Turkey Bowl

Thanksgiving is all about tradition.  It is one of my favorite holidays.  So much love, happiness….thankfulness.  I know that’s cheesy, but it’s such a warm holiday.  Nothing gaudy or overly commercialized.  And let’s be honest here, everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving dinner.  But in my family, Thanksgiving dinner is not even the half of it.  Let me tell you about some of our other rituals on this fall holiday.

First is the family football game.  My dad’s family has had a football game on Thanksgiving morning every year since far before I was born.  It’s just a standard game of touch football, but let me tell you, it gets pretty intense.  I started playing when I was around 7 years old.  And if you know anything about me, you know that I am in no way good at football.  I think it has something to do with the combination of me not being able to throw or catch, much less both at the same time.  (Last year in gym class we played flag football and I got placed in the B League, so we spent a week running drills.  In the five days, I did not catch the ball once.  Eventually my teacher took pity on my and handed off the ball so that I could feel somewhat accomplished.)  So needless to say, I am not a huge asset to the team.  My cousin is my age, and for a few years they let us play on the same team.  They would periodically stop, about once every 45 minutes, to run a “G-Play.”  Let me take a second to break down a typical Girl Play.  Everyone pretends to actually try, but nobody really does.  Someone throws the ball to one of the girls on the team, and we all ignore the rules of the game, meaning whether the girl drops or catches the ball, she grabs it and runs until she gets a touchdown while everyone fake lunges at her so that she thinks she really made a contribution to the game.  And then the game continues as usual.  A few years ago, I realized that these plays didn’t count towards the final score.  I felt a little dejected. 

Once we outgrew G-Plays, however, it was time to throw us into the actual game.  Meaning my cousin and I had to be on opposing teams to guard each other.  Both of us complained and put up a huge fight, but our fathers could not be swayed.  Once the game started, we were down to business and, eager to prove ourselves, got a tad bit too aggressive.  It started with harmless guarding and running, but soon swelled into pushing, hair pulling, elbowing, clawing, and I think I was even slapped across the face.  So that was the end of that experiment.  Now we usually play for a few minutes, and then sit on the sidelines drinking hot chocolate. 

Then we have the usual Thanksgiving dinner at my Aunt and Uncle’s house, which is always delicious and leaves everyone pleasantly (or unpleasantly) full and satisfied.  My grandpa usually lets out a good ol’ “Buaaaaaaah” at the end of the meal, so you know it’s good.  And then comes black Friday.

Black Friday has changed in my family throughout the years.  My parents used to try to take my brother and I to museums, but those days were filled with complaining and Museum Legs (You know, that feeling when your legs feel like jello that you only get when walking around a museum?)  Then we tried shopping, but after several near trampling incidents, we decided that perhaps a movie would be best.  So now we see a movie every year on Black Friday.  This year we’re going to see, you guessed it, Harry Potter.  I feel like the last person on the face of the earth to see it, so I’m excited.

Anyways, Thanksgiving is filled with family, tradition, good food, and great leftovers.  So when you’re packing up the leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (mmmmm) and cranberries, and you need a bag to place all of the Tupperware in, you know where to find one.  A tote bag, available in lovely fall colors, is perfect for the job.

-Emma