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Today is a day when it is traditional in my home country for families to gather, share a big turkey dinner, stuff their faces, and either watch football on TV or toss a ball with the kids outdoors. It's also a day to try to avoid awkward topics such as politics or religion.
Oh, yes, and to be thankful - it's Thanksgiving, after all. (Canadians celebrate in October.)
I suppose the first big dinner of China's Spring Festival may be a rough equivalent, with family togetherness, great food and a dollop of awkwardness over young adults' relationship status.
It has always been one of my favorites, since it's mainly about enjoying a relaxing day with loved ones. It's not so commercialized or fraught with emotional baggage as Christmas, which is a whole season in which you're expected to be happy.
At Thanksgiving, the only heavy lifting is on the part of the cook, who must wrestle a giant, trussed up bird (a North American species) into the oven and have it come out golden brown and juicy. Native foods such as cranberry sauce and pecan pie also are served.
While some expats are blue on holidays, quite a few restaurants in Beijing stand ready with real turkey and dressing - just make a reservation and bring plenty of yuan. We miss family, but it's a good time to deepen friendships.
Thanksgiving has never made any inroads into popular Chinese culture like Halloween, when you can dress up in costumes. But teachers often use it to teach Chinese students about foreign culture.
My wife, Delores, who teaches at the United Institute of English's Dongzhimen branch, made chicken with US Southern-style cornbread dressing, green bean casserole and cupcakes with Oreo-and-M&M bird's eyes decorations.
"Some of my best memories of childhood involve being in my grandmother's kitchen and the love she showed with her cooking," she said. "So this Thanksgiving, I'm grateful for the opportunity to share these wonderful feelings with my students. And I'd like to believe that my grandmother is somewhere smiling down on the whole thing."
A colleague of hers spoke about the origins of Thanksgiving, perhaps the US holiday most encumbered with national mythology. The story taught back home in elementary schools is about Native Americans coming to the aid of 17th century religious refugees called Pilgrims, who fled England only to nearly starve to death in America.
Delores' fellow teacher told a more historically nuanced version, including the fact that the relationship did not end well for the Native Americans.
In any case, people often list what they're thankful for on the holiday. I'm very thankful for my grown sons back home, my wonderful wife and the rest of my far-flung family. I'm grateful for my health, my friends, and a good job with superb colleagues. I'm thankful to have been welcomed to China and to have discovered a wonderful adoptive home.
Now I wonder if I can get some hei mu er (black fungus) with my turkey this year.
