Yes, I realize that it's been over 10 days since Thanksgiving but I'm finally getting around to blogging about it. Better late than never.
Thanksgiving consisted of 24 people, a dozen bottles of wine or so, plenty of food, and lots of dessert.
I spent Wednesday night prepping some of the food I planned to cook for Thursday. Lots of chopping, dicing, and slicing but definetly a major time saver. I was in charge of the stuffing, savory yams, pumpkin pies, turkey and mashed potatoes.
Well, heres what happened...I did make the stuffing, the savory yams and pumpkin pies. My host mom offered to cook turkey, which was very good I might add. And she helped quite a bit with the mashed potatoes. But, slight issues came up and I also got the cranberry sauce and made pecan and apple pies as well. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed but only because I am the sort of person who is sort of "OCD" about getting things done right. Or maybe it's more of; I like to be in charge of things...and when other people are involved to help but then don't do their part to my expectations I freak myself out. Yeah I really should work on that, I mean if they offer to help that's great! Less work for me, but as my "OCD" goes, I'd rather just do it myself...what's another word for that.....right I can tend to act like a perfectionist sometimes. Don't mean to ramble on, back to dinner.
24 people huh, well 23 to be exact but 24 is a better number. Anyway this included me and my host family (Paul, Birgitta, Emilia(and her boyfriend), Veronica, Marcus, Ida, and Per-Eric). Then there was Dakota and her host family (Martin, Åsa, and Mikeala). Also, Shruti and her host family (Host dad and two host sisters). A few friends of Pauls and another two friends of Veronica's...I believe. It was a very full house but felt cozy in a good way. I can't believe we were able to fit enough tables and chairs in the flat for that many people, it worked out though!
18:00 hrs people were starting to show up as expected. The other host families brought some dishes as well as this was meant for us to all get to know one another, since we students will be moving to one of their homes soon. We set all the food in the kitchen; turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, savory yams, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, creamed corn, broccoli salad, green salad, bread, cheese...and I think that was it. As I said plenty of food! One by one we served ourselves and indulged in the american tradition. People seemed to have enjoyed the food, which was great! Boy was I full, and to think I had made sure to eat hardly anything before so that I would be extra hungry for dinner yet I only had a plate and a half. Which is still alot, but for thanksgiving, not at all, you have to go all out and just keep eating :)
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| Bread, turkey, green salad, stuffing, savory yams, creamed corn, green bean casserole, & mashed potatoes. |
All that was left for the evening was dessert, always save the best for last! Dessert included a cheesecake made by Veronica. A Cranberry dessert made by Dakota. Also pumpkin, pecan and apple pies made my me. Everything was delicious, so good. Enjoyed with coffee or tea everyone had a good fill.
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| Pumpkin pie, apple pie, pecan pie, cranberry dessert & cheesecake. |
So the night starting to come to an end as Dakota and her host family said goodbye. Followed by Shruti and her host family. Veronica walked Per-Eric home, and then Paul's friends left soon after. The rest of us who were still there started clean up. With all of us helping we managed to get the flat back to normal in a little over an hour. A successful Thanksgiving if I do say so myself. Although I wasn't back home with my family, my host family here was wonderful in making me feel like I was home. So thank you to them!
Ahh, so Thanksgiving in Sverige a first for me, and for all who were there.
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| Per-Eric brought me these lovely roses. |
