The Beginning of a Tradition

This Thanksgiving it was fantastic to have my whole family home. Each one of my children are either working toward or already in a career that someday will most likely take them far away from home. It was a delight to have them all crowded around the dining table on Thanksgiving Day. As my late father-in-law would have said, “This is glorious!”

Almost every family has it’s holiday traditions. My wife’s family would have everyone hold hands around the table as her father said a blessing; which most often was more of a short speech on how happy he was to have everyone “home” and a short newsletter on what was happening in the family. Being my shy, introverted self this was an awkward feeling moment for me the first few years, however I got used to it and eventually learned to look forward to what he would have to say at any particular dinner. Today his family still carries on the tradition each holiday although no one can quite put the panche’ into it that Jack did.

My family didn’t have any special tradition. I tried to emulate the hand-holding speech making but it just wasn’t me. And I could tell it made the new members of the family uncomfortable, just as it had made me so many years ago. This year at Thanksgiving, thanks to a  family member that works in a vineyard and winery we had some great wines. So I made a toast before the dinner. I started by thanking everyone for being there and how delighted I was that they all could make it. Not too long after the dinner was underway my daughter made a toast to the cook and later near the end she made a toast to all the members of the family that are working so hard to follow their dreams. I think we may have stumbled on to what I hope will be Our Tradition.

I am going to call it an Open Toast tradition. At any time during the dinner, anyone, if the mood strikes them can make a toast. I think it will be fun. Of course we will need to keep the wine glasses full.