Thanksgiving in Sainté

Just as it did in the US, Thanksgiving has come and gone in France. Also just as it does in the US, it has left us with memories of delicious food and ridiculousness to treasure forever.

Let me begin by saying that when I first arrived in France, my expectations for Thanksgiving were very low. I planned to live Thanksgiving Day just like every other day, and to mope around all weekend wishing I were in Georgia for Amanda's wedding. Luckily, I have happened upon some great friends in Saint Etienne that helped to turn things around.

As I told you, Mathilde decided that Thanksgiving sounded like fun and that we should have dinner here. However, the same part of me that wraps gifts for hours before Christmas to make them extra beautiful and perfect decided that it should be the Americans who prepare the meal. This being said, there were really only 4 of us at Thanksgiving. Needless to say, I had my work cut out for me. I spent the entire day of Thanksgiving chopping, baking, mashing, cleaning, etc. to get ready for the dinner. Luckily, I had the help of Corinne who made the pumpkin pies and the stuffing and Katie who carved the turkey. In addition, Mathilde and I had to put basically all of the furniture we have in our apartment in the living room in order to make a table large enough for 15. Add in the lengthy and practically impossible Skype conversation with my family in Georgia, and I am left wondering where I found time to do it all.

Sidenote: During this Skype conversation, I informed my little cousin Morgan that French people don't have Thanksgiving. I don't think she could've been more shocked. "Really? There are some people who have NEVER had Thanksgiving???" And then she told me about the sexy sailors on TV for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Ri. di. cule

Anyway, little by little everything came together and the guests started to arrive. Thanksgiving started at 7 o'clock, but this being France, we didn't eat until nearly 9:00. And then the real ridiculousness began. As we were 4 Americans, 2 Germans, 1 Australian, and the rest French, Katie thought it smart to create a new Thanksgiving tradition to trick everyone. And so after saying "I am thankful for..." each person took a shot of good ole American whiskey. Some took many more than one shot of good ole American whiskey. Nobody seemed entirely shocked by our American 'tradition,' and they all played along no questions asked.

Then we ate! Our meal consisted of turkey (killed and prepared by my local butcher AKA my new best friend), mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, roasted red potatoes with herbs, cranberry sauce, gravy, and pumpkin pie! To you, this may sound like your average Thanksgiving dinner. In France, where cranberries don't exist and turkey is only eaten for Christmas, achieving these things was nothing short of a miracle! The meal was great, and everyone got along famously even though most people hardly knew each other.

And then we played Christmas music. And learned that Jesus was black. And did what every good American does on Thanksgiving, get rip roaring drunk.

Before the big day, Katie, the "Spirit of Thanksgiving," attempted to calm my nerves by telling me that Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving unless something crazy happens. She insisted that for it to TRULY be Thanksgiving, someone has to cry, someone has to get ridiculously drunk, and someone has to pass out. Let's just say that our Thanksgiving was ALMOST what Katie considers a real Thanksgiving. Except nobody cried.

All things considered, this Thanksgiving was the most unique, yet one of the best I've ever had. I know, that every Thanksgiving for years to come, I will look back on this year and laugh. It is truly remarkable that we achieved it. It felt as American as it would've in Wisconsin, even surrounded by foreigners. So, this year, I am thankful for my friends here in Saint Etienne!