How About a Reverse Grinch This Season?

I spent this moning dropping off a few hats to a Women's Centre, for them to sell in their retail store as a fundraiser, in Duncan, the neighboring town where I sell at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays..
This was, for all intents and purposes, my Christmas presents to be given this year..
I thought I'd share my own Christmas experience for 2010 with my readers, since all of the blogs I read are full of wonderful decorations in the home, ideas about Christmas crafts, recipes, stories about kids, grandkids and families, etc. etc...In other words, the usual..
But I'm different..a single, childless early retiree sneaking up on what is referred to as her senior years, but frankly, psychologically kicking and scratching all the way, like a wet cat in a wringer, and I have to say that it gets to be a bit daunting for those of us who have no families or even friends in their new home towns to share the holiday season with..
Do not think that I am complaining, or giving anyone a hard time for their traditional Christmas feasting and partying..I'm not..the choices I had to make to live here were conscious ones, and I don't regret moving here for a second, but remember the name of my blog...
All I'm trying to say is, for those of you who have insanely busy lives, crowded with people that you love or at least like (or are related to, and have to pretend a fondness you don't feel) that there are many of us out here in the world who don't, by choice or chance, have the same experience of the holidays..
If you could find it in your heart to cut these folks some slack (and I'm betting you all know at least one) it would be a lovely gesture to include them, that is, if they aren't like me and generally turn down such offers, but I'm a tough old nut at Christmas..I know that many people would love the chance to feel part of something..it would add little or no cost to your celebration, but would be a wonderful present to someone who might otherwise be sitting in front of the tube with a beer and a microwave burrito..think about it.
And to all of you who read this blog, whether it's a turkey, ham, tamales or whatever your own 'feast' and party entails (or not) I would like to wish you all the very best of the Season, and an even better New Year to come!

Happy Thanksgiving to All my American Friends!♥!♥

Although some memories fade over time, the Thanksgivings of my childhood, in the 50's in Southern California, remain..the confusion of a house overheated with bodies and an all-day oven, and the glorious food that came magically to our tables..some of it not so appreciated at the time (still hate yams with marshmallows!) but most of it rarely-experienced treats in a semmingly never ending feast that had me groaning in pain afterwards, from eating so much, falling asleep on big pillows on the rug in the living room, while watching TV with the men..
My father and I used to have a mock 'fight' about who got the thigh (there were, after all, two) and, since most of those present wanted white meat, we had our fill of the dark...

Were turkeys more massive then? They seemed as big as me, but then, I was small..
All I could really think about was the pumpkin pie..loved it then, and still addicted to it in the winter months...


Hope all your memories of Thanksgiving past are as good, and that all your Thanksgivings will be as wonderful as mine were, then...