To our U.S. readers, I hope you had a safe and lovely Thanksgiving. For many people this year, those things felt mutually exclusive. Plenty of families went ahead with their plans, or a modified version of them. But some families, including mine, stayed home. We dressed up for the gigantic meal my husband prepared with "help" from the girls. I have more blessings than I can count, but I'm used to spending this holiday with extended family, and I miss them so much. This year was a first. And, I hope, a last.
Like many parents, I have years of Thanksgiving keepsakes from my kids. I started accumulating them when the girls' preschool teachers helped them fill in the blank "I am thankful for _______." I cherish them all, which is not something I often say about clutter. Every year, we put them on a gratitude tree that goes up on November 1, as soon as the Halloween decorations come down.
In 2019, our tree-topper put it perfectly: "I am thankful for my family, because they love me and care for me. I am also thankful for my house, it pretects me from robbers. And am thankful for my friends, without them I would be bored, and have a very sad life. I am thankful for food, because I'm always hungry. I am thankful for getting to play softball." [Editor's note: All typos were made by the original author, age 9.]
But in 2020, our branches were barren, like a Charlie Brown gratitude tree, until this week, when one leaf magically appeared: "I am thankful that I know where my next meal is coming from." I love Rosie's simple sentiment, and I'm thankful to her teachers for continuing this time-honored tradition, even in a challenging and all-remote year.
I'll leave it here today, since we have leftovers to eat and TV to watch. I'm thankful for you, and for the lovely notes you've sent me. Email me at andrea@time.com to tell me about your holiday traditions, and what you're feeling grateful for.
Best, Andrea
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