The Great American Thanksgiving

 I know it's not even Halloween yet, but Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday (behind 4th of July) and this year it's going to be quite the spectacle. If you havn't read previous posts about my family and how "rare" they are, check out the #Family tab and catch up on your reading.

I got a phone call from my Aunt a few weeks back asking how we could "spice up" this years holiday. Every year we try to do something new. For example, for several
years now we have been using the trick knife made by my Grandfather. It maches the nice silver and we always give it to the guest who hasn't been there before. How it works - - we say grace, and normally what we are thankful for which always ends up having people in tears, then start to laugh and all dig into our food. With Thanksgiving comes Turkey. When the 'guest' goes to cut something it "breaks". Basically swings at a a hinge where the blade meets the handle. The reactions are priceless. Some pretend like nothing happen and try to hold it together, which is hilarious because everyone around them knows that they basically just tried to hide it. Some hold it up and immediately admit to breaking our "best silver", and some, like my brother-in-law Dan, never even pick it up.....Dan is allergic to EVERYTHING and didn't even need to use it at his first Gunn/Hennessey/Barham thanksgiving. Joke was on us, I guess. Other traditions include having tasks given to you depending on where you are sitting or what is under your name card, beer pong, cook-offs for Best ____, Turkey hats, super nice Champagne, etc.

This year though, will be different, excicitng, hilarious, and definitely be caught on camera. This year my  moms side of the family has all divided into two. We drew names out of a hat and you are either labeled an Indian or a Pilgirm, and you must come that way to dinner. I picture it now, the long table of about 15-18 of us dressed as the First Thanksgiving. Sawyer, my niece, dressed as the Turkey. The sailboat out back labeled as the Mayflower, and a giant rock as the centerpiece, of course.....name Plymouth. Never a dull moment in the Hennessey family. I literally start laughing when picturing this 'hot mess' at the end of the night. The wine flowing, the beer pong games - indians v pilgrims. Should get pretty interesting. 

The inspiration, for this great idea, actually stemmed from Halloween. One year in college a group of us went as the Great Thanksgiving. Lesson learned here was if you go as Plymouth Rock, you don't want to leave your friends side at any point in time. Not always the "coolest" costume.

I'm sure I'll be posting pictures from this years holiday, stay tuned. As for halloween - this year I will be going as the ever so (un)popular Snooki. The hair is getting dyed, and the outfit will be as tacky as the original herself. I'll be slightly less tan, but a perfect little Meatball.