THANKSGIVING IN PARIS

Thanksgiving in Paris this first year was memorable indeed.  We had invited two couples we know to share Thanksgiving dinner with us-none were Americans so we wanted to show them a typical American Thanksgiving meal.

On Wednesday we went to the market to pick up the turkey we had ordered the week before.  When we ordered it, we didn't ask the price.  It really didn't matter since we were going to order it regardless.  Wednesday when we arrived to pick it up,  they didn't have it so we had to kill an hour...no problem in Paris, we just walked to a cafe and had a hot chocolate!!

When we went back, Tom Turkey was ready and waiting(no head or feet!!!!yea!)!!  We had asked for 7-8 kilograms (15 - 17 lbs) but Tom was 9 kilograms (20 lbs.), remember we were feeding six.  I know I must have had a turkey that weight before, but he looked huge!!!!

They cleaned him up a little, put him in a bag (which David carried home) and said "135 Euros, please" (not exactly those words but that's the translation!).  Oh my gosh!!!!!  The most expensive turkey we've EVER had, or will have!!!  But it is, after all, our first year in Paris.  A splurge!!!

Dinner wasn't until 7:00 p.m. Thursday so we had all day to cook and clean.  We had a little break at noon and went to an interfaith Thanksgiving worship at the American Cathedral across the river (we could walk) that our church was participating in.  The day was cold and damp and seemed very much like the midwestern Thanksgiving days I remember growing up.  I really like that.  We were surprised there weren't more people in this beautiful church (it's English speaking also).  Our pastor did one reading, a rabbi did one reading and a staff member of their church did one reading.  The hymns were ones we had grown up singing at Thanksgiving (that was nice) and the message was given by an Episcopal bishop.  He was informal and very thoughtful in his not-too-long sermon.  All in all, I thought it was a very nice service and a wonderful way to take a moment to reflect how blessed I've been and how grateful I am for God's presence in my life.

After church, we walked home and the work began in full force.  We did just the normal things...sweet potato casserole we've made many years now that was a recipe from a friend in Chicago, mashed potatoes, gravy, Brussel sprouts (not always the veggie), dressing (not cornbread this year, just bread from the boulangerie so lots of wheat), cranberries (again a little different than in Texas because of what we could find), and pumpkin pie for dessert.

We lit the candelabra we bought and it was wonderful!  I had to decorate with the gray because of our dishes...not very "fall-like" but it worked!  I also used the new silver we bought at a Marche-I love it as well!!

Promptly at 7:00 p.m. our guests arrived.  They didn't really know each other, which was a slight concern to us.  You never know how people will interact with one another, how good the conversation will be, and how comfortable everyone will feel.  We had planned a couple of "icebreaker" questions but never needed them!!  Our friends acted as if they'd known each other for years and the conversation never stopped.  It was wonderful!

Four hours and pumpkin pie and coffee later our first Parisian Thanksgiving ended, and our friends left to return home.  I think this is the first Thanksgiving we've celebrated without some family.  I thought that would be strange, and, in a way, it was.  However, the fellowship we shared with these friends was warm and comfortable.  We spoke about family, traditions, growing up, Paris and our personal journeys here and ended the evening with spiritual thoughts.  There was laughter, contemplation and thoughtfulness.

It was a Thanksgiving that we will forever hold close in our memories.