The feelings I remember initially having about Thanksgiving were pure annoyance and boredom. Annoyance that everything was always closed, and there was nothing to do. The boredom can best be described as that sensation when you are young and everyone else is participating in something and you are left out.  I remember icy fall days, long stretches of deserted road and the disappointment that McDonald's was closed. Long before Thanksgiving became my favorite holiday, I did not celebrate it.  At least not at home, we had our annual Thanksgiving party at school, which my parents always attended. I loved the decorating, I specifically recall making placemats, a strange but easy kids craft project. The food seemed so different and interesting to me. The variety of dishes and textures reminded me of the traditional P...

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