Thanksgiving at Scott's sister Mary and Corey's house is always a feast for the eyes as well as a wonderful meal. Mary decorates with exhuberance and style - with help from her daughters Abby and Bergen. Scott and I, along with Becky, Pitt and Emmett joined their family for dinner. Our photos reminded me of a poem I recently read by John Greenleaf Whittier.
In the poem "The Pumpkin" by 19th century poet John Greenleaf Whittier, the tradition of Thanksgiving is described as a time of remembrance and return, a celebration of abundance, both of sustenance and of love, at a family gathering. The poet depicts the scene sensually, packing each line with the fruits of a healthy harvest and the warmth of a kitchen sweet from baking
By the end of the poem, the words achieve an almost too-full splendor:
And the prayer, which my mouth is too full to express,
Swells my heart that thy shadow may never be less,
That the days of thy lot may be lengthened below,
Having lived on a farm his entire life, Whittier offers his reader the plentiful harvest as a symbol of a productive year, evoking the historical origin of Thanksgiving as the meal held in 1621 by the Wampanoag together with the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts.And the fame of thy worth like a pumpkin-vine grow.
Whittier describes the harvest festival - a shared tradition of both cultures. The account of a peaceful celebration between the two groups is still the basis for the holiday today.
While some of the elements of the story are myths that were consciously exaggerated in the 1890s and early 1900s in the hopes of forging a national identity in the aftermath of the Civil War, the core message of acceptance and commonality still remains for many celebrants.
I love that Thanksgiving has remained a celebration of acceptance and togetherness. I love the simplicity and family-ness of Thanksgiving.
After Thanksgiving dinner, Aaron and Aimee and family joined us for dessert and games.
Brookie made candy bar pie that we all enjoyed.
Bergen and baby Claire really hit it off.
Playing a serious game of Apples to Apples Jr.
Thanks Mary, for a wonderful afternoon.
I love this pic of brother and sister!
