My Family Tradition: Thanksgiving Did Not Go As Planned

Tradition, the Latin word tradere, or in other words safekeeping. It can be an event where families sit down, travel, tell stories, wear masks, spiritual ceremony, a prayer to give thanks or simply having a big meal to their liking. It may also include: gifts, whether its opening or sharing with one another and of course music. It can be a belief from one or many, usually that is passed down from one generation to the next, focuses on the past origin. My tradition falls on thanksgiving, which tis the main factor of my life, where me and family have this huge feast, that consists of one member out of each family brings a dish to grandma’s house. In this case, one thanksgiving did not go as planned and eventually had to cook something that reminded us of our childhood. This tradition is important to me because, it gives me and my family the opportunity to value one another and to take the time out to appreciate each other. There is my grandma, the one who molds the family all together, one who makes sure you had something to eat even when you already just ate, and she will make sure you have a plate to take home. 

Without my grandma would not be a tradition to begin with. It all started, the beginning of the month, November 2008. It was a cold bitter day, and I hear the pot boiling over with hot water while my grandma was stirring her smash potatoes that I still love today. Then over by table was filed with pies that could make your mouth water soon as you walked in to the dinning area. The crust on the pies where so crispy once you cut into it all you could hear was the crust crackling like paper. Beginning to add the cheese with the mash potatoes, you can smell the minced garlic aroma from it, filling up the whole room with it. 

I smiled as I took a spoon and went in for it. I was automatically smiled because I am the only one she allows to do that before it is ready to be serve. I get down and I run off to the room with my uncle and my auntie who arrived with nothing in their hand. I looked at them funny because, my aunt usually comes bursting through the door about her so called “ Stacey’s Famous Smoking Turkey”, and of course the ham that she double coats with cinnamon a teaspoon of salt and pepper, a pinch of basil, another pinch of oregano, two and a half cups of apple cider and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Just when it can get any worse, it did, my aunt forget the turkey and the ham then my uncle had forgot to bring the green beans and the mac and cheese. This had made my mother and my grandma upset and I was kind of anxious about it to. So, my grandma slowly rises from her chair and harshly question them about both why they had forgot to bring the two main dishes. Well she did remind them thirty minutes prior to them arriving to have their dishes prepared. Before my auntie and my uncle could response to stop the tension that had started to rise, I suggested that we make some chicken tenders with my grandma’s cheesy mash potatoes. 

My grandma suddenly looked up, ran into the kitchen, opened the freezer door and by surprise there was a pile full of chicken tenders. Jumping with excitement, I snatched the bag and started to thaw them out. My grandma put them in the fryer, and all you hear is the sizzling sound of the tenders rubbing against the pan. Once they were done cooking, I put them on a platter that me and my sister made last year and put them on the table. At last we still had something to eat and that’s the moment the whole family realized that if you have family around you, should be the importance of it, regardless of the situation. Good or bad, nothing should ever stop something so little to ruin the moment because, nether the less we have one life and we should cherish each moment like it is our last because at the end of the day not everybody gets to have that second chance. Everything does not have to be perfect. It doesn’t matter if the things are unbalanced such as the place, timing, or the food, it should be just about the family and everything will fall in place after it.