American Dream
@owlwings (43897)
Cambridge, England
November 26, 2015 5:06am CST
Today is known by some as “Gobble-gobble Day”.
Wreath is on the door, huge bird, ham, bacon and sausages are in the oven and the delicious smell is beginning to permeate the house, pumpkin pie and pecan pie is on the sideboard, sprouts, sweet potato mash and cranberry sauce nestle among the bright red, orange and brown table decorations, candles are alight and logs are burning in the hearth. The smiling lady of the house has a frilly apron round her slim waist as she peeks from the kitchen door, the clean-shaven, pipe smoking man of the house is just welcoming the invited guests and the two well-scrubbed, happy children (a boy of eight and a girl of ten) are eagerly but politely waiting in the wings.
It’s a picture straight out of those National Geographic magazines of the ‘50’s depicting American life to the world - the ecstatic housewife with her new Frigidaire or Hoover vacuum cleaner, the Coca Cola-drinking twinkly-eyed Santa, the smooth lines of the latest Studebaker
Was life ever like this, I wonder?
If you aren’t from America, what picture do you have in your mind of American life? If you are American, please tell us what it’s really like!
25 people like this
25 responses
@LadyDuck (502719)
• Italy
26 Nov 15
I remember that life was very similar to this ideal picture at the end of the fifties, at least in my native country (Italy). Now I imagine a house with overstuffed people on the couch, screaming kids around the house and exhausted women storing food leftover in the refrigerators.
6 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
26 Nov 15
What's it's really like: Wife up at 5 am while husband snores loudly. Wife makes cake while husband watches TV. Wife peels potatoes and gets veggies ready while husband does..who knows what. Wife has on her nightgown stained from dripping so much of the food on her while doing all the work. Husband manages to enter kitchen to check things - get lost buddy I can handle it all. House is too hot from double ovens on but husband is freezing. Eat, wash dishes while husband sleeps in recliner. Is it Friday yet?
5 people like this
@Auntylou (4262)
• Oxford, England
26 Nov 15
Dear Abby I do so know that scenario .
I have been lucky in the last few years that my boys have usually pitched in with preparations though much less with the clearing up after but this year it is even better; we are going to lunch with our younger son, wife and grandson so I'll be having a year off!.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
27 Nov 15
@Auntylou I just made up 1/2 of that story. My husband is usually a big help but there are days I don't want him in my kitchen!
2 people like this
@Auntylou (4262)
• Oxford, England
27 Nov 15
@AbbyGreenhill Tut tut you exaggerater you
1 person likes this
@much2say (57760)
• Los Angeles, California
26 Nov 15
That is the classic US Thanksgiving image, isn't it? Well my American life growing up was a bit different as Japanese culture was in the mix. As far as Thanksgiving goes, not only did we have the typical American Tday fixings, but our table included rice, norimaki (vegetable/rice sushi wrapped in sushi), wontons (not Japanese ha ha), among other recipes all served on fancy decorated Japanese plates. I was always excited about eating turkey as we never had it anytime else in the year except in TV dinners. If anything, it meant getting together with family to eat, chat and play - which seems to be universal.
5 people like this
@allknowing (153529)
• India
26 Nov 15
First things first. You truly placed a scene that was too tempting to resist. I fantasized being there and had a great time.
Reading through some of the interactions here initiated by Americans I cannot pretend to create a a picture of what you have described. It is far from it.
I have a number of my extended family migrated there. They have post graduate degrees. They were made to go through the grind to obtain yet another degree once they arrived there in order to be recognised. All of them are doing great owning beautiful homes, good jobs - far better than what they would have procured if they were here in India. One thing I have noticed sadly is that it is purely a nuclear concept which is spreading like wildfire even here.
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (169530)
• United States
27 Nov 15
@Auntylou We traveled to my dad's house yesterday, and provided transportation for him and his wife to the "feast". Fifteen of us shared a meal today. More will come tomorrow.
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
26 Nov 15
nowhere near as picture perfect as one sees on tv, we dont really do a thing
4 people like this
@Bluedoll (16770)
• Canada
26 Nov 15
I remember the food you described though the objects around the room were not as described exactly.
Thanksgiving for my family was all about family. It was a convention of course celebrated on October 12 not in November as in the USA but we took the opportunity to think about "thanks" giving. The concept of being thankful is one of having gratitude for life. As a family we all tried to inspire this in each other. As for the expression of gobble-gobble day I'm not familiar with it.
Thanksgiving for my family was all about family. It was a convention of course celebrated on October 12 not in November as in the USA but we took the opportunity to think about "thanks" giving. The concept of being thankful is one of having gratitude for life. As a family we all tried to inspire this in each other. As for the expression of gobble-gobble day I'm not familiar with it.4 people like this
@Drosophila (16568)
• Ireland
26 Nov 15
I spent the 2010 thanksgiving with a bunch of Americans in Shanghai. It was at a buffet style USA eatery with overcooked Turkey and dry stuffing. We all had to say one thing we were grateful that year. As we went around the table, one girl started crying, because she missed her family. The food was horrible, but nonetheless a very memorable night.
4 people like this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
27 Nov 15
This image of Norman Rockwell's "Freedom from Want" is a powerful dream. It's hard to separate it from cold reality.
3 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
27 Nov 15
@troyburns I checked and, yes, many versions of it are 'free-to-use'. I was going to edit and add it to my discussion but I was having trouble with the download and didn't have time.
2 people like this
@troyburns (1405)
• New Zealand
27 Nov 15
@owlwings - I didn't think I was allowed to post it. (Can I?) It is perfect for this discussion.
4 people like this
@poehere (15123)
• French Polynesia
27 Nov 15
How about half and half does that count? I am half French and half American. I know both side of he coin so I guess it is not fair that I answer this one for you. I never really understood this and we went to school on this day. But for some reason the last Thursday in November we came home to our home smelling delicious. It depended on my mom what she actually cooked but for sure it was a Turkey full of stuffing, mash potatoes and some gravy. She cooked some sort of orange things and a few times I saw marshmallows in them. Not many of us ate pumpkin pie so normally there would be a chocolate cream pie and a apple pie. Some sort of veggies normally green beans and some sort of spiced tomatoes too. She would always have a veggie tray with carrots and celery on it. So that is what I think they are having today but I am not.
4 people like this
@Ponder243 (197)
• United States
26 Nov 15
I have wonderful Thanksgiving memories from growing up here in the US. Usually the whole family gathered at my grandparents house. My grandmother and all of the aunts would gather in the kitchen and there was plenty of chatter and laughter. My grandfather and the uncles would gather together and there was plenty of talk and laughter from them too. Eventually the uncles would bring out their guitars, banjos, etc and it would turn into a live music session. And as for the children, we were happy to have all of the cousins to play with so we were content outside doing that. NOWADAYS... our group is much smaller and there are no young children, and we all end up in the kitchen/great room cooking, talking, laughing and making new memories together. We may not be that picture perfect crowd, but we enjoy each others company and the food as well as the time spent together.
3 people like this
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
26 Nov 15
Actually, I was maybe being a little grinchy about it ... possibly jealous, who knows! I actually spent a proper Thanksgiving with a friend who lived in California raising alpacas. Everything was done properly - turkey with all the trimmings, pecan pie and all - almost as I described. It was very memorable and well done.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169530)
• United States
27 Nov 15
@owlwings I grew up with the scene like @Ponder243 paints in many aspects, but we did also have the undercurrent of tension I describe. Maybe not Saturday Evening Post material, but lots of experiences and games and family time.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169530)
• United States
27 Nov 15
Even if it looks this way on the surface, the tension boils along with the gravy and temperatures rise. Striving for perfection is driving people to contemplate murder with the carving knife. Many of us pitch in at our yearly celebration, but it still can be a huge stressor.
2 people like this
@simone10 (54180)
• Louisville, Kentucky
26 Nov 15
I have to say that my life growing up was never like what you mentioned but there were times when I wished it was. Overall I have some very fond memories of Thanksgiving and the fellowship and good food. It was a day that we all spent together with family.
3 people like this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Dec 15
Life may have been like that back in the day but it's a bit before my time.
1 person likes this
