Missed Holidays

Thanksgiving is, hands down, one of my favorite holidays. One reason is that the food is the spotlight and the other main reason is that fall is my favorite time of year. Another reason, of course, is being around family. However, it snowed in Chicago already and its been around 19 degrees at night here the past few days. So fall has passed, and I cancelled my Thanksgiving flights to Texas to visit family because of work. I found out yesterday I'm working on Thanksgiving from noon until 9 P.M.

So, yes, the food is still the spotlight but because I'm not going to be involved in anyone's Thanksgiving (besides our hotel guests), I'm trying not get caught up what's going on around me. I haven't watched the Food Network for the past two weeks and I'm not going to watch it until Thanksgiving is over. (Although then, they'll probably have a few days about what to do about left overs, so maybe I'll wait until Thanksgiving weekend is over). The bakery downstairs is helping because although they have their Thanksgiving menu available for their customers, their Christmas decorations are already up.

In addition, this Saturday (tomorrow) is the Festival of Lights. Tomorrow evening, Micky Mouse trots down Michigan Avenue to light all of the Christmas lights and kick off the season. There is an understood rule that the hotel's around Michigan Avenue will have their decorations up before the festival kicks off.

So to be honest, so far, it hasn't been that hard to forget Thanksgiving. People are rushing to Christmas before its even December.

I'm sure once Thursday comes around, I will feel a little differently, but right now I'm ok. My husband is leaving for Boston on Thursday and will be returning on Sunday. I am working that Thursday, have Friday off and working again Saturday and Sunday.

The two of us are having Thanksgiving dinner on Monday night. I will share my menu once I think about it. Because it's just two of us, it will be really simple and traditional. I'm not a big fan of modernizing the menu of this holiday. I think the main reason it's loved by so many is because you know what to expect to eat. Who wants Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Lime Syrup and Chives??? I want canned sweet potatoes with crushed pineapple and marshmallows!! So that's one dish we'll have.