After the last gravy-soaked bite has been enjoyed and the dishes are finally clean following the big Thanksgiving feast, it's easy to sit back and veg for the rest of the holiday--letting your kids amuse themselves with the tv or computers as you recuperate from the day's hectic bustle.
I often find myself in the same predicament, but for the past few years my family has tried something a little bit different and it has made the holiday a much more rewarding one.
Don't worry, this is not where I tell you we forgo stuffing our faces with exorbitant portions of food or run a family marathon right after the meal. Instead, we do something very simple--we go for a short family walk and talk to each other as we enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
I have a rather large family that rarely gets all together and when we do, more often than not our get togethers are planned to the minute, leaving little if any time to actually *dare I say* bond together as a family.
Taken just once a year after the Thanksgiving dinner, for us, these short walks have helped us reconnect as a family and to the world around us. We take in the fall sunshine, talk about where our lives have taken us in the past year and let the call of the wild take over for a bit.
Before long, cousins that haven't seen each other in years recount stories from their childhoods sending them into fits of giggling; young children, girlfriends, boyfriends and other new additions to the family feel at home and everyone winds up leaving Thanksgiving with a memory to share again the next year.
As I said, it is about as simple as it gets, but this tradition has become essential to our Thanksgivings and I urge you to try it this year. The outdoors is calling--what are you waiting for?
Best wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving,
Miss Alanna
