Sunday, November 18, 2007

Day 18 - Tree lighting, Thanksgiving chat & pictures

Last night, we had our our town's annual Tree Lighting ceremony. It was so Norman Rockwell - we loved it! The cherry on top would have been a sprinkling of snowflakes - but we were pretty close to perfect last night without them. In the center of town, there is a tree that gets donated and decorated right in the middle of the intersection. Zionsville's quaint brick streets and boutiques line the Main Street, and some shops stayed open late for the festivities. The town crier said a few words after Mrs. Claus arrived on a local fire truck, and we all gathered around the tree and counted backward from 10 to light the tree. After the children give their letters to Mrs. Claus to bring back to Santa, we participated in the organized scavenger hunt. There is a sheet of clues, and the answers are posted on the doors and windows of the shops along Main Street. So we take our time to walk up and down, gathering our answers and then turn in our paper at The Brick Street Inn. That's where they held a drawing for a special toy and announce the winner after Mrs. Claus has read the children a story. The Inn was collecting canned goods as well, and the children got an extra ticket for the drawing if they brought something in. We brought soup.

It was a lot of fun, and a tradition we are keeping as a family. It's so nice to run into friends and neighbors in the middle of it all. Each of us sharing a night with our families, creating memories. Doesn't it just make you all warm and fuzzy?

Ok, snap out of it. Now it's the countdown - Thanksgiving is in a mere few days. Carter has school only Monday and Tuesday of this week. Boy Scout popcorn just arrived, so we have to pick that up Tuesday night and figure out when to deliver it (probably attempt this weekend). Can you believe Carter sold $495 worth of popcorn? He was such a doll selling it too. Wednesday evening I'll go to Mom's house and we'll make our family recipe stuffing and a batch of Grammy's Surprise to share. Even though we'll be a guest at our cousins Mary Jane & John's home for Thanksgiving dinner, we always make our own 10 pound turkey to enjoy sandwiches etc. over the extended weekend. Mom brought back Bell's Stuffing and Seasoning from her last trip to Boston, so that we could enjoy our New England tastes so nostalgic to us, now that we're here in Indy. Last year I think we had to order it online because our grocer did not carry it. The Grammy's Surprise is a holiday dessert tradition we've had as far back as I can recall, and it hails from my great grandmother. She always brought it to our dinners, then my Nana would make it, and now the rest of us down the tree branches always have to make it. My mouth is already watering!

Ok, I'll leave you with a couple of pictures from last night.... enjoy!





3 comments:

Unknown said...

I miss Bell's stuffing. Someone in my house won't make it.

Anonymous said...

Hey Andrea, any time you need Bell's seasoning let me know and I can overnight it to you. To me it just says "Thanksgiving".
One of the traditions in my family is a pork and potatoe stuffing made with lots of Bell seasoning. Yummm. I still can't get your uncle turned on to it though.

Hope Carter is feeling better...poor little guy been through so much lately. Hopefully he'll be better for Thansgiving.

Anonymous said...

Cute pictures!!!

The closest thing we have to a town crier is my husband yelling "Need more beer!!" about halfway through the Cowboys game each week. We are VERY classy here on the bayou.