Gobble Gobble! or for us in France Chick Chick!

Thanksgiving is probably my least favorite holiday.
Americans sit around eating all day, supposedly pondering the question "well, what ARE we thankful for?"
It seems that a good number of our celebrations involve stuffing our faces and I guess that's how people celebrate everywhere, it's just kind of embarrassing having the conversation with French people.
Yes, as a matter of fact, WE DO need a whole day to just eat and think about why we're all so lucky. It sounds so stupid from an ocean away.

I've been vegan on Thanksgiving for the last five years and tend to stick to the corn and mashed potatoes. I think one year I had a Tofurkey, but I don't really remember. I just know that I don't usually get the sleepy side effects of real Turkey and that's fine with me.

Today, there are no celebrations. I have two hours of class and an exam. I don't have anything special planned for the evening seeing that again, I have to wake up tomorrow and take more tests. Different country, different rules.
Kat has been really nice, though, and is organizing a big thanksgiving dinner at Falstaff Sunday. Everyone's bringing something so I'll probably be spending Sunday afternoon in Louis' kitchen, peeling and smashing potatoes. I think it will be fun and a needed change of pace.

Just for the record, I HAVE been listening to "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie all morning and I do miss watching Detroit's parade on TV. Finally, I am Thankful for so many things: My family, being in France, my education, the fact that I'm not starving to death, good coffee, etc.

When I am at home, I'm used to Christmas music on the radio the day after Halloween and over the top commercials and window displays weeks before thanksgiving. It all hits at once and I just become so irritated with everything. Christmas kind of lost it's magic the last few years. It felt like it came and went and I hardly even acknowledged it. This year is really different. There aren't any commercials on TV, there's no huge displays in the stores. I think I saw one Chocolate Pere de Noel at the grocery store and one Christmas tree. But other than that, nothing. Everything is really low key here. It's making me want to get in the Christmas spirit on my own.

Next weekend, Amanda and I are going to Paris for Christmas shopping. We're going to enjoy the little bit (PERFECT AMOUNT) of snow there, the lights on the Champs-Elysee and holiday themed beverages at Starbucks. I can't wait.