The other day I had to stop by the store to pick up so milk. Before I even walked in I was greeted by one of those bell ringers with the red metal bucket. Once inside, as I walked up and down the aisles, I saw the Christmas cookies, paper, candy, and decorations already on display. The multi-colored lights twinkled at me as carols piped in from the speakers above. There were even Christmas cards and toys for sale and this was a grocery store. I couldn’t help but ask myself, Whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

No sooner has America thrown away their pumpkins and got rid of the Halloween candy and already Santa, Rudolph and the Grinch are being shoved down our throats. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. Adore it. It is my second favorite holiday of the year, but that doesn’t mean I want to celebrate it for two whole months. I want to watch Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving before I watch the one where he is hunting for the perfect Christmas tree and directing the show.

I happen to like pilgrims, turkeys and the Macy’s Parade and I want to celebrate them, darn it. Is it too much to ask? Some of my happiest memories from childhood centered around Turkey Day. I have always loved the homemade lumpy mashed potatoes, stuffing and turkey. Nobody could make better gravy than my Grandma Jane.

The mom in me wants to continue this love with my children. I can’t wait to get up early on Thanksgiving, get the turkey ready, plop down in front of the TV with my kids to watch the parade and then watch the Detroit Lions lose at football. Hey, maybe if I’m lucky, my in-laws will have an argument during dinner to provide even more entertainment. Nothing says Thanksgiving like a good family fight!

Then, after they all leave and I’ve cleaned up the mess, I will feast on the leftovers for the next couple of days. Then and only then, will I get into the Christmas Spirit. I might even sing a carol or two.

With that being said, if anyone has a good recipe for stuffing, I would love to see it. Not that I do any of the cooking. My husband is a wiz in the kitchen so I stay out of his way and let him do his magic. Still, I’m always on the lookout for new recipes to send his way.

-Stephani Hecht