The picture here shows the Mayflower II which sits in Plymouth Harbor and is open for tourists. My husband and I have been on this ship 2 times but have seen it several times as he is from Plymouth County. His great-great- (times 8 or 9?) uncle was on the original Mayflower. The name John T----is listed on the plaque that shows the names of all the Pilgrims who came over on the famous ship. The next year, sailing on the Speedwell, another ancestor from the T----clan came over.(grandfather) So...when I became engaged to Dave, I knew this holiday was going to be an important one for his side of the family.
I am going to be writing about some traditions my family does during the late autumn months of November/December. Each year, during the last week of October, I begin to set out my harvest/Thanksgiving decorations. I don't have many: a corn husk Native American girl, displayed on a shelf in my dining room, a ceramic turkey handmade by a dear friend who lives in Michigan( this year he is sitting on our piano), 3 miniature pumpkins that I keep on a country corner curio in my kitchen, a large pumpkin (decorative) that has "Thanksgiving Blessings" engraved on it, 3 more decorative pumpkins displayed on a shelf in my family room, a pewter bowl filled with pinecones and topped with 3 gourds as my centerpiece on coffee table in family room, a wicker basket of decorative colored maple leaves on my wicker coffee table in my living room and apple/cinnamon scented candles in family room and kitchen. I also have a candle that is scented " and is sitting in a country crock on my kitchen counter. I have a "Give Thanks" cornucopica decorative flag flying from our little front stoop (I replace it with the American flag on Veterans Day) and I have 3 real pumpkins sitting on our front step, placed on a little table on front porch and in yard under our cherry tree. That is it I think for thanksgiving decorations.
Books are big at our house and always have been. When the children were toddlers and preschoolers, I kept a wicker bin filled with books that related to whatever season, holiday or event that was going on. Right now there are a few books about Christian virtues and "The First Thanksgiving" by Jean Craighead George c. 1993 that I bought at Plimoth Plantation the first time we went as a family when my oldest was 6 and my youngest was 1....i DO NOT recommend going there with a toddler....bad mistake. So...needless to say: we went back during Spring break of 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed our selves. Courtney was 12 and Claire was 7...much better experience and we spent 4 hours there. If you ever have the chance to go to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, do so! I might post something on that experience as well.
Ok, back to traditions: we read the book each year. This year, Claire read it aloud to Daddy on Tuesday evening as they had a nice evening together while I was spending some time with my oldest. The information is very accurate and the pictures look "real". This book is great for ages 6-12.
Another book we purchased when we were newlyweds visiting Plymouth is called "Saintsand Strangers: Being the Lives of the Pilgrim Fathers and their Families, with their Friends and Foes" by George F. Willison c. 1945 and renewed in 1971. Since the Pilgrims are often confused with the Puritans, he writes about that in his preface. George writes from actual essays and letters from the actual pilgrims and had Pilgrim scholars help him with the book. For those of you who homeschool and want an accurate portrayal of the Pilgrims, this would make a great addition to your home library! It is a great read but would be best for grades 8 to adult.
The main tradition we have at Thanksgiving: we travel to Cape Cod to the family beach house and have a traditional Thanksgiving feast with Dave's parents, his oldest sister and her family, oldest brother and family, younger sister and family. We often have a couple of other guests as well (the parents of Dave's brother's wife...got that?) or an aunt and uncle. This year there will be 24 of us. I have 4 nieces and 2 nephews who are awesome cousins to my girls! So, my in-laws have 7 grandchildren and 1 step-grandchild. We all have a great time. For years, my mother in law has "done it all". Until we aquired the beach house, we would have dinner at Dave's house that he grew up in, which is in a very tiny town south of Boston, about 35 min from the beach house. Now, all the children (4: 2 girls, 2 boys; my husband is the younger boy) take turns cooking. This year, it is Dave's turn to cook, which means I get to help. I sent out formal invitations as that is part of the tradition. I had the siblings all sign up to bring an appetizer. Tradition is: appetizers and wine come out at 11a.m. Dinner is served at about 2:30 pm. We then walk on the beach or play board games until early evening and then have dessert. The sad thing for Dave and I is that none of his relatives are born-again. They will say a prayer (some years) but they have no personal relationship with Christ. Some family members are agnostic or atheist. This year, I put in the invitation that I want each person to be thinking of one thing they are thankful for and we will be taking turns going around the table saying our thanks before my husband prays. We just try to live our faith in ways that will witness to the clan.
One other tradition is that we have driven to Plymouth to gaze at Plymouth Rock and do some shopping. Last year was our last year for that. We decided "been there, done that". We have been on the Mayflower 2 times with the girls, been to Plimoth Plantation 2 times with them and once you go through it, not much changes. There are also thousands (literally) of tourists in town during Thanksgiving weekend and it is very cold this time of year there. Actually, because of the Atlantic Ocean, the whole place is windy all year round. We toured the Mayflower the day after Thanksgiving in 2005 and did the Plantation in April 2006. I recommend doing the Plantation in late spring or early summer.
I like this quote from the beginning of "Saints and Strangers":
I am going to be writing about some traditions my family does during the late autumn months of November/December. Each year, during the last week of October, I begin to set out my harvest/Thanksgiving decorations. I don't have many: a corn husk Native American girl, displayed on a shelf in my dining room, a ceramic turkey handmade by a dear friend who lives in Michigan( this year he is sitting on our piano), 3 miniature pumpkins that I keep on a country corner curio in my kitchen, a large pumpkin (decorative) that has "Thanksgiving Blessings" engraved on it, 3 more decorative pumpkins displayed on a shelf in my family room, a pewter bowl filled with pinecones and topped with 3 gourds as my centerpiece on coffee table in family room, a wicker basket of decorative colored maple leaves on my wicker coffee table in my living room and apple/cinnamon scented candles in family room and kitchen. I also have a candle that is scented " and is sitting in a country crock on my kitchen counter. I have a "Give Thanks" cornucopica decorative flag flying from our little front stoop (I replace it with the American flag on Veterans Day) and I have 3 real pumpkins sitting on our front step, placed on a little table on front porch and in yard under our cherry tree. That is it I think for thanksgiving decorations.
Books are big at our house and always have been. When the children were toddlers and preschoolers, I kept a wicker bin filled with books that related to whatever season, holiday or event that was going on. Right now there are a few books about Christian virtues and "The First Thanksgiving" by Jean Craighead George c. 1993 that I bought at Plimoth Plantation the first time we went as a family when my oldest was 6 and my youngest was 1....i DO NOT recommend going there with a toddler....bad mistake. So...needless to say: we went back during Spring break of 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed our selves. Courtney was 12 and Claire was 7...much better experience and we spent 4 hours there. If you ever have the chance to go to Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, MA, do so! I might post something on that experience as well.
Ok, back to traditions: we read the book each year. This year, Claire read it aloud to Daddy on Tuesday evening as they had a nice evening together while I was spending some time with my oldest. The information is very accurate and the pictures look "real". This book is great for ages 6-12.
Another book we purchased when we were newlyweds visiting Plymouth is called "Saintsand Strangers: Being the Lives of the Pilgrim Fathers and their Families, with their Friends and Foes" by George F. Willison c. 1945 and renewed in 1971. Since the Pilgrims are often confused with the Puritans, he writes about that in his preface. George writes from actual essays and letters from the actual pilgrims and had Pilgrim scholars help him with the book. For those of you who homeschool and want an accurate portrayal of the Pilgrims, this would make a great addition to your home library! It is a great read but would be best for grades 8 to adult.
The main tradition we have at Thanksgiving: we travel to Cape Cod to the family beach house and have a traditional Thanksgiving feast with Dave's parents, his oldest sister and her family, oldest brother and family, younger sister and family. We often have a couple of other guests as well (the parents of Dave's brother's wife...got that?) or an aunt and uncle. This year there will be 24 of us. I have 4 nieces and 2 nephews who are awesome cousins to my girls! So, my in-laws have 7 grandchildren and 1 step-grandchild. We all have a great time. For years, my mother in law has "done it all". Until we aquired the beach house, we would have dinner at Dave's house that he grew up in, which is in a very tiny town south of Boston, about 35 min from the beach house. Now, all the children (4: 2 girls, 2 boys; my husband is the younger boy) take turns cooking. This year, it is Dave's turn to cook, which means I get to help. I sent out formal invitations as that is part of the tradition. I had the siblings all sign up to bring an appetizer. Tradition is: appetizers and wine come out at 11a.m. Dinner is served at about 2:30 pm. We then walk on the beach or play board games until early evening and then have dessert. The sad thing for Dave and I is that none of his relatives are born-again. They will say a prayer (some years) but they have no personal relationship with Christ. Some family members are agnostic or atheist. This year, I put in the invitation that I want each person to be thinking of one thing they are thankful for and we will be taking turns going around the table saying our thanks before my husband prays. We just try to live our faith in ways that will witness to the clan.
One other tradition is that we have driven to Plymouth to gaze at Plymouth Rock and do some shopping. Last year was our last year for that. We decided "been there, done that". We have been on the Mayflower 2 times with the girls, been to Plimoth Plantation 2 times with them and once you go through it, not much changes. There are also thousands (literally) of tourists in town during Thanksgiving weekend and it is very cold this time of year there. Actually, because of the Atlantic Ocean, the whole place is windy all year round. We toured the Mayflower the day after Thanksgiving in 2005 and did the Plantation in April 2006. I recommend doing the Plantation in late spring or early summer.
I like this quote from the beginning of "Saints and Strangers":
"On the American horizon today Plymouth Rock looms like a Gibraltor. In our eyes it has become the symbol of a great faith and a greater hope, a mighty bulwark of freedom and democracy. No landmark on our shores has been more celebrated in song and story."
When I first saw the rock, I said "that's it?"...but....of course over the years it has been moved several times and broken and now it sits in a iron cage similar to a zoo cage, for the thousands of tourists to gaze upon each year.
For us: we have the stories passed down from generation to generation from the Turners....the knowledge that my daughters have such a rich history in that part of Massachusetts is exciting to them. They have shared with their classes over the years, the various stories of the Mayflower, the plantation and photos we have taken. They have even confessed that yes, Daddy's great grandfather broke part of the rock when he was on the team of townspeople moving the rock from one part of the harbor to where it currently lies.
Around our house this time of year, there is much preparation going on for traveling back to Plymouth area. But the greatest thing of all for us is giving thanks to our Lord and Savior for all the blessings He has bestowed on us, for family, for a rich history, and for salvation.
When I first saw the rock, I said "that's it?"...but....of course over the years it has been moved several times and broken and now it sits in a iron cage similar to a zoo cage, for the thousands of tourists to gaze upon each year.
For us: we have the stories passed down from generation to generation from the Turners....the knowledge that my daughters have such a rich history in that part of Massachusetts is exciting to them. They have shared with their classes over the years, the various stories of the Mayflower, the plantation and photos we have taken. They have even confessed that yes, Daddy's great grandfather broke part of the rock when he was on the team of townspeople moving the rock from one part of the harbor to where it currently lies.
Around our house this time of year, there is much preparation going on for traveling back to Plymouth area. But the greatest thing of all for us is giving thanks to our Lord and Savior for all the blessings He has bestowed on us, for family, for a rich history, and for salvation.
3 comments:
This post was very interesting! Thanks for sharing your rich family history. :~D
We took our kids to see the Mayflower II and Plimouth Plantation when they were quite young. The experience indelibly marked my daughter (now 20-something) who has sailed on tall ships and became a marine scientist!
Have a blessed weekend. Hugs, e-Mom
Dear e-mom: wow that is so neat that your daughter is a marine scientist! My girls love the ocean but don't think they love it enough to go into marine biology or anything like that. Happy Weekend to you!
That sounds lovely Faith...love all the traditions and family time. Your daughters will cherish these memories and always remember the little things their mum would do to transform their home into Thanksgiving.
Christmas and Easter are the only holidays we celebrate. I can't wait to share some old traditions and some new traditions with caleb as he grows up.
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