Friend Making Monday

Friend Making Monday time: Thanksgiving!

Here’s how it works: you copy the questions, answer them and post them to your own blog.  Then you come back here, and in the comments, post the link to your blog post with your answers to this week’s questions.  If you don’t have a blog of your own, just post your answers in the comments.

1. Do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

Yes.

2. What is your family’s tradition for Thanksgiving?

Because of schedules and people having to come from out of town, my family doesn’t celebrate ON Thanksgiving.  They celebrate the Saturday after Thanksgiving so everyone (or at least most everyone) can attend.

3. Have you ever had to work on Thanksgiving?  If so, do you have a celebration at work with your coworkers?

Yes.  Actually, I think I have worked every Thanksgiving for the past 12 years.  I work in law enforcement and, unfortunately, people do not stop breaking the law just because it’s a holiday.  I do believe that every year, no matter which section of the jail I was working in at the time, that we have done a big potluck spread for Thanksgiving.  I usually make my sugar-free cranberry sauce and/or my family’s marshmallow yams recipe to bring in (this year, I did both).

4. Do you participate in any of the “what are you thankful for?” daily postings on social media?  If so, share some of the things you are most thankful for.

No, I don’t.  It’s not because I’m not thankful for anything (because I am!), it’s just…well…that’s a lot of remembering to post something every day and I’ve been having enough issues with remembering to post my marathon countdown photo every day to my Facebook page.

5. Did you do any pre-Black Friday shopping on Thanksgiving this year?  Or, do you wait until actual Black Friday?  What was your best purchase?

No.  I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving…unless it’s food shopping the morning of because almost all grocery stores have always been open until 11am or noon, but then they close for the afternoon/evening/night so their employees can have the holiday with their families.  But, anyway…I won’t support department stores and the like opening up and making their employees miss that family time in the afternoons and evenings (and some even all night!!!).  I do have to say that I was very happy to hear that at least Target is paying their employees that are working on Thanksgiving overtime pay for that day.  But that still doesn’t make it right.  The only thing I bought on Black Friday was some half price runner's headbands from BondiBand.com

6. What is your favorite thing about Thanksgiving?

The food.  Haha.  If I was able to attend my family’s Thanksgiving gathering, then my favorite thing would definitely be getting together with my family and getting to talk to everyone and hug them and just spend some great quality time with them.

7. If you do a spread/big dinner for Thanksgiving, what is your favorite food(s)?

I like the dark meat on a turkey.  I love my sugar-free cranberry sauce.  I love my family’s marshmallow yams recipe.  I love well-made stuffing (frankly, I’m kind of partial

8. If your family does a big get together, which relative do you most look forward to seeing?  Do you have anyone that you don’t look forward to seeing?

If I were actually able to attend my family’s get together, I would look forward to seeing everyone and not be not looking forward to seeing anyone.  I love my entire family.

9. Have you ever celebrated Thanksgiving on your own?  Or, if on your own, did/do you just skip it altogether?

Yes.  I have done it almost every year since I turned 19.  Now, since I am usually working on Thanksgiving, I do celebrate with other people, but I will make a turkey and some side dishes and eat on them for the week of Thanksgiving and do my own little celebration.  Also, there were some years where I was dating someone and we went to their family’s dinner and that was always nice.

10. What are you most MOST thankful for this year?

I am MOST thankful for the ability to run and for my continued good health that has allowed me to heal fast from the few injuries I have sustained this year and has kept me from getting full-blown sick.