Spending my Thanksgiving with family in Ireland

How one American celebrates America’s biggest holiday

JOHN FAY,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 7:39 AM

Updated Thursday, November 24, 2011, 12:26 PM

Larger Text

E-mail

5 Comments

A family celebrate Thanksgiving

Photo by thanksgiving-wallpapers.blogspot.com

You'll often hear people in Ireland complain about the American influence on the culture here. I don't always disagree. American television, music and movies seem to be everywhere and a lot of it is just garbage. Anytime I see or hear Britney Spears I know they have a point.

Holidays too, are not beyond American influence. People frequently blame the changes in the way that Christmas, Easter, St. Patrick's Day and Halloween are celebrated on American influence.

In a week or two many Irish people will have their homes bedecked in flashing Santas, snowmen, sleighs, and all sorts of light displays. None of this existed here 15 years ago. Back then all you'd see was the family Christmas tree in the window of a house - there would be no outdoor decorations. Now every neighborhood is like Times Square. American influence.

Yet, there's one American holiday tradition that refuses to leave America's shores – Thanksgiving. Yup, tomorrow is one of the biggest days of the year in America, but here it's simply another Thursday. No holiday, no parades, no football (that's another sad story), no nothing. It can be the most depressing day of the year for an American in Ireland.

-----------------

Cahir O'Doherty: Pope Benedict - poor ethics lead to HIV and AIDS

Fairies destroyed Ireland’s richest man say neighbors

-----------------

Instinctively all Americans know when Thanksgiving comes around. It's ingrained in our DNA. When that 4th week of November comes around you begin to salivate at the thought of the big turkey dinner, like some Pavlovian dog. Whether you're state-side or in Ireland or anywhere else for that matter you've just gotta have turkey.

It's easier said than done, however. You can't find a turkey in the stores here. All the turkeys in Ireland are earmarked for December 25. And if you have to work a full day tomorrow, there's no time to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner.

Those are obstacles, but not insurmountable ones. First, many Americans here shift their celebrations from Thursday to Saturday, when they have the time needed to prepare the dinner. Also, for those who don't have family here, a Saturday celebration makes it easier to invite over a few Irish friends to take part in Thanksgiving. (Just because it's not a holiday here, doesn't mean Irish people will turn down a nice big dinner and a couple glasses of wine.}

As for the turkey, you have to order in advance. We order from a supermarket near enough to the American embassy. They're used to us Yanks and our specific needs for turkey a month in advance of the Irish populace. When I called to place my order a couple of weeks ago, Dave the butcher heard my accent and right away stopped me with, "Thanksgiving, right?"

1 2 Next page >

Nster.com

E-mail

5 Comments

See all comments

Towngate | Nov 26, 2011, 08:08 AM EST

John Yank: Worth bearing in mind the early settlers adopted and adapted the Native American Harvest Thanks-giving Ceremony and made it their own. Perhaps the reason it 'refuses to leave American shores' is not for want of the US trying to 'export' it, but the fact that in the British Isles, at least, there is a tradition of Harvest Festival events in Schools and Churches where we give thanks for the bounty of nature.

Report abuse

TheYank | Nov 24, 2011, 06:35 AM EST

edmundburke

Brain freeze. Fixed that date now. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Report abuse

edmundburke | Nov 23, 2011, 10:20 AM EST

In 1987, my cousins and I were in Dublin staying with our aunt on Thanksgiving. We had just celebrated our grandmother's 90th birthday in Mayo with plenty of family, so the urge to have a true American Thanksgiving was somewhat diminished. However, our lovely aunt made sure she cooked us a fine roast dinner in consideration of her American nieces and nephews, and we all appreciated it. After dinner, us cousins went down to the Leeson Street wine bars (then the rage). Upon entering one, we saw it festooned with American flags. It was celebrating American Thanksgiving night! We were amazed and delighted, and stayed until all hours. The bar served up turkey slices and cranberry sauce, so we felt we had indeed celebrated American Thanksgiving in Dublin.

Report abuse

mikehoulihan | Nov 23, 2011, 10:01 AM EST

You got the date wrong, it's not Thursday Nov. 26th, it's the 24th!

Report abuse

joycean | Nov 23, 2011, 09:35 AM EST

The Irish may have adopted American popular culture, but that was their choice. Americans don't dress, have popular movies, or singers so that other ountries will ape them. Many countries, like Canada, have their own version of Thanksgiving because those countries realize the value of being thankful for our blessings. If IReland doesn't, that may say something about the Irish.

Report abuse