Beelzebuddy

9. What holiday do you most look forward to?

I’m interpreting the question to mean publicly recognized holidays, instead of birthdays, anniversaries, or other personal days .

Christmas is the holiday that probably gets the most effort and attention. There are usually decorations to put up, social events to prepare and/or attend, a little shopping, familiar songs, gifts to give, and visits with friends and family.

New Year’s Eve is usually spent with friends, as a couple of our friends usually have a wonderful party.

However, I think Thanksgiving has to be the winner for me. A few years ago my husband and I invited a few friends to our house at Thanksgiving. They were all people reared elsewhere who did not have a Thanksgiving celebration to attend locally. It was a roaring success. We have continued to have our “orphan” Thanksgiving each year since. No one who attends is actually an orphan, but somehow the name stuck. My husband’s family has long had a tradition of welcoming in those in need a of a warm meal and a visit with friends. In addition to having their own families of birth, they are each part of our chosen family. Hosting Thanksgiving dinner can be a fair amount of work, but, perhaps because there are so few of us and we are so at ease with each other, it never seems like a chore. In addition to a shared meal, we sometimes watch a show, or play games, and there are always cocktails. The experience is always a little different, but is usually marked by a wealth of laughter and love. And it is always a day to remember fondly.

I believe the quote below hints at the meal, the humor, and the familiarity that characterize day.

“It wasn’t easy telling my family that I’m gay. I made my carefully worded announcement at Thanksgiving. It was very Norman Rockwell. I said, “Mom, would you please pass the gravy to a homosexual?” She passed it to my father. A terrible scene followed.” –Bob Smith