We all have Thanksgiving mishaps... some more than others....

 An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

A Review by James Romano

Hey 1,000 Bookies!!  In honor of Thanksgiving today my blog post takes us to New Hampshire and the Louisa May Alcott children’s story, An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving.  In the 1880s, Louisa May Alcott wrote a series of short stories and publishing them under the title: Aunt Jo’s Scrap-Bag.  There were six volumes, and An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving is featured in Volume VI.  Aunt Jo’s Scrap-Bag had no connection to Alcott’s iconic character Jo March from Little Women, Little Men and Jo’s Boys although she seemed to use the popularity of Little Women to promote sales of her short stories. An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving is a cute tale revolving around one family and their preparations for the big day.  Thanksgiving is a holiday where history and legend collide. 

As we all know a band of Englishman unhappy with religious persecution boarded a ship and headed to the New World, eventually founding the second permanent colony in English America.  The Native American people (The Wampanoags) provided a degree of assistance to the Separatists with crops, fishing and fur trapping.  After the first harvest, the colonists held a celebration of surviving that first year in the Plymouth Colony.  The celebration lasted for three days and they invited the natives to join them.  We commemorate this peaceful breaking of bread together every year with our families, giving thanks for the blessings of the almighty. Thanksgiving was viewed as a New England holiday for a century.  Certain Presidents issued the proclamation of Thanksgiving (Washington & Adams) whiles others refused (Jefferson).  The Civil War and aftermath cemented the celebration into federal law.  The years after Thanksgiving was given the status of a federal holiday. 

There is also some jousting as to when and where the first “Thanksgiving” took place. It all depends on your definition of Thanksgiving.  Some British settlers in 1619 landed at the Berkeley Plantation near Richmond, Virginia.  As soon as these explorers landed, they bowed down to give thanks for a safe passage.  There was no dinner and no rapprochement with the native populations.  This was a year prior to the Separatists landing in Plymouth.  Although the Thanksgiving holiday that we as Americans embrace is traced to the Pilgrim/Separatists in New England, Virginia politicians will always bring up the 1619 landing.  

An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving centers on the Bassett Family.  On Thanksgiving Eve, Mrs. Bassett learns her mother is deathly ill and she, Mr. Bassett and their youngest, who is still a baby, go quickly to be at her side.  The Bassett children are left to take care of themselves.  Tillie is the oldest daughter and is headstrong.  She reminds me of Jo March and must be based on Alcott herself.  Tillie is the leader of the group.  With other children (Ephraim, Prudence, Roxy, Rhody, Seth and Sol), Tillie decides they must cook Thanksgiving dinner even if her parents are away.  However, the cooking goes awry.  Eventually Mr. and Mrs. Bassett return right before Thanksgiving dinner is served learning that the grandmother was not as sick as they were led to believe.  Many family members join them for the dinner. 

The dinner the family returns to has some problems.  Tilly makes the Christmas pudding, but forgets to put in Sugar or salt.  Her sister Prue grabs the wrong spices for the stuffing—catnip and wormwood—with names like those of course the stuffing sounds awful.  The turkey ends up burned on one side.  The story is very relatable because who hasn’t had Thanksgiving Dinner mishaps.  In my family growing up we would have Thanksgiving dinner with my mother’s family.  My Grandmother Burke was NOT Julia Child, heck she was a pretty bad cook.  She cooked a big meal once a year.  No matter how much she tried, she always burned the bottoms of the rolls.  One year the mashed potatoes turned gray and another she forgot to take the stuffing out of the turkey.  Looking back Thanksgiving wasn’t Thanksgiving without a mishap or two. 

My absolutely favorite story of my Grandmother and Thanksgiving dealt with Mincemeat pie.  To this day, I have no idea what mincemeat pie is or what ingredients make up the recipe.  But every year, my grandmother would buy mincemeat pie and my dad would eat one piece.  One year, while in high school, I was helping my grandmother shop prior and she said she must order mincemeat pie because my father loves it.  I was puzzled. We never ate mincemeat pie at home, nor did my father’s mother, who baked the best pies, ever make mincemeat pie.  I always ate Grandmom Romano’s apple pie, strawberry pie, and definitely all her many cookies and cakes (always topped with ice cream).  That year driving home, my mother asked my dad how his piece of mincemeat pie was, and he said terrible as usual.  I can’t believe my years.  Come to find out that when my parents were dating and my mom brought my father home for Thanksgiving dinner, my grandparents had a huge row and there was a lot of tension.  When it came time for dessert my Grandmother asked who wants mincemeat pie.  Her husband, three sons and daughter looked around avoiding eye contact and I am sure you could hear crickets.  My dad said he would love a piece and she thought for a DECADE or more that he loved mincemeat pie.  I shake my head just thinking of Mincemeat pie (and still wondering what exactly it is).  But we all have quirky family stories and traditions around Thanksgiving. 

In 2008, Hallmark Channel produced a movie of An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving.  The story is radically different then the short story and contains much more drama.  There is also a love story between Tillie and Gad Hopkins which is alluded to in the book. An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving is a great children’s book and I recommend next year you pick up a version to give to a small child in your life and read it with them.  Happy Thanksgiving!!!   

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