Wishing you a meaningful holiday

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, with gatherings of friends and family. We dust off the traditions along with the good dishes and the special recipes. There’s something quintessentially American about the whole process.

I have to admit that it’s not my favorite holiday. Too many forced photo-ops in childhood, I suspect. I prefer a non-traditional, less formal Thanksgiving. I travel cross country, combine friends with family, make salmon rather than turkey, and experiment with pastry. Lots of pastry. #GBBO #IYKYK (This year we have successfully made puff pastry from scratch. Delicious!)

I find myself thinking about both history and the future this time of year. We gather the generations, we repeat the traditions, and we wonder what will be carried on in the future.

Here are some tips to make the day more meaningful for you.

Thanksgiving Tip #1: Label the photos! If your family is like mine, you have old albums and boxes filled with three (or more) generations of photos. I recall Mom and Dad looking through them, my grandmother telling stories. But no one wrote down who was in the picture or where they were. Now, there isn’t anyone alive who knows who is who. I know they are ancestors; we all look alike. But not which ones.

Likewise when I look back at my phone’s camera roll, I sometimes find myself trying to remember where I was and why I took a picture. It’s only been a few years, but the memories are fading, and the pictures aren’t accessible to others.

Take the time to gather around and label those photographs! The future will thank you!

Thanksgiving Tip #2: Get the recipe! Every family seems to have that one special dish that has to come out for holidays. In my family, it’s what we call Swedish Sugar Cookies, a shortbread filled with walnuts and butter. Simply divine! In other families, it’s the special casserole or the perfect gravy or sauce.

Often, only one or two people ever know how to make these dishes. What happens when they are gone or no longer have the stamina to make them? Get the recipe while you can!Better yet, get into the kitchen and make it with them. Even if they write down the directions, it’s not quite the same. They may leave out a step they think is obvious or, as in the case of my great-grandmother, simply forget ingredients because they can make the dish without thinking about it.

Get in the kitchen. Learn the dish. Make videos. Take pictures (which you label). Make memories.

Thanksgiving Tip #3: Capture the history! After the meal, we’re often sitting around the table telling stories. You might hear how your parents met or about your great-grandfather building the table in the corner. The stories live in your bones, familiar and comforting. But I’m willing to bet you haven’t got them recorded anywhere. The story, told over and over, may become distorted, like a game of telephone, if you don't protect it.

Take out your cell phone camera or recorder. Ask questions. Save the answers for the future generations. Save the voices for your future self. I’d give a lot to hear my grandmother’s voice again.

Thanksgiving Tip #4: Check the benefits! Since you’re all together, make sure to ask the elders if they’ve checked their Medicare coverage this year.

True story from a few years ago: I asked my parents if they'd checked for the next year. They said yes. Turns out they talked to an insurance agent years before. They complained about nasty surprises in January. Don’t get me started.

Offer to take a quick look with them on Medicare.gov. If you’re not sure how, check out the recording on my website. You’ll make everyone feel more secure.

Wishing you all a happy, meaningful holiday. With gratitude,

Lynn