Thanksgiving often brings a mix of family drama, questionable cooking, controversial discussions, and unexpected disasters to the table. The holiday is a time to enjoy good food and to give thanks for all of the blessings in life.
Unfortunately, that does not mean disasters cannot happen. Some of the St. Dominic teachers shared stories that brought both laughter and nostalgia while dwelling on past Thanksgivings. From house fires, hospital visits, and terrible dishes this day is full of surprises.
“Last year, all of a sudden, our entire oven caught on fire on the inside. Smoke was everywhere and we had to dump salt all over it to put out the fire. We had to remake all of our side dishes,” Campus Minister Ms. Hanson said.
In America, home fires increase by 399% on Thanksgiving. While it can be a funny memory now, home fires are very serious. Being cautious should be a number one priority while cooking dinner. While house fires are the most common event, that does not mean other crazy events can not take place.
“Since I have a lot of cousins, my family used to rent out a parish hall for our Thanksgiving. My brother’s pinky finger got stuck in one of the metal doors and flattened, so he had to rush to the hospital,” Religion teacher Mr. Hogan said.
Being in the hospital and away from the festivities during the holidays can be challenging, but it is a powerful reminder of the love and support a family can give during this season of gratitude. God has blessed many with so much to be thankful for and it is something that should be cherished not just on Thanksgiving, but every single day.
“Darby (Mrs. Peters) started having some sort of breathing attack in the middle of the night. We went to Progress West and they admitted her right away. It ended up being some kind of weird asthma thing. After 18 hours in the hospital they discharged her and we rushed to Chicago to see our family,” English teacher Mr. Duncan said.
Thanksgiving can be a struggle for some amateur cooks across the country with some dishes not coming out as expected during the day. Thankfully there are plenty of cook books and videos that can help these individuals avoid silly mistakes.
“My dad decided to smoke a turkey for 28 people to eat dinner at 6. We ate at midnight because he misjudged how long it would take to cook, so we hung around until it was done and ate at midnight,” Principal Mrs. Stewart said.
Fortunately these mistakes can bring others closer as individuals. Food brings people together, as seen in breaking bread together that has been an ancient tradition carried down from Jesus’s time, the pilgrims and now to people enjoying Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving can be a time for chaos along with being an enjoyable time for all. This holiday is a day to be thankful for families coming together regardless of disasters. From the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, crazy cooking, and eventful disasters, be grateful this Thanksgiving.
