Family, Home, and Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is perhaps one of my favourite holidays. It used to be because of the vast quantities of food I remember from my youth, but now it's more a family thing. I have fond memories of going to my grandparents' house and getting to sleep over with (and I might not remember this correctly) 25 other relatives who had driven down from Connecticut for the holiday. We always had a big jar of pickled eggs, which by the end of the weekend was just some beets in juice. There was always a table full of baked goodies, like jam drop cookies, peanut butter kiss cookies, pies, and loads of candies. I remember playing card games with my cousins, and getting all wild and stirred up before bed. The adults would always play pinochle until the wee hours of the morning, laughing and talking. I remember the breakfasts, the spaghetti dinner the day after Thanksgiving we always had, and of course going shopping at the mall the day after Thanksgiving. I remember there was always football on the television, or we'd watch parades, and the men would fall asleep on the couch, stuffed into oblivion with loads of food. I guess being home with my parents for this particular holiday has made me feel a bit nostalgic, and I know you can't bring back old times, but it's nice to pause and remember.