Ah Thanksgiving. Drifting leafs-- chill air-- a crackling fire. Families gathered in hushed reverence over football games blaring on the television set for 18 hours straight. And the food: turkeys, stuffing, cranberries, mashed potatoes (both sweet and white) and that curious dish I had for the first time in my entire life last year: green bean casserole (a tradition wrought by my sister-in-law and quite good I have to admit. I had seconds.
As Puerto Rico has been a part of the United States for over a century, it's understandable this traditionally American holiday has made its way to the Island of Enchantment, especially considering the diaspora that flits back and forth between here and the States and the influence of five generations of Puertorican military members that have helped to cross pollinate the holiday.
For Puerto Rico (even more so than in the States) Thanksgiving is a part of Christmas, a kind of"party before Advent" celebration. For one thing (as previously noted in my last blog) the decorations are already up. For another, the food takes on an interesting hybrid of mainland American fare with tradition Borinquen holiday flourishes (here is a great link with recipes https://www.beach.com/food-and-drink/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-in-puerto-rico-the-caribbean/ ). Take for example turkey and stuffing. On the mainland this can be a turkey roasted, smoked or even deep fried, and a stuffing that can range from bread, to rice to oysters to chestnuts. For Puertoricans the turkey of choice is "pavochon," a turkey cooked like a Puertorican pork shoulder and stuffed with mofongo-- a mash of plantains (or yucca) delicately flavored and quite delicious. That does not mean others do not eat pernil they do-- and since any holiday in Puerto Rico means grand-mom may be feeding dozens, they'll probably be serving both (and a ham as well) not to mention trays of Arroz con Gandules, a personal favorite of mine (but not so for Travis who prefers pink beans or "habichuelas."
Food aside, there is another significant difference. In my experience, inter-generational company is entertainment enough for Puertoricans. Gathering with aunts, uncles and cousins, laughing, playing dominoes in shifts and generally feting is the event-- the food is a luscious and delightful sustenance, but the people are the real thing. Being the child of an Italian mother (who strictly forbade television on Thanksgiving once Santa had reached the port a coche in front of Macy's) I have to say I like this aspect. Often on the mainland, I see people rush through their dinner (our Thanksgivings usually required about three hours at table) on to a couch and television, or worse yet in these modern times-- big box stores. I can't help but wonder what they are being thankful for. A good parking space? 25% off a television?
For me Thanksgiving is the most charming of holidays. Spiritual without being too dogmatic; an equal opportunity holiday where you can be as reverent or as secular as you like. The only requirement is to be thankful. For me I'm thankful that I get to live in a place where the drifting leaves are from my locust tree. The chill air means we are getting down into the 70s at night. And the cracking fire is some neighbor roasting a Christmas pig (more on that in another blog).
Most of all I am thankful I live in a place where no one really watches (or cares about) American football.
How sweet it is. Please pass the mofongo!
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