Andy Riley, Jr helping mother Myra Riley with Turkey dinner in the kitchen. Notice snowing outside.
Author Polly Mazariegos
Do you remember a year when the temperature for Thanksgiving was at 72 degrees? In 1990, all the Riley family went to my brother, Andy’s place in Hanover, PA, to celebrate Thanksgiving. We set up four long tables outside in his yard and ate the traditional Thanksgiving meal outside. Until this time, I have never heard of the temperature being that warm for Thanksgiving. I have photos attached to show where everyone is sitting at the tables.
I remember the Thanksgiving that it snowed so much I was unable to get to my parents place from downtown Gettysburg to our home in Seven Stars, PA, which was four miles out of town. My car was almost totally covered by the snow. That was the worst Thanksgiving I have ever had.
Thanksgiving and Christmas were the two holidays all my brothers and sisters and their families tried to be home for. In addition to all the food we could eat, it was a time to catch up on all the latest gossip within the family. I love the holidays.
Mom always had the Christmas tree up and decorated, and this is a tradition most of us carry on today. I know I do. My children love me having my tree up by Thanksgiving. I love decorating for the holidays. I have mounds of all kinds of decorations. This past Christmas was the first time I was able to decorate outside my apartment. Everyone said they loved my decorations, and they can see them from their apartments up the hill in our development.
When I was younger, 25-50 years old, I decorated for all the holidays. For example, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. I keep my decorations up until January 15 for the religious holiday of the Ephifany.
When I lived in Virginia, the neighbor kids would all come up to see my tree as I had my tree up before their parents put their tree up. Some did not do it until Christmas Eve and took it down right after Christmas. They always said mine was the prettiest Christmas Tree on the street.
I am also showing you a picture of a Thanksgiving when we had snow (See photo at beginning of article.) Most of the time, that did not stop us from enjoying Thanksgiving together. Even after Mom moved into a small apartment, she improvised by setting up the tables in her living room. It was a pretty tight squeeze, but we had one big table for adults and another for the kids. We all had a good time.
I miss our traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, but after my mother passed away, it was not as much fun as before. No matter where she lived, whether at the farm/store or in town, she made the holidays a happy occasion. It was just her way.
Published in U S Legacies Magazine November 2005
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