The First Thanksgiving: Let’s Talk Turkey…

In 1955, my parents celebrated their first Thanksgiving as a married couple. She was already eight months pregnant with my sister Christine, their first child. My mom, with her very limited cooking skills and little experience in the kitchen, was determined to impress my dad. . She had grand aspirations of creating a magazine-worthy feast. So she got a big, beautiful turkey and prepped the bird, along with preparing sides.

As the dinner was laid out on their modest dining table, set with all the lovely service they received for their wedding, my dad stood at the head of the table with his carving set. Her mother-in-law, who had requested to be called Mother Louise, also sat down. Mother Louise, who recalled the rice fiasco, did not have high hopes for this meal. Eileen waddled out their kitchen with the big beautiful bird and placed it before my dad. She was so proud! She took her seat at waited expectantly for my dad to carve. To everyone's surprise, as my dad began to carve the bird, he discovered something unexpected —the bag of giblets was still inside the turkey! My mom had no idea they were even in there. My dad retrieved the melted plastic bag containing the forgotten giblets. The turkey was rendered inedible, but luckily, there were plenty of side dishes to salvage the meal.

The mishap was not at all surprising to Mother Louise, who probably found the whole situation amusing. Despite the turkey mishap, it was a Thanksgiving my parents would never forget, filled with laughter and the start of many more memorable family gatherings.