Happy Thanksgiving!
Yeah, yeah. Technically, we still have 11 days. But the last time my family celebrated Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving was 1983, and I wasn’t even born yet.
That year, my extended family traveled to my parents’ Kentucky home where they partook in old-fashioned turkey, white-bread stuffing and can-shaped cranberries. Then, that following Monday, before my relatives could board their planes, I was born, thwarting their travel plans and forever altering the way my family celebrated T-day.
“Our family tradition is floating Thanksgiving to whenever it’s convenient,” my mom says.
Growing up, choosing a date between Thanksgiving and my birthday to celebrate both occasions simultaneously was just more convenient. As adults, my siblings and I have moved to different corners of the country. Since we see each other only a few times a year, we try to make the most of our time under one roof.
This year, we celebrated Thanksgiving and my birthday on Oct. 27 by partaking in a meal of free-range turkey, oyster stuffing and arugula salad.
Recipes may evolve, but some things remain steadfast. And anyway, Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without birthday cake.