Thanksgiving Thoughts from Jane

Thanksgiving has arrived … it’s about my favorite holiday of the year … there’s no pressure for gifts or few religious undertones … everyone can celebrate it universally … and what could be wrong with a day devoted to eating …  heck we’ve been at it for 395 years … we should be getting the feast part right by now.

Added bonus:    as a I heard a priest say the other day … even the sin of gluttony is excused on Thanksgiving…

And I love starting the meal with a toast.    But how to be appropriate?    We want to give thanks … we don’t want to be corny or trite, silly, overly sentimental or grandiose --

So …start by remembering that as you toast before the meal –everyone’s waiting to dig in.  Meaning:  Keep it short, under a minute.

Then --  know your audience.    Are they serious, fun loving, foodies, friends, family, what do you all have in common?   Keep in mind that inside baseball … referring to old familiar stories – may leave the new fiancée or last minute invite feel left out.

How to get attention?   Simply stand and raise a glass … I once saw a host tap on crystal with a fork .. Grandma wasn’t happy when her coveted wineglass shattered.

And finally-- give it a little thought before the day --- a small amount of prep could bring great dividends.   Speak from the heart – it always works.

If you’re stuck for thoughts … here are a few tried and true quotes … funny, inspired and yes silly too:

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get."

 “Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.” – Johnny Carson

"Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast." William Shakespeare

"Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." William Arthur Ward

"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds." Theodore Roosevelt

May your stuffing be tasty, may your turkey be plump,
May your potatoes & gravy have nary a lump,
May your yams be delicious, may your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs.

— C.J. Beaman

“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” – Oscar Wilde

Happy Thanksgiving!  (Can’t wait for those leftovers)