Home for Thanksgiving
For a great Thanksgiving trip, In modern day fashion retrace the steps of the Pilgrims as they landed at Plymouth Rock, and get a sobering glimpse of the reality of the holiday. This, along with some good reading material taking you back to the times, will put you in a true holiday mood. It will be a once in a lifetime adventure as it was for them. Along those lines, try to make simplicity part of the experience. That does not mean you must go into the woods and sleep in a tent - November in New England is too cold for that - but it means being frugal but savoring every delightful morsel created in our forefathers honor.Of course the best place to be on Thanksgiving is at Grandma's house. It's at least as exciting as visiting Plymouth Rock, of course depending on your age, that is. But aside from that, the next best place will be where your parents, family, or friends will be. It is not good to be alone on Thanksgiving. Of course, only you will know for sure where you want to be on Thanksgiving day, but for the best place outside of family Thanksgiving fare, give me New England. Where else would one want to visit during Thanksgiving?
But if you must travel and Plymouth Rock and the Boston area is out of the question, the third best place to travel at Thanksgiving time will be Philadelphia or New york to watch the parades. Other places are recommended for those who are not Thanksgiving traditionalists. All you need to find them is to surf the web. It is your time off and you can do with it as you please, but don't call it a genuine Thanksgiving treat if you travel to Europe and beyond. Thanksgiving is a holiday that had its beginning in the United States. Be thankful for that, be thankful that North America has a corner on the Thanksgiving holiday.The Mayflower landed in Massachusetts in 1629 and as is well known, many died that first year. Fifty one of those are honored on Cole Hill in a sarcophagus where their remains are kept. Had it not been for the friendly local American Indians befriending them, they would all have died. Thanksgiving is celebrating and giving back to the Creator thanks for a bountiful harvest and for their survival.Much has been written about the first dinner, and ever since, thankful celebrants try to recreate this fall dinner. Without a doubt, the dinner table at Plymouth's recreated feast takes the prize for being most genuine. If you schedule your visit early enough you may have a real old fashioned feast reminiscent of that first one.Whatever, at Thanksgiving, it's the thought that counts since reality tells us their feast, in comparison, was meager indeed. (The real first one of course, for the recreated one at Plymouth, who can speak? New Englanders do it best. )Plymouth is a town of 60,000 that is well prepared for annual tourist who want to celebrate with them. They have lots for visitors to see. A replica of the Mayflower is in Plymouth Harbor and it is small indeed. Many wonder how so many people could crowd into such a small boat. They did and they lived to tell of the torturous journey and that is the miracle of the event. Pilgrim Memorial State Park is where the rock can be found as well as many other recreated thanksgiving events. The rock was weathering away or had to be moved because of expansion and is now housed for safe keeping.Pilgrim Hall Museum located at the Plymouth Center is where to learn of the true history of Thanksgiving. Plymouth claims to have the tallest free-standing granite monument in the United States. Theirs, of course, is in honor of the Plymouth forefathers. This is a see and do museum which attempts to take visitors back to the times. A 1627 town is recreated and an Indian home site. Also, a farm with real live animals is nearby.And then the traditional home for Thanksgiving bunch knows a good thing when they see it. A chance to go home and celebrate their past and their childhood with the home folks again has no substitutes. Whatever your choice: staying home and being thankful for all you have and sharing it with family and friends; traveling back to your childhood home with children and spouse; trying to relive an American adventure you've read about or joining your friends at the local Salvation Army dinner celebration, happy times and bon voyage!
