Today is known as "Black Friday" here. Imagine the Boxing Day sales but before Christmas! Anything and everything you could possibly want will probably be on sale today. Christmas shopping at knock down prices!
Not everyone, but lots of people probably got up in the middle of the night to queue for bargains as the shops were opening their doors at 3am, 4am and 5am. Today will apparently be a good indicator as to whether or not the US economy is strengthening.
The bargains are also there to be had on-line.....Ian is currently updating his wardrobe in a virtual Macy's!
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thanksgiving. Show all posts
Friday, 26 November 2010
Thanksgiving Day 2010
So. Imagine having a full dress rehearsal for a British Christmas minus Father Christmas but with all the stress....that is the way I'd describe Thanksgiving Eve. Traffic at a standstill, supermarkets rammed, turkeys flying out of freezers, stroppy shoppers and everyone dreading the arrival of the 'problem' relative.
Ellie learnt even more about Thanksgiving at school this year and we even received a class video of their rendition of TheTurkey Trot....actually the Hokey Cokey cleverley disguised. I'm only sorry I can't share it but have to respect privacy rights. After their song each student was asked what it is that they're thankful for...lots of different answers...Ellie said she was thankful for her toys and the new ones she 'hopes' to get! Ha! She'd better be good then! When we watched the video I asked if there was anything else she was thankful for.....her answer "Sausages", then she remembered something, rummaged in her school bag and presented me with this....
Ellie, I didn't just give them to you, I had to make them too....from scratch! We no longer have a Greggs around the corner!
As for me I was pretty thankful when the Thankgiving fairy disguised as my neighbour presented me with this.....
A homemade PECAN PIE, this, by the way is the ONLY dessert that I can NEVER refuse!
Today was strange for us, we obviously new there was something seasonal going on and could feel the anticipation of everyone we know here, but the traditions of this holiday are slightly removed from us, we've all seen movies with Thanksgiving references and TV shows with Thanksgiving specials blahdy blah but this holiday to Americans is even bigger for them as Christmas is for us.
So I did the usual clearing up and washing, the kids played and did art, Luke made an almighty mess in the playroom and they both watched Mary Poppins. Ian strung up the outside Christmas lights (a little early for us but he's going travelling and won't be back until near on Christmas Eve) we both ate a Mince Pie each...because we felt we should do something festive!
This evening we were invited to Bruce & Sandy's for a Thanksgiving dinner to remember. We spent time with and enjoyed the company of good friends and were treated to the finest Prime Rib Roast you have ever tasted....and maybe just another little slice of homemade Pecan Pie.
Ellie learnt even more about Thanksgiving at school this year and we even received a class video of their rendition of TheTurkey Trot....actually the Hokey Cokey cleverley disguised. I'm only sorry I can't share it but have to respect privacy rights. After their song each student was asked what it is that they're thankful for...lots of different answers...Ellie said she was thankful for her toys and the new ones she 'hopes' to get! Ha! She'd better be good then! When we watched the video I asked if there was anything else she was thankful for.....her answer "Sausages", then she remembered something, rummaged in her school bag and presented me with this....
Ellie, I didn't just give them to you, I had to make them too....from scratch! We no longer have a Greggs around the corner!
As for me I was pretty thankful when the Thankgiving fairy disguised as my neighbour presented me with this.....
A homemade PECAN PIE, this, by the way is the ONLY dessert that I can NEVER refuse!
Today was strange for us, we obviously new there was something seasonal going on and could feel the anticipation of everyone we know here, but the traditions of this holiday are slightly removed from us, we've all seen movies with Thanksgiving references and TV shows with Thanksgiving specials blahdy blah but this holiday to Americans is even bigger for them as Christmas is for us.
So I did the usual clearing up and washing, the kids played and did art, Luke made an almighty mess in the playroom and they both watched Mary Poppins. Ian strung up the outside Christmas lights (a little early for us but he's going travelling and won't be back until near on Christmas Eve) we both ate a Mince Pie each...because we felt we should do something festive!
This evening we were invited to Bruce & Sandy's for a Thanksgiving dinner to remember. We spent time with and enjoyed the company of good friends and were treated to the finest Prime Rib Roast you have ever tasted....and maybe just another little slice of homemade Pecan Pie.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Reasons to be Thankful
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.
I feel a little lost to be honest...I'm seasonally confused. When did Halloween and Fall end? There are still Fall like decorations and pumpkins in people's gardens. Leaves are still falling in their zillions. So does Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas all roll into one? Festive lights are glowing everywhere and Christmas trees are popping up all over the place. What's the difference good American people? Does it all combine into the 'Happy Holidays'?
It was hard to find any sign of Christmas in India, so let's just say that it's certainly alive and kicking here - it just seems to be a tad too early. The radio station I listen to in the car to-ing and fro-ing to school began playing 24/7 festive songs 10 long days ago. It proudly announces every few minutes that it is the 'Triangle's Official Christmas Music Station'. I really wasn't ready for that amount of Christmassy stuff so soon. The kids are going to be in space orbiting Jupiter with the excitement by the time Father Christmas begins his journey. In a panic and in desperation thank goodness I found, purely by chance, BBC Radio 1 on a 5 hour time delay on my car satellite radio - Chris Moyles never sounded so good on the school run.
Having said that the new festive playlists do have their advantages and make some journey's easier and quieter...an argument or tantrum can quickly be diffused with a deft flick of a switch and there a couple of 'new to us' festive favourites that Ellie and I are enjoying listening to, Luke's easy as long as he can bop along to something...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihW56Xa3XGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtqIM_bPTws
The day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday and marks the start of Christmas shopping with sales and bargains galore to be had apparently, wish I'd known that before I began the Christmas shopping. Imagine our Boxing Day and January sales BEFORE Christmas, I mean how much could you save? Only drawback is (I think?) these amazing and spectacular sales are just for one day only, shops open as early as Midnight, 2, 3, 4, 5am and it's the biggest US shopping day of the year apparently....I don't think I'll be going anywhere in any desperate hurry.
So, these are my totally shallow reasons to be thankful at this very precise moment in time...
I feel a little lost to be honest...I'm seasonally confused. When did Halloween and Fall end? There are still Fall like decorations and pumpkins in people's gardens. Leaves are still falling in their zillions. So does Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas all roll into one? Festive lights are glowing everywhere and Christmas trees are popping up all over the place. What's the difference good American people? Does it all combine into the 'Happy Holidays'?
It was hard to find any sign of Christmas in India, so let's just say that it's certainly alive and kicking here - it just seems to be a tad too early. The radio station I listen to in the car to-ing and fro-ing to school began playing 24/7 festive songs 10 long days ago. It proudly announces every few minutes that it is the 'Triangle's Official Christmas Music Station'. I really wasn't ready for that amount of Christmassy stuff so soon. The kids are going to be in space orbiting Jupiter with the excitement by the time Father Christmas begins his journey. In a panic and in desperation thank goodness I found, purely by chance, BBC Radio 1 on a 5 hour time delay on my car satellite radio - Chris Moyles never sounded so good on the school run.
Having said that the new festive playlists do have their advantages and make some journey's easier and quieter...an argument or tantrum can quickly be diffused with a deft flick of a switch and there a couple of 'new to us' festive favourites that Ellie and I are enjoying listening to, Luke's easy as long as he can bop along to something...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihW56Xa3XGQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtqIM_bPTws
The day after Thanksgiving Day is called Black Friday and marks the start of Christmas shopping with sales and bargains galore to be had apparently, wish I'd known that before I began the Christmas shopping. Imagine our Boxing Day and January sales BEFORE Christmas, I mean how much could you save? Only drawback is (I think?) these amazing and spectacular sales are just for one day only, shops open as early as Midnight, 2, 3, 4, 5am and it's the biggest US shopping day of the year apparently....I don't think I'll be going anywhere in any desperate hurry.
So, these are my totally shallow reasons to be thankful at this very precise moment in time...
- Ian finally gets home tomorrow after a very long, almost 3 weeks away.
- Luke only had two full scale tantrums today.
- Ellie has stopped throwing up and is feeling much better.
- My car 'scrape' has been fixed by a very nice man and thanks to Ellie I didn't do any damage to Ian's car as I was driving it in/out of the garage. She really is the most thoughtful daughter and diligently reminded me that damage was a distinct possibilty each and every time I drove out or reversed in. Once upon a time I had some confidence in my abilities!
- 3 days off school. How I thank you Pilgrim Fathers...No 6.15am alarm. No mad hair raising, teeth cleaning, uniform finding, hair faffing, face scrubbing, toddler negotiating, nappy changing, pyjama peeling, egg wiping, milk mopping dashes, no red lights at every turn and therefore hopefully no speeding tickets.
- The chance of a full dress rehearsal for cooking Christmas turkey and all the trimmings.
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