regardless of whether it's cooked inside or outside. Oh, interesting. Yeah. I thought that was
inside outside thing, but it is more the overall interesting. Yeah. So here in the south, I never
heard of dressing. It's always stuffing. Interesting, interesting. Wow. Good to know.
So when you say, when you say dressing, people will not understand that same thing as stuffing.
(09:06):
So it is. So when you initially brought it up, I am like, yeah, surely it's pretty clear.
One goes inside the bird, the other goes on top of whatever you're eating. So that's, that's very
interesting. I guess that goes with dressing the turkey. Yeah. And they also said here that
(09:28):
they, the word dressing became more in vogue actually in the Victorian area era because
the word stuffing was considered too crude for polite company. So dressing sounds a little bit
more formal than stuffing. Oh, I see. Yeah, I can see that part of it. It is a little bit more
(09:49):
discreet and graceful. So I can't see how that would be associated with the Victorian era.
Probably you don't want to say I want to stuff my face, I'm going to dress my face.
That's right. Okay. I can't totally see this. This makes sense now.
Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's, it's something I think where I'm from stuffing your face is totally fine.
(10:16):
Which is what you are supposed to be doing with friends and family. So, yes, stuffing your face
is preferred and almost required. Yeah. Exactly. Which takes us to our next food topic. And this is,
this is one that I'm pretty passionate about. I'm not going to lie pumpkin pie versus
this is pecan pie. And do you say pecan or pecan? Pecan. Pecan. Yeah. Well, you know,
(10:44):
this is a very difficult topic because it is very hard to choose. I like all kinds of pies.
But I guess living in the South as long as I did and pecan being a local,
you know, delicacy in a way, pecan pie is, you know, hands down. And we actually have a pretty
(11:08):
famous barbecue chain in Houston. It's called Good Company Barbecue. And they are famous for their
pecan pie. You can actually order it and have it shipped to people out of state who may not have
the luxury and opportunity to enjoy an amazing pecan pie. And also I like nuts of all kinds.
(11:29):
So, you know, all that wrapped together, pecan pie is key. Now, the other thing, though, that is
also key is there has to be an assortment of pies. Right. I mean, you're talking about Blackberry,
Apple Pie, sweet potatoes, that needs to be laid out. So how about you? What is your preference?
I actually live for pumpkin pie and I get so excited at Thanksgiving because that is the time for
(11:56):
that dessert. And no one else in my family likes it. I get one pie and I'll have like a slice a day.
I don't have two, just one. It sometimes is for breakfast. I don't care if it's cold,
a little bit of whipped cream on that. It's like perfect. It's good with coffee too.
Yeah, for sure. For sure. Well, I like pumpkin. I like pumpkin. But when you get
(12:18):
pumpkin, but when it comes to pies, pecan pie wins hands down for me. But I can see what you're
saying. I mean, I think the pairing of pie with coffee is always a good pairing. It's
chocolate and wine. So you want that. And what I also like is that you can even have it for
(12:39):
breakfast. I love that. Yeah. And actually, they did say now, while no pie is extremely healthy
for you, pumpkin pie actually does have more vitamin A, more B12 than pecan. So 41% more
vitamin A than pecan pie and has three times less the cholesterol than pecan pie.
(13:06):
Oh, interesting. I guess the pecans are holding the cholesterol, the fatty acids, etc. That's
interesting. And when we think about it, I mean, it's not that easy to consume pumpkin. So,
you know, I know there are a lot of different ways, but pumpkin pie probably is a great way.
(13:30):
Do you like pumpkin soup? Yes. Yes. Okay. So you're generally about pumpkin.
Mm-hmm. That's right. Well, I guess good for you. There's not much competition for it in your
family. So you can enjoy it at your own pace. Exactly. Exactly. I do try and do everything
in moderation. But yeah, and some of the roots of pumpkin pie I thought were a little bit interesting.
(13:58):
So it was spun off the Native American tradition of cooking squash and pumpkins.
And the first pumpkin pie recipe came from the 1600s. And essentially what they did is just they
hollowed out a big pumpkin, filled it with milk, honey, and spices, and then roasted it in hot
ashes. And there was your first pie. Oh, wow. Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. So it does connect with
(14:24):
sort of local harvest, what was available at the time. So creative. Definitely. Definitely. But
why do you describe the whole promise? They were smart. Yeah. I am wondering about the seeds though.
I guess maybe they just ate the seeds. Yeah, I think you can eat the seeds because, you know,
when we talk about the different ways to consume pumpkin, one is pumpkin seeds. People eat pumpkin
(14:47):
seeds as a whole. Right. Actually, that's one of the favorite things my husband does. When you
carve pumpkin for Halloween, the seeds immediately go to the oven. And he likes eating them. I'm like,
how can you eat these things as a whole? But some people eat as a whole. Maybe they probably did.
Uh-huh. Oh, I'm sure they did. I'm sure they did. Yeah. So then pumpkin pie joins the big,
(15:12):
you know, Thanksgiving lineup of things to eat. And then I learned about the woman who actually
made Thanksgiving officially a recognized holiday. And her name was Sarah Josepha Hale.
And I've never come across her name until researching for this episode. And a couple
(15:36):
things she did. So this was a woman who didn't give up. She actually wrote several presidents about this
Thanksgiving holiday that she wanted to instate. Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce,
James Buchanan, and finally, Abraham Lincoln was the president who actually acknowledged the request
(15:56):
and put it into play. And this holiday actually was considered a unifying day after the stress of
the Civil War. And I'm always thinking about the pilgrims, right? That's the story we always hear.
But to have it a national holiday. I see. Okay. Yeah. But to have it a national holiday. Yeah. I've
(16:17):
always been thinking about the pilgrims, right? This is their first harvest. They came on the
flower. That is the story. So it's interesting for it to be recognized as national holiday. Well,
let me tell you, we owe her big. We do. We do. We always get like a nice long weekend.
She must have been like a pretty fascinating woman because she didn't stop there. She founded Vassar
(16:41):
College. She is credited for writing the nursery rhyme. Mary had a little lamb. And she also was a
big advocate for getting women equality in the workforce, like way back when. So this was someone
I think would have been fun to sit down and have coffee with. That's incredible. It's hard to have
(17:02):
a kind of accomplishments. So I mean, she sounds extremely creative and community mindful.
And I learned a lot in this conversation. I had no idea who inspired down road. Mary had a little
lamb. Now you got it in my head. I'm going to be singing that as I eat the pecan pie on Thanksgiving
(17:26):
day. That's amazing. We owe her big. Seriously. It's just so difficult to have a declaration
of holiday that brings people together where actually you have permission to stop doing what
you're doing and take a breath. So that's a real gift. Totally. Totally. So let's go on to the next
(17:49):
one. The next food challenge. Turkey versus Ham. What's your choice? Well, I was reading the outline
that you put together, Christine, which is amazing. And I'm going to say neither. So in our family,
I know this can be very distressing for people who respect tradition, but you know, neither. I like
(18:13):
a turkey and ham sandwich for sure. But for Thanksgiving, actually, we prefer duck. Oh,
interesting. That must be fun. We prefer duck and this in our family goes back to a bit of a
tradition when it was just bread and I as a couple. We did not at times do big Thanksgiving. We went
(18:36):
to our favorite restaurant here in Houston and they make amazing duck with plum sauce and baby
bok choy and soup. And that was a wonderful experience. So we tend to repeat that with our
kids and especially our older one likes it. So that's a special thing that we don't do very much,
(19:01):
but it is associated with Thanksgiving for us. And when I described this at work many years ago,
some people were seriously distressed. They're like, you must have turkey. What are you doing?
I'm like, I know, but it's just duck tastes better to us. It does. Yeah, well, it's cool that you
(19:21):
have your own family tradition too. And I could see how if you're not serving like a million people,
which is right my side of the family. And actually, it's well, my side is big. We do Christmas with
them, but Paul's side is even bigger and we do Thanksgiving with them. And we have usually four
(19:42):
turkeys. Wow, that's because there's so many people. There's like, you know, at least 40 people.
That's a lot. And we'll do my nephews will do two in the fryer. So they always like surprising us
with the flavor of the turkey. We in Maryland, Old Bay is a really popular spice that people use
(20:05):
on crabs. We'll do an Old Bay turkey. They might do a lemon pepper or something else. And then
the traditional the two traditional ones will be, you know, cooked in the oven all day. Amazing.
I think it's the festivity associated with the preparation is also incredible. A few years ago,
(20:32):
a friend invited us for deep fried turkey post Thanksgiving just so we could experience it.
That was an experience that was a good one. But it's just interesting so many different ways
to cook and eat turkey. Now, the years that we cooked, I mean, that's one big bird, like it
feels endless unless you have a crowd, you are making turkey sandwiches, turkey soup for quite
(20:57):
some time. It is a big bird. Yes, I forgot to mention Christine. I think it's almost once a year. I do
get the pun. Oh, do you eat turkey and turkey given I am from Turkey? So I am like, no, not really,
but thank you for asking. Do they sell they probably don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Turkey?
(21:22):
Do they? No, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Turkey. So in Turkey, Turkey is actually more a
New Year's Eve dish. People eat turkey as a special, like ham maybe here, but it's typically a New
Year's Eve celebration dish. And they cook in different ways. But yeah, that's right. So how
(21:45):
about you? It looks like you are going with turkey versus ham competition. Have to go with turkey.
Have to go with turkey. I don't know. The holiday itself just brings back really good memories,
especially when my dad was alive. He loved that holiday and loved to watch football and would
blame the nap on the turkey, the tryptophan and everything else. But it's just a good coming
(22:10):
home, everybody together kind of thing. And the smell too, just the smell of turkey is,
just I associate that with the holiday. Yeah, absolutely. I think the togetherness is what
makes it special for me. And I think for my husband a little bit too, it's about parade.
(22:32):
So we love the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. And we have to watch it in its entirety.
And what are the floats? And this year, there will be Minnie Mouse added to the lineup. So that
will be interesting to see and experience the college bands. So I love that side of it. And I
think it's been of a nice kickoff to the holiday season as well. And then of course, everything
(22:58):
that follows. The floodgates open for lighting, decorations, shopping, all of that. And of course,
the college football that follows for the weekend and the football itself. I mean,
it's just such a great time of togetherness. I look forward to it very much.
Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm glad you cracked the door open on traditions, the Macy's parade.
(23:24):
Something that would be pretty fun to see in person. I've never seen that, but just the size
of those floats would be pretty interesting, I think. But yeah, I think so. I have not seen it
in person. We have one to Mommers Parade in Philadelphia for New Year's. You may have gone
to that. It was very cold. So you have to have some stamina and persistence for these parades.
(23:45):
Yeah. But we have some friends in New York City who live in New York City. They took part in the
parade, Thanksgiving parade. And they were part of the Snoopy to hold it and walk with it.
They got interviewed. So there's a whole process apparently to be invited to be on a float or
part of a float in this parade. No, I haven't seen it in person. But what we see on TV just
(24:13):
looks pretty amazing. Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned the Mommers and I have to laugh because
my grandmother, my mom's mom, so both sides of my family are from Philly. And when the
Mommers Parade would be on, she would just go, oh, those dirty Mommers because apparently
they used to get, I mean, this is before they were on camera in the parade. They used to get so
(24:37):
drunk. They'd be falling down in their costumes in downtown Philly. And so she always just held
that kind of like opinion of the people who were in costume and it went unchanged.
I can see that because it was getting so cold and you keep ducking into the nearby bar to take
(24:59):
shelter, recover and then go back out again. So I can see how they could eventually get into a
good dose of consumption there. So yes, that's right. That's right. Well, let's put that on the
list, participation in Thanksgiving parade. So I've got one question. What is time, appropriate
time, or the time you choose for Thanksgiving meal? Oh, that's a good question. So I think it
(25:26):
varies and I've done on both sides. My family is probably more traditional that they'll sit down at
like, they'll do probably apps and drinks at five and then we probably sit down around seven.
My other side of the family with Paul, we would always start earlier. So we'd start at like one
(25:48):
o'clock and then it goes till 10 o'clock. Oh, wow. Just sitting and watching TV. And some of that,
I think was, well, I know my mother-in-law used to work nights. So we always started earlier so that
she could be with us. Right, right. It's just that it's quite a range. And I think it depends on your
(26:08):
routines. So in our household, it is definitely dinner time or later time of the day because we
have to have breakfast. And that sometime has to pass after breakfast and you're not going to have
breakfast that early. So we are talking six o'clock, seven o'clock. But then you kick it off with,
you know, light bites and football and etc. So yeah, there's a range. That's nice.
(26:36):
All right. So some other traditions that I think should be soon to have, I actually think this one
has already happened that the turkeys have been pardoned by the president. Right, right. That's
probably so. Lucky turkeys there. Yeah, which I love that tradition. I think it's just
(26:56):
cute and fun. Apparently George W. Bush made this official, although some other presidents had done
it before. But then he kind of locked it into the calendar for everyone to look forward to.
I think Abraham Lincoln was the first to start it. And actually it was his son who begged him
(27:17):
to spare a turkeys life. How cute is that? Oh, that's very cute. Yeah. Yeah. So that's one tradition
that's a little bit offbeat. The other one that was one I didn't know much about was in the 1920s
and 1940s, there was ragamuffin day. And this was similar to Halloween a bit. Thanksgiving morning,
(27:43):
children dressed in ragged clothes or costumes and went door to door asking anything for Thanksgiving.
And then I guess the tradition emerged in the early 20th century in some urban areas,
especially New York City. But it basically eventually disappeared when Halloween became more
prominent. Oh, I see. Very interesting. Okay. Yes, ragamuffin day. Who knew? And then another
(28:14):
way of celebrating back in the 19th and 20th centuries was by using masks. So again, a little
bit different way of celebrating Thanksgiving. But this is likely where your parades came from.
People wore masks. They went through the streets parading. And these masks were typically homemade.
(28:40):
And essentially, you know, was basically like throwing a little local carnival.
It's interesting. It seems to tie off with the parade and a little bit of Halloween touch to
it as well. Yeah, very interesting. I like to ragamuffin day. Yeah. Never heard of that.
(29:02):
No, it's interesting. And it is that period prior to World War Two in between, it looks like World
War One, World War Two, and maybe it was a bit of necessity as well. Yeah, bringing people together
and just trying to create some joy. Yeah, that's right. Yes. Yes. All right, here's another one.
(29:26):
Have you ever participated in frozen turkey bowling? No, not at all. What are we talking about here?
So what happened in the 1980s and started at a grocery store in Michigan, basically as a marketing
gimmick is people set up soda bottles and use frozen turkeys and threw the frozen turkeys
(29:54):
at the bottles mimicking bowling. Okay, well, that's creative. I am just feeling really bad for the
turkey. What a mess. Yeah, what a mess. Why would you do that poor turkey? At the same time, it does
create a bit of a temptation. I'm like, I'm kind of inclined to try it to see how it goes, even though
(30:18):
I've never seen that enacted. So that may have to be a special occasion. So you are not arrested or
anything like that for public disruption. And think about it. I mean, there's no holes in the
turkey. So you're holding this turkey. And turkey is not particularly round either. So you're talking
(30:40):
about a turkey hurled all over the place. So I guess maybe it's fair to say this is a cold weather
tradition. Yeah, yeah, my guess is yeah, outside in the snow. Yeah, I guess that I guess, I don't
know, we need to find some things for our friends in Michigan to do. Yeah, that's right. I'm just
(31:05):
thinking you're at a grocery store lining up the beer bottles, taking the frozen turkey and
start rolling it down the aisle. That would be a sight. Another one is the pumpkin smash or pumpkin
hurling. So I think you've probably seen this maybe on the news. I have seen that in Pennsylvania,
(31:26):
they have these like huge cattle polts. And after Halloween, usually around Thanksgiving,
they'll basically hurl these huge pumpkins for distance, allow the deer and such to
benefit from the old pumpkins that no one's going to be using. Well, that sounds like fun.
(31:50):
And I think that's almost starting to sound like an Olympic quality event that could be
included at some point. But yeah, that sounds like fun. Pumpkin smashing? Yes. I think, yeah,
I'm familiar with that at some level. It sounds good, like cannonball shooting style.
(32:12):
Yeah, yeah, I'd be all in on that too. So the last thing to touch upon is just thinking about
Thanksgiving, being thankful, being grateful and some things that we could do as a community,
as a family. Maybe you add these to your own family traditions. One idea is to create a gratitude
(32:37):
tree. And what this would be is you have a small tree, you know, or even you can make one out of
like paper or something. And then you have everyone share, you know, use like a piece of paper or
even like paper shaped as a leaf saying what you're grateful for that year. And you write it down,
(33:02):
you put it all on the tree and then people can see what everyone is thinking about and has on their
heart. That's a nice idea. And I think a slight variation of that that I've seen is we go into
new year and my gym does this, they put up a tree and you write on what your wishes for the new
(33:25):
year. So that's really nice. I think taking the time to really pause and think what we are grateful
for is the whole thing is about while of course eating turkey and smashing pumpkins. So that's
nice. Yeah, that's a good one. Yeah, a good feel good thing to do. Here's another one. So if you
(33:50):
are hosting, they have the idea of gratitude table settings where you use a place card at each person's
seat and share with them, you know, a little bit of a thank you, you know, why they're important to
you. And that would be a nice thing to sit down and just, you know, oh, what a nice thing to share,
(34:12):
right? That's very nice. That's very nice. I mean, talk about showing appreciation in a very graceful
way. I like that a lot. Yeah, I like that a lot. You could probably make them funny too, I'm guessing
like, especially with a big family with lots of different personalities and yeah. That's right.
(34:35):
That's right. That's a good one. I love that. I love that. And I think it's, it can probably
something to incorporate to any gathering, any time of the year in a way. It can become a bit
of a tradition of its own as the host. Yeah, yeah. And here's one to get everyone involved. And this
is actually something that we do with Paul's side of the family. We do this at Christmas. And there's
(35:00):
again, there's a lot of us, but everyone will go around the table and say something about the year.
And usually it is, you know, something they're grateful for, something they were happy about.
And you get all ages involved, like from the oldest to the youngest. And even if the youngest just
(35:20):
says, you know, Merry Christmas, which some of them do because they're not, you know, some people don't
like to public speak. But the majority of people actually do share something. And yeah, I think
it's, I think it's nice just again, just to stop and enjoy the time together in a different way.
Yeah. Yeah, that's right. That's right. I think all of those ideas are great. One thing we have to
(35:45):
stay strong in is to make sure that Thanksgiving gets the recognition it deserves because it
sometimes looks like it's an obstacle between us and Christmas. Because all the lights go up early
Friday, Black Friday specials come on and you're like, okay, wait a minute, we are not quite there
yet. Christmas music is already playing on the radio. So I think it's just really important to
(36:08):
give it the time that it deserves to honor the togetherness and the gratitude. And I think a
lot of the traditions, which, which, you know, traditions are good because it almost you get
in it without thinking too much. But then you get the benefit of the tradition. I think how to
extend it beyond Thanksgiving into into our lives, like the habit of gratitude as an example.
(36:34):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it shouldn't be just one holiday, right? Yeah, for sure. And then the last one is
just to think about ways to volunteer as a family. So there's always the opportunity to donate a
Thanksgiving dinner, serve at a soup kitchen, all of those opportunities are there. I think, you
(36:58):
know, what I'm seeing to at least here locally is they they've started Thanksgiving donations in
in a way that that's really easy, like right at the grocery store, you check out, they've got
here's all the things that can be bought for a family right at the end of your aisle.
What would you like to donate? Just scan it and then you put it in the big, big box. And, you know,
(37:21):
that's, you know, just an easy way that everyone can participate. But yeah, I mean, it's always
a good thing to try and carve out time for someone who really needs it.
Yeah, that's true. That's true. I really appreciate the opportunities to donate the food banks
in many different ways. Houston Food Bank is a big organization here in Houston. But I think
(37:47):
making it easy in the flow of our daily lives, I think it's much needed, much appreciated,
and it makes all the difference in our communities. And I think you probably included here somewhere,
for those of us who are inclined, there is the Turkey Trot, right? You can do a little
5K or just even go for a walk before or after your meal for a little bit of exercise moving. So,
(38:16):
you get ready for the next course. That's, you know, just creating the occasion for togetherness.
That's awesome. Yeah, yeah. We always also did, and we just stopped doing it because our kids got
really a lot older, but we always did football right at the elementary school and had everyone
(38:36):
play. Like the girls, boys, the parents were doing the chains, flag football, you know?
And it was just a fun tradition to see the kids and as they've grown up, but now they're all,
you know, they're working and way out of college, most of them. But it was a fun thing to gather
around and be cold and have hot cocoa and watch kids play. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Also,
(39:02):
I think as the kids get older, they are pretty strong. I don't know. I want to go up against them
in any sport. So, but yes, good idea. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think that's hopefully we've
talked about a few things people didn't know about, maybe inspired a little bit more gratitude or just
(39:25):
top of mind gratitude for this holiday. And as always, it's just great to spend time with you,
Mugay. Yeah, thank you, Christine, for surfacing all these fun and informative facts. And I think
it makes us think about where these traditions came from, the origins beyond the pilgrims.
There's a lot to it. And just, I think being mindful about why we do what we do and enjoying
(39:51):
every minute of it. So, very much looking forward to an amazing Thanksgiving, wishing you,
your family and all our listeners a wonderful holiday where we can be grateful for what we are
given and celebrate togetherness and hopefully contribute to the communities we are in in ways
that we find meaningful, great occasion for it. Yeah. Yeah. Great way to sign us off. So, until
(40:18):
next time, everyone. Until the next time. Thank you for listening. Our hope is to spark a little joy,
inspire and educate our listeners in ways to live an even more meaningful life. If you have
reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
(40:38):
to leave a voice message. You may even be featured in a future episode. To keep in touch,
subscribe to our podcast, Refirement Life, using the podcast player of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
Thanks again for joining us on this episode. Until next time.
Welcome to ReFirement Life, the podcast for anyone navigating life transitions or planning
(00:06):
to make life transitions to ensure your next years are your best years.
Listen in for insightful, generous, and sometimes humorous conversation.
It's time to get fired up with Christine Zamuda and Muge Wood, your hosts for this
latest episode of ReFirement Life.
Today we're going to be talking about unusual Thanksgiving traditions and preferences.
(00:34):
So as we think about this, it is around the time of Thanksgiving here in the United States,
and this holiday has long been associated with feast family gatherings.
But there are some things that have been a little bit unusual and things that I learned
in researching for this episode that might be surprising to our listeners.
(00:58):
Today we're going to touch upon some of the more common preferences, get Muge's take on
Thanksgiving and what her experience is, and then learn a little bit more about some of the
lesser known Thanksgiving traditions I can speak today.
(01:18):
So before we dive in, any reflections, Muge, from last week?
Yes, Christine. Hello. I have quite a few, but I will just stick with the most major one.
I was in Seattle last week for a work trip, and it was the usual Seattle rainy, a little gray,
nothing big, and then it turns out a bomb cyclone hit Seattle halfway into the trip.
(01:45):
I'm living in Houston. I am familiar with hurricanes and aftermath. I've never been
in the midst of a bomb cyclone. I didn't even know what that was, and apparently they are very
strong winds up to 100 miles an hour. So much like Houston, the power is about the ground.
So what that did is knock down the power, dark outages. So it rigged the havoc on everything.
(02:12):
So it was stressful. I was a little bit luckier. The hotel kept the power, but many people
were impacted for days. The trees blocked the street. So I just couldn't believe I did not think
Seattle was prone to that kind of thing. Apparently it was the strongest one since 2006.
So we navigated. We made the most of it, you know, how crisis brings people together. So
(02:38):
we survived it, but I just couldn't believe I was in the midst of a bomb cyclone, and I love
saying it, bomb cyclone, bomb cyclone. So I feel like a survivor now. But I'll tell you,
returning to Houston last Friday was a real treat, and I really embraced the sun and the humidity
like never before. I'm like, yeah, this is my kind of place.
(02:59):
I bet that was crazy. And is the cyclone, is it just more wind less rain? Is that the big
difference? Because hurricane winds could be 100, 120 miles.
Right. So this is apparently winds up to up to 100 miles an hour. It's swift.
It develops and leaves rapidly, and it's more about the wind and rain. Yes. So there's really no
(03:24):
flooding. It's more the wind. Interesting. Yeah. I've been watching some of our friends on LinkedIn
and a couple of friends still, I think as of two days ago, were still without power. Like it was,
it's still, that area is still recovering. Yes, it's still recovering. It is about 700,000 people
(03:45):
who get impacted, a lot of wooded areas, people got trapped in their homes. It was, it was really,
it was really rough and schools closed and people were saying their kids went back to school yesterday,
but the outreach still continued. So they had to go back home. So big impact. Big impact. Wow.
(04:06):
Wow. Well, glad your home's safe. Yes, very glad. I'm like, what is this? The weather conditions.
Yeah. Yeah, mother nature's no joke sometimes. She just unleashes. And you feel quite helpless.
Given all the technology you have, when nature decides to act up, you just have to take shelter
(04:27):
and survive. Yep, that's right. Totally. How about you, Christine? How was, how was your week
since the last episode? It was good. It was good. I was also on a business trip. I visited South
Carolina. I've been working with the organization, the Ideal Life on their coaching services. And we
recorded a course. So it was the first time that I had been in front of the cameras in a while.
(04:50):
Oh, wow. As you know, that's a whole different experience than just speaking here on a podcast
or speaking to a group of people, which I really enjoy doing. Yeah, I will be very thankful for
our editor. And we will embrace all the blooper reels. But it was very fun. I have to say the
(05:13):
course is called Leading with Purpose. And it will be out, I am assuming in the next couple of weeks.
But essentially, it's kind of a leadership tune up course where leaders can learn a little bit
about growth mindset coaching. They can learn how they're doing across the areas of helping employees
(05:34):
with purpose and value alignment. And then also, of course, business strategy and execution.
So it was real fun to do. Looking forward to releasing the course. And yeah, it was just
a good experience. And I was fortunately in a very sunny South Carolina, actually stayed about
(05:59):
15 minutes away from Charleston, stayed at the beach this time. And it was just wonderfully
wonderfully relaxing and beautiful. Oh, wow, that's that's amazing. And you're right. There's definitely
different degree of engagement. And I guess how we show up depending on is a podcast is a video,
is it in person, the different modes evoke different types of some maybe healthy anxiety and how we
(06:25):
show up. So I'm sure it was fabulous. I'm looking forward to it. Yeah. It was just, it was something,
I mean, you know, when you get through like a whole take and then you say one thing at the end,
and you're like, God, I was so close. I know, I know. There was a little bit of that. But anyway,
(06:46):
glad, glad it's glad it's done. Glad we, you know, both had good productive weeks. And now we're
back at the podcast. So we're going to talk about traditions and preferences. And the first thing
we're going to talk about is very, very maybe decisive topic, stuffing versus dressing. What do
(07:08):
you call it? Okay, the, the wonderful ingredients that you can either put inside the bird to cook or
prepare them separately. So when we look at what's the what's the difference. So stuffing,
like you said, as I look at it is what you put inside the bird. And when I hear stuffing, I always
(07:33):
think of granny smith apples, raisins, and breadcrumbs. Nice. So that to me is a good stuffing
combination. And, you know, for me, for Thanksgiving, if you're going to go with turkey, all the
side dishes and everything that goes with it enhances the turkey. And it's much necessary.
(07:56):
So the dressing is what you put on top. So we are talking gravy, we are talking about the
sauces. So that's, that's what I am thinking. How about you? Yeah, I mean, I am in the stuffing
camp. And we grew up just always calling it stuffing. In fact, I never heard of,
(08:18):
of what you would call dressing before researching this episode. And some of the facts about it
were, I guess, kind of interesting. First, I mean, stuffing is more widely used in the
northern and eastern United States than my family's from Philadelphia. And that's
didn't surprise me. And then they said dressing is a term that's more often used in the south,
(08:41):
regardless of whether it's cooked inside or outside. Oh, interesting. Yeah. I thought that was
inside outside thing, but it is more the overall interesting. Yeah. So here in the south, I never
heard of dressing. It's always stuffing. Interesting, interesting. Wow. Good to know.
So when you say, when you say dressing, people will not understand that same thing as stuffing.
(09:06):
So it is. So when you initially brought it up, I am like, yeah, surely it's pretty clear.
One goes inside the bird, the other goes on top of whatever you're eating. So that's, that's very
interesting. I guess that goes with dressing the turkey. Yeah. And they also said here that
(09:28):
they, the word dressing became more in vogue actually in the Victorian area era because
the word stuffing was considered too crude for polite company. So dressing sounds a little bit
more formal than stuffing. Oh, I see. Yeah, I can see that part of it. It is a little bit more
(09:49):
discreet and graceful. So I can't see how that would be associated with the Victorian era.
Probably you don't want to say I want to stuff my face, I'm going to dress my face.
That's right. Okay. I can't totally see this. This makes sense now.
Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's, it's something I think where I'm from stuffing your face is totally fine.
(10:16):
Which is what you are supposed to be doing with friends and family. So, yes, stuffing your face
is preferred and almost required. Yeah. Exactly. Which takes us to our next food topic. And this is,
this is one that I'm pretty passionate about. I'm not going to lie pumpkin pie versus
this is pecan pie. And do you say pecan or pecan? Pecan. Pecan. Yeah. Well, you know,
(10:44):
this is a very difficult topic because it is very hard to choose. I like all kinds of pies.
But I guess living in the South as long as I did and pecan being a local,
you know, delicacy in a way, pecan pie is, you know, hands down. And we actually have a pretty
(11:08):
famous barbecue chain in Houston. It's called Good Company Barbecue. And they are famous for their
pecan pie. You can actually order it and have it shipped to people out of state who may not have
the luxury and opportunity to enjoy an amazing pecan pie. And also I like nuts of all kinds.
(11:29):
So, you know, all that wrapped together, pecan pie is key. Now, the other thing, though, that is
also key is there has to be an assortment of pies. Right. I mean, you're talking about Blackberry,
Apple Pie, sweet potatoes, that needs to be laid out. So how about you? What is your preference?
I actually live for pumpkin pie and I get so excited at Thanksgiving because that is the time for
(11:56):
that dessert. And no one else in my family likes it. I get one pie and I'll have like a slice a day.
I don't have two, just one. It sometimes is for breakfast. I don't care if it's cold,
a little bit of whipped cream on that. It's like perfect. It's good with coffee too.
Yeah, for sure. For sure. Well, I like pumpkin. I like pumpkin. But when you get
(12:18):
pumpkin, but when it comes to pies, pecan pie wins hands down for me. But I can see what you're
saying. I mean, I think the pairing of pie with coffee is always a good pairing. It's
chocolate and wine. So you want that. And what I also like is that you can even have it for
(12:39):
breakfast. I love that. Yeah. And actually, they did say now, while no pie is extremely healthy
for you, pumpkin pie actually does have more vitamin A, more B12 than pecan. So 41% more
vitamin A than pecan pie and has three times less the cholesterol than pecan pie.
(13:06):
Oh, interesting. I guess the pecans are holding the cholesterol, the fatty acids, etc. That's
interesting. And when we think about it, I mean, it's not that easy to consume pumpkin. So,
you know, I know there are a lot of different ways, but pumpkin pie probably is a great way.
(13:30):
Do you like pumpkin soup? Yes. Yes. Okay. So you're generally about pumpkin.
Mm-hmm. That's right. Well, I guess good for you. There's not much competition for it in your
family. So you can enjoy it at your own pace. Exactly. Exactly. I do try and do everything
in moderation. But yeah, and some of the roots of pumpkin pie I thought were a little bit interesting.
(13:58):
So it was spun off the Native American tradition of cooking squash and pumpkins.
And the first pumpkin pie recipe came from the 1600s. And essentially what they did is just they
hollowed out a big pumpkin, filled it with milk, honey, and spices, and then roasted it in hot
ashes. And there was your first pie. Oh, wow. Yeah. Amazing. Amazing. So it does connect with
(14:24):
sort of local harvest, what was available at the time. So creative. Definitely. Definitely. But
why do you describe the whole promise? They were smart. Yeah. I am wondering about the seeds though.
I guess maybe they just ate the seeds. Yeah, I think you can eat the seeds because, you know,
when we talk about the different ways to consume pumpkin, one is pumpkin seeds. People eat pumpkin
(14:47):
seeds as a whole. Right. Actually, that's one of the favorite things my husband does. When you
carve pumpkin for Halloween, the seeds immediately go to the oven. And he likes eating them. I'm like,
how can you eat these things as a whole? But some people eat as a whole. Maybe they probably did.
Uh-huh. Oh, I'm sure they did. I'm sure they did. Yeah. So then pumpkin pie joins the big,
(15:12):
you know, Thanksgiving lineup of things to eat. And then I learned about the woman who actually
made Thanksgiving officially a recognized holiday. And her name was Sarah Josepha Hale.
And I've never come across her name until researching for this episode. And a couple
(15:36):
things she did. So this was a woman who didn't give up. She actually wrote several presidents about this
Thanksgiving holiday that she wanted to instate. Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce,
James Buchanan, and finally, Abraham Lincoln was the president who actually acknowledged the request
(15:56):
and put it into play. And this holiday actually was considered a unifying day after the stress of
the Civil War. And I'm always thinking about the pilgrims, right? That's the story we always hear.
But to have it a national holiday. I see. Okay. Yeah. But to have it a national holiday. Yeah. I've
(16:17):
always been thinking about the pilgrims, right? This is their first harvest. They came on the
flower. That is the story. So it's interesting for it to be recognized as national holiday. Well,
let me tell you, we owe her big. We do. We do. We always get like a nice long weekend.
She must have been like a pretty fascinating woman because she didn't stop there. She founded Vassar
(16:41):
College. She is credited for writing the nursery rhyme. Mary had a little lamb. And she also was a
big advocate for getting women equality in the workforce, like way back when. So this was someone
I think would have been fun to sit down and have coffee with. That's incredible. It's hard to have
(17:02):
a kind of accomplishments. So I mean, she sounds extremely creative and community mindful.
And I learned a lot in this conversation. I had no idea who inspired down road. Mary had a little
lamb. Now you got it in my head. I'm going to be singing that as I eat the pecan pie on Thanksgiving
(17:26):
day. That's amazing. We owe her big. Seriously. It's just so difficult to have a declaration
of holiday that brings people together where actually you have permission to stop doing what
you're doing and take a breath. So that's a real gift. Totally. Totally. So let's go on to the next
(17:49):
one. The next food challenge. Turkey versus Ham. What's your choice? Well, I was reading the outline
that you put together, Christine, which is amazing. And I'm going to say neither. So in our family,
I know this can be very distressing for people who respect tradition, but you know, neither. I like
(18:13):
a turkey and ham sandwich for sure. But for Thanksgiving, actually, we prefer duck. Oh,
interesting. That must be fun. We prefer duck and this in our family goes back to a bit of a
tradition when it was just bread and I as a couple. We did not at times do big Thanksgiving. We went
(18:36):
to our favorite restaurant here in Houston and they make amazing duck with plum sauce and baby
bok choy and soup. And that was a wonderful experience. So we tend to repeat that with our
kids and especially our older one likes it. So that's a special thing that we don't do very much,
(19:01):
but it is associated with Thanksgiving for us. And when I described this at work many years ago,
some people were seriously distressed. They're like, you must have turkey. What are you doing?
I'm like, I know, but it's just duck tastes better to us. It does. Yeah, well, it's cool that you
(19:21):
have your own family tradition too. And I could see how if you're not serving like a million people,
which is right my side of the family. And actually, it's well, my side is big. We do Christmas with
them, but Paul's side is even bigger and we do Thanksgiving with them. And we have usually four
(19:42):
turkeys. Wow, that's because there's so many people. There's like, you know, at least 40 people.
That's a lot. And we'll do my nephews will do two in the fryer. So they always like surprising us
with the flavor of the turkey. We in Maryland, Old Bay is a really popular spice that people use
(20:05):
on crabs. We'll do an Old Bay turkey. They might do a lemon pepper or something else. And then
the traditional the two traditional ones will be, you know, cooked in the oven all day. Amazing.
I think it's the festivity associated with the preparation is also incredible. A few years ago,
(20:32):
a friend invited us for deep fried turkey post Thanksgiving just so we could experience it.
That was an experience that was a good one. But it's just interesting so many different ways
to cook and eat turkey. Now, the years that we cooked, I mean, that's one big bird, like it
feels endless unless you have a crowd, you are making turkey sandwiches, turkey soup for quite
(20:57):
some time. It is a big bird. Yes, I forgot to mention Christine. I think it's almost once a year. I do
get the pun. Oh, do you eat turkey and turkey given I am from Turkey? So I am like, no, not really,
but thank you for asking. Do they sell they probably don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Turkey?
(21:22):
Do they? No, they don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Turkey. So in Turkey, Turkey is actually more a
New Year's Eve dish. People eat turkey as a special, like ham maybe here, but it's typically a New
Year's Eve celebration dish. And they cook in different ways. But yeah, that's right. So how
(21:45):
about you? It looks like you are going with turkey versus ham competition. Have to go with turkey.
Have to go with turkey. I don't know. The holiday itself just brings back really good memories,
especially when my dad was alive. He loved that holiday and loved to watch football and would
blame the nap on the turkey, the tryptophan and everything else. But it's just a good coming
(22:10):
home, everybody together kind of thing. And the smell too, just the smell of turkey is,
just I associate that with the holiday. Yeah, absolutely. I think the togetherness is what
makes it special for me. And I think for my husband a little bit too, it's about parade.
(22:32):
So we love the Macy's Thanksgiving parade. And we have to watch it in its entirety.
And what are the floats? And this year, there will be Minnie Mouse added to the lineup. So that
will be interesting to see and experience the college bands. So I love that side of it. And I
think it's been of a nice kickoff to the holiday season as well. And then of course, everything
(22:58):
that follows. The floodgates open for lighting, decorations, shopping, all of that. And of course,
the college football that follows for the weekend and the football itself. I mean,
it's just such a great time of togetherness. I look forward to it very much.
Yeah, yeah. Well, I'm glad you cracked the door open on traditions, the Macy's parade.
(23:24):
Something that would be pretty fun to see in person. I've never seen that, but just the size
of those floats would be pretty interesting, I think. But yeah, I think so. I have not seen it
in person. We have one to Mommers Parade in Philadelphia for New Year's. You may have gone
to that. It was very cold. So you have to have some stamina and persistence for these parades.
(23:45):
Yeah. But we have some friends in New York City who live in New York City. They took part in the
parade, Thanksgiving parade. And they were part of the Snoopy to hold it and walk with it.
They got interviewed. So there's a whole process apparently to be invited to be on a float or
part of a float in this parade. No, I haven't seen it in person. But what we see on TV just
(24:13):
looks pretty amazing. Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned the Mommers and I have to laugh because
my grandmother, my mom's mom, so both sides of my family are from Philly. And when the
Mommers Parade would be on, she would just go, oh, those dirty Mommers because apparently
they used to get, I mean, this is before they were on camera in the parade. They used to get so
(24:37):
drunk. They'd be falling down in their costumes in downtown Philly. And so she always just held
that kind of like opinion of the people who were in costume and it went unchanged.
I can see that because it was getting so cold and you keep ducking into the nearby bar to take
(24:59):
shelter, recover and then go back out again. So I can see how they could eventually get into a
good dose of consumption there. So yes, that's right. That's right. Well, let's put that on the
list, participation in Thanksgiving parade. So I've got one question. What is time, appropriate
time, or the time you choose for Thanksgiving meal? Oh, that's a good question. So I think it
(25:26):
varies and I've done on both sides. My family is probably more traditional that they'll sit down at
like, they'll do probably apps and drinks at five and then we probably sit down around seven.
My other side of the family with Paul, we would always start earlier. So we'd start at like one
(25:48):
o'clock and then it goes till 10 o'clock. Oh, wow. Just sitting and watching TV. And some of that,
I think was, well, I know my mother-in-law used to work nights. So we always started earlier so that
she could be with us. Right, right. It's just that it's quite a range. And I think it depends on your
(26:08):
routines. So in our household, it is definitely dinner time or later time of the day because we
have to have breakfast. And that sometime has to pass after breakfast and you're not going to have
breakfast that early. So we are talking six o'clock, seven o'clock. But then you kick it off with,
you know, light bites and football and etc. So yeah, there's a range. That's nice.
(26:36):
All right. So some other traditions that I think should be soon to have, I actually think this one
has already happened that the turkeys have been pardoned by the president. Right, right. That's
probably so. Lucky turkeys there. Yeah, which I love that tradition. I think it's just
(26:56):
cute and fun. Apparently George W. Bush made this official, although some other presidents had done
it before. But then he kind of locked it into the calendar for everyone to look forward to.
I think Abraham Lincoln was the first to start it. And actually it was his son who begged him
(27:17):
to spare a turkeys life. How cute is that? Oh, that's very cute. Yeah. Yeah. So that's one tradition
that's a little bit offbeat. The other one that was one I didn't know much about was in the 1920s
and 1940s, there was ragamuffin day. And this was similar to Halloween a bit. Thanksgiving morning,
(27:43):
children dressed in ragged clothes or costumes and went door to door asking anything for Thanksgiving.
And then I guess the tradition emerged in the early 20th century in some urban areas,
especially New York City. But it basically eventually disappeared when Halloween became more
prominent. Oh, I see. Very interesting. Okay. Yes, ragamuffin day. Who knew? And then another
(28:14):
way of celebrating back in the 19th and 20th centuries was by using masks. So again, a little
bit different way of celebrating Thanksgiving. But this is likely where your parades came from.
People wore masks. They went through the streets parading. And these masks were typically homemade.
(28:40):
And essentially, you know, was basically like throwing a little local carnival.
It's interesting. It seems to tie off with the parade and a little bit of Halloween touch to
it as well. Yeah, very interesting. I like to ragamuffin day. Yeah. Never heard of that.
(29:02):
No, it's interesting. And it is that period prior to World War Two in between, it looks like World
War One, World War Two, and maybe it was a bit of necessity as well. Yeah, bringing people together
and just trying to create some joy. Yeah, that's right. Yes. Yes. All right, here's another one.
(29:26):
Have you ever participated in frozen turkey bowling? No, not at all. What are we talking about here?
So what happened in the 1980s and started at a grocery store in Michigan, basically as a marketing
gimmick is people set up soda bottles and use frozen turkeys and threw the frozen turkeys
(29:54):
at the bottles mimicking bowling. Okay, well, that's creative. I am just feeling really bad for the
turkey. What a mess. Yeah, what a mess. Why would you do that poor turkey? At the same time, it does
create a bit of a temptation. I'm like, I'm kind of inclined to try it to see how it goes, even though
(30:18):
I've never seen that enacted. So that may have to be a special occasion. So you are not arrested or
anything like that for public disruption. And think about it. I mean, there's no holes in the
turkey. So you're holding this turkey. And turkey is not particularly round either. So you're talking
(30:40):
about a turkey hurled all over the place. So I guess maybe it's fair to say this is a cold weather
tradition. Yeah, yeah, my guess is yeah, outside in the snow. Yeah, I guess that I guess, I don't
know, we need to find some things for our friends in Michigan to do. Yeah, that's right. I'm just
(31:05):
thinking you're at a grocery store lining up the beer bottles, taking the frozen turkey and
start rolling it down the aisle. That would be a sight. Another one is the pumpkin smash or pumpkin
hurling. So I think you've probably seen this maybe on the news. I have seen that in Pennsylvania,
(31:26):
they have these like huge cattle polts. And after Halloween, usually around Thanksgiving,
they'll basically hurl these huge pumpkins for distance, allow the deer and such to
benefit from the old pumpkins that no one's going to be using. Well, that sounds like fun.
(31:50):
And I think that's almost starting to sound like an Olympic quality event that could be
included at some point. But yeah, that sounds like fun. Pumpkin smashing? Yes. I think, yeah,
I'm familiar with that at some level. It sounds good, like cannonball shooting style.
(32:12):
Yeah, yeah, I'd be all in on that too. So the last thing to touch upon is just thinking about
Thanksgiving, being thankful, being grateful and some things that we could do as a community,
as a family. Maybe you add these to your own family traditions. One idea is to create a gratitude
(32:37):
tree. And what this would be is you have a small tree, you know, or even you can make one out of
like paper or something. And then you have everyone share, you know, use like a piece of paper or
even like paper shaped as a leaf saying what you're grateful for that year. And you write it down,
(33:02):
you put it all on the tree and then people can see what everyone is thinking about and has on their
heart. That's a nice idea. And I think a slight variation of that that I've seen is we go into
new year and my gym does this, they put up a tree and you write on what your wishes for the new
(33:25):
year. So that's really nice. I think taking the time to really pause and think what we are grateful
for is the whole thing is about while of course eating turkey and smashing pumpkins. So that's
nice. Yeah, that's a good one. Yeah, a good feel good thing to do. Here's another one. So if you
(33:50):
are hosting, they have the idea of gratitude table settings where you use a place card at each person's
seat and share with them, you know, a little bit of a thank you, you know, why they're important to
you. And that would be a nice thing to sit down and just, you know, oh, what a nice thing to share,
(34:12):
right? That's very nice. That's very nice. I mean, talk about showing appreciation in a very graceful
way. I like that a lot. Yeah, I like that a lot. You could probably make them funny too, I'm guessing
like, especially with a big family with lots of different personalities and yeah. That's right.
(34:35):
That's right. That's a good one. I love that. I love that. And I think it's, it can probably
something to incorporate to any gathering, any time of the year in a way. It can become a bit
of a tradition of its own as the host. Yeah, yeah. And here's one to get everyone involved. And this
is actually something that we do with Paul's side of the family. We do this at Christmas. And there's
(35:00):
again, there's a lot of us, but everyone will go around the table and say something about the year.
And usually it is, you know, something they're grateful for, something they were happy about.
And you get all ages involved, like from the oldest to the youngest. And even if the youngest just
(35:20):
says, you know, Merry Christmas, which some of them do because they're not, you know, some people don't
like to public speak. But the majority of people actually do share something. And yeah, I think
it's, I think it's nice just again, just to stop and enjoy the time together in a different way.
Yeah. Yeah, that's right. That's right. I think all of those ideas are great. One thing we have to
(35:45):
stay strong in is to make sure that Thanksgiving gets the recognition it deserves because it
sometimes looks like it's an obstacle between us and Christmas. Because all the lights go up early
Friday, Black Friday specials come on and you're like, okay, wait a minute, we are not quite there
yet. Christmas music is already playing on the radio. So I think it's just really important to
(36:08):
give it the time that it deserves to honor the togetherness and the gratitude. And I think a
lot of the traditions, which, which, you know, traditions are good because it almost you get
in it without thinking too much. But then you get the benefit of the tradition. I think how to
extend it beyond Thanksgiving into into our lives, like the habit of gratitude as an example.
(36:34):
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it shouldn't be just one holiday, right? Yeah, for sure. And then the last one is
just to think about ways to volunteer as a family. So there's always the opportunity to donate a
Thanksgiving dinner, serve at a soup kitchen, all of those opportunities are there. I think, you
(36:58):
know, what I'm seeing to at least here locally is they they've started Thanksgiving donations in
in a way that that's really easy, like right at the grocery store, you check out, they've got
here's all the things that can be bought for a family right at the end of your aisle.
What would you like to donate? Just scan it and then you put it in the big, big box. And, you know,
(37:21):
that's, you know, just an easy way that everyone can participate. But yeah, I mean, it's always
a good thing to try and carve out time for someone who really needs it.
Yeah, that's true. That's true. I really appreciate the opportunities to donate the food banks
in many different ways. Houston Food Bank is a big organization here in Houston. But I think
(37:47):
making it easy in the flow of our daily lives, I think it's much needed, much appreciated,
and it makes all the difference in our communities. And I think you probably included here somewhere,
for those of us who are inclined, there is the Turkey Trot, right? You can do a little
5K or just even go for a walk before or after your meal for a little bit of exercise moving. So,
(38:16):
you get ready for the next course. That's, you know, just creating the occasion for togetherness.
That's awesome. Yeah, yeah. We always also did, and we just stopped doing it because our kids got
really a lot older, but we always did football right at the elementary school and had everyone
(38:36):
play. Like the girls, boys, the parents were doing the chains, flag football, you know?
And it was just a fun tradition to see the kids and as they've grown up, but now they're all,
you know, they're working and way out of college, most of them. But it was a fun thing to gather
around and be cold and have hot cocoa and watch kids play. Yeah, that's right. That's right. Also,
(39:02):
I think as the kids get older, they are pretty strong. I don't know. I want to go up against them
in any sport. So, but yes, good idea. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think that's hopefully we've
talked about a few things people didn't know about, maybe inspired a little bit more gratitude or just
(39:25):
top of mind gratitude for this holiday. And as always, it's just great to spend time with you,
Mugay. Yeah, thank you, Christine, for surfacing all these fun and informative facts. And I think
it makes us think about where these traditions came from, the origins beyond the pilgrims.
There's a lot to it. And just, I think being mindful about why we do what we do and enjoying
(39:51):
every minute of it. So, very much looking forward to an amazing Thanksgiving, wishing you,
your family and all our listeners a wonderful holiday where we can be grateful for what we are
given and celebrate togetherness and hopefully contribute to the communities we are in in ways
that we find meaningful, great occasion for it. Yeah. Yeah. Great way to sign us off. So, until
(40:18):
next time, everyone. Until the next time. Thank you for listening. Our hope is to spark a little joy,
inspire and educate our listeners in ways to live an even more meaningful life. If you have
reactions to share from what you've heard, please visit our website, refinement.life,
(40:38):
to leave a voice message. You may even be featured in a future episode. To keep in touch,
subscribe to our podcast, Refirement Life, using the podcast player of your choice.
Always remember, you are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.
Thanks again for joining us on this episode. Until next time.
Popular Podcasts
Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes present: Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial
Introducing… Aubrey O’Day Diddy’s former protege, television personality, platinum selling music artist, Danity Kane alum Aubrey O’Day joins veteran journalists Amy Robach and TJ Holmes to provide a unique perspective on the trial that has captivated the attention of the nation. Join them throughout the trial as they discuss, debate, and dissect every detail, every aspect of the proceedings. Aubrey will offer her opinions and expertise, as only she is qualified to do given her first-hand knowledge. From her days on Making the Band, as she emerged as the breakout star, the truth of the situation would be the opposite of the glitz and glamour. Listen throughout every minute of the trial, for this exclusive coverage. Amy Robach and TJ Holmes present Aubrey O’Day, Covering the Diddy Trial, an iHeartRadio podcast.
Betrayal: Season 4
Karoline Borega married a man of honor – a respected Colorado Springs Police officer. She knew there would be sacrifices to accommodate her husband’s career. But she had no idea that he was using his badge to fool everyone. This season, we expose a man who swore two sacred oaths—one to his badge, one to his bride—and broke them both. We follow Karoline as she questions everything she thought she knew about her partner of over 20 years. And make sure to check out Seasons 1-3 of Betrayal, along with Betrayal Weekly Season 1.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.