A Traditional Thanksgiving Day

OPINION GUEST COMMENTARY

A traditional Thanksgiving Day day between the Gobble. Gobble. Underdog and Big Turkey Day is upon Bird balloons. us. Thanksgiving is Fortunately, my parmy favorite holiday. ents made it to the No gifts involved. hospital where we No need for politishared my favorite cal correctness. It’s Thanksgiving Day just the three “F’s” together. — food, family and Football. The NFL football. came up with a marFood. While most keting ploy years ago of you are pouring Mike Neiman and now it has over your recipes preparing for the perfect feast, become ingrained in the day’s I have fond childhood memo- festivities. But why the same teams every year? Detroit. ries of the Betty Crocker version of Thanksgiving dinner. It Dallas. Does it get much worse? The NFL has a captive was a much simpler time. We audience and knows we’ll did not have the Food watch whatever they toss us. Network or domestic divas So grin and bear it. like Martha instructing us. One thing I find missing My mother has many talents, but cooking is not one of from Thanksgiving every year is what the holiday is supthem. That certainly does not posed to be about. No, not the stop her. On our menu, besides the thawed out turkey, Pilgrims and the Indians breaking bread before slaughwas Stovetop stuffing, the tering each other, but taking famous Durkee green bean time to be grateful for what we casserole, canned cranberry have. sauce, yams and pineapple That may be tough as 2009 with marshmallows melted on hasn’t been a banner year. top and of course the lime The economic meltdown hit Jell-O mold. Throw in the our savings and home values. Pillsbury Crescent rolls and a Sarah Lee cheesecake and the Our village and schools are table was set. Do you feel your hurting, too. Don’t be surprised to see Village President arteries hardening about Tom Cauley picking up pennow? Over the years, the nies from the sidewalks. Plus, menu changed as the next generation shared the cooking we have a flu pandemic to boot. And now, Oprah tells us duties. But left on her own, she’s leaving. How much my mom would gladly go more can we take? back to her old-fashioned When you gather around meal. the table tomorrow, just think Family. Isn’t family what about what you have in your Thanksgiving is all about? We life. While that may include put away petty differences as processed food, crazy relatives well as dysfunctions and attempt to get along for a day. and bad football, I’m betting your list is much longer with Typically it works, until the things you really are grateful wine starts flowing. for. This Thanksgiving will be Happy Thanksgiving! the first year not spent with my family. We did miss the — Mike Neiman of Hinsdale is lavish dinner back in 2000. My a contributing columnist. daughter, Madison, decided to Readers can e-mail him at make her grand entrance that [email protected].

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Questions? Call (630) 323-4422 The Hinsdalean • November 26, 2009 • Page 11