Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in the Ellett household was a time of peace and reflection this year; at least once the preparations for the feast were complete. Because our extended family members were far away or busy elsewhere we shared our feast with our good friends the Tittlers, then feasted again with them at their house on Friday. It was quite easy to resist the temptation to go shopping on Black Friday. The weekend as a whole was quite relaxing and there was plenty of time to contemplate the many things for which I am thankful.

On Wednesday evening we attended the interfaith Thanksgiving service at the Old Ship Church, in Hingham, Massachusetts. Attending the service has become a family tradition as important as the turkey, perhaps more important. This was my second year of attending but Jennifer and Maura have been going for longer. Before last year I had to work and couldn’t get the time off. The service draws from the variety of faiths represented on the Hingham-Hull Interfaith Religious Council and is the one religious service each year that all members of our interfaith family can attend and feel equally at home. It is always a beautiful service and a reminder that Thanksgiving is, at its heart, a religious holiday, though one that transcends the boundaries that divide faiths.

Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings and despite troubles my blessings are many. I have a loving family and loyal friends. When it comes to material things I have enough despite tough economic times. I try to be truly thankful for the things that I have because I know that what I have is truly worth being thankful for.

Thanks Giving

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. Ours here in the Ellett household was low key but enjoyable. Perhaps the fact that we didn’t go to extremes made the holiday better. It certainly gave all of us more time and space for reflection.

Our Thanksgiving celebration began on Wednesday night with attendance at the Hingham/Hull Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at the Old Ship Church. A unique 17^th century survival, Old Ship began as Hingham’s Puritan meeting house. It's wooden architecture is unique and beautiful in a simple and understated way. It is worth a visit though it is not always open to casual visitors. Maura and Jennifer have attended the Interfaith Thanksgiving Service before but I was happy to finally be able to join them this year. I needed the reminder of how much I have to be thankful for.

On the day itself we feasted at home. Jennifer made the traditional turkey with untraditional side dishes. Stuffed pumpkins have appeared on our Thanksgiving table two years in a row and are well on their way to becoming a family tradition. We had a small gathering. It was just the three of us and our friends the Tittlers, who are as close as family. Thanksgiving dinner at home without a crowd of near strangers was very relaxing. There was plenty of opportunity to talk and many chances to reflect on the meaning of the day, though we did not stop to do so formally.

When I do pause to reflect, whether on Thanksgiving or on any other day, I find that I have many things to be thankful for. I have the love and affection of my family and friends, and the encouragement and inspiration that they give me. I have the opportunity to love and encourage them in return. I have the freedom to think and believe for myself and the right to express my thoughts if I choose. I have material things to more than meet my needs—I have no fear of being hungry, naked or cold. When I think about the people who don’t have what I do—a loving family, a roof over my head, enough food to eat—I am thankful for one other thing, that I have the ability to help others.  When I do what I can to help other people it is an expression of gratitude, both to the God I sincerely believe in and to the people who have helped me.

This year the group of friends that we spend our Sunday evenings with has decided not to exchange holiday gifts. We’ll be gathering together to help others instead. We’ll take the money we would have spent on gifts to each other and make a group donation to the Greater Boston Food Bank. It may become a new tradition.