Thanksgiving

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Tet Trung Thu, where the Vietnamese celebrate successful harvesting. The Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving next week.

Many years ago, the pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic, came to America and settled in what is now considered Massachusetts. Many people died that first year because of disease and lack of food. The Iroquois Indians showed the pilgrims how to grow the food and hunt and fish. The following year, they had a bountiful harvest and celebrate it by inviting the Indians to a feast. They kept the tradition and celebrated autumn harvest many years after that. Eventually, United States Congress made it an official holiday on the last Thursday in November.

For many of us, it is a day of family affair. This year, we have lots of relatives in from out of town. Our house will be full with grandparents, brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. This is my favorite part of the holidays – getting together with families. Sure they can be a pain at time, but you can’t choose your families.

When I was a kid, about 50 of us would cram into my aunt’s home for Thanksgiving. Everyone would bring a dish to share. We would have both American and Vietnamese dishes. Afteward, about 25 of us cousins would pile into a few cars and go out to see a movie.

As an adult, I celebrate Thanksgiving with both my and my husband’s family. We will spend time cooking, eating a late lunch or early dinner. Afterward, the guys will gather around and watch football games. The girls would watch cheerleading competition. Sometime, we will play some board or card games. The kids will be in the basement, hanging out with their cousins.

I am thankful for my families. Thankful for the plentiful food that we have and a roof over our head, that we are healthy and not in debt. I think of the soldiers that are away from their families, fighting for our rights to freedom of speech. I never take our freedom for granted. I excersice my right to vote every election year. I would like to send those soldiers a prayer and wishing them to return to their family safely.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tet Trung Thu

I think in America, we call it "Mid-Autumn Festival".

As a child, it was a fun holiday. We would get a lantern. The lantern frame is made in a shape of an animal using wooden stick. Popular shapes were fish or boat. The frame would be covered with this clear cellophane type of papers in specific colors, then it would be painted with designs. Inside the middle of the frame, it would have this spring-looking thing that you can put a candle on it.

On the night of Tet Trung Thu, we would light our lantern with the candle and carry it with a stick. Usually, the neighborhood would have a parade and the kids would sing the Tet Trung Thu song and parade our lanterns.

I actually have a lantern up in the attic made like this but the lantern is made out of metal wires instead of wood sticks. I'll have to pull it out tomorrow and take a picture of it and post it. Recently, I've seen many lanterns with battery operated lights on them but I love the old lantern best.

How are the Vietnam lantern of today look like? Please send me a picture and I will post it.