Perrysburg Pulse Magazine Perrysburg Pulse November | Page 31

B IN THE BURG
Thanksgiving And
Other Celebrations
F
With Bhumika Nasta
eels like Thanksgiving was just last weekend and Christmas is almost upon
us.— Thanksgiving, a day we all, here in the United States, celebrate with
great fervor. Families come together, homes are scrubbed clean and decorated,
feasts are devoured, there is always pie on the menu and a game on TV, and
the grand culmination—for us women at least—are the Black Friday sales.
Hollywood depicts Thanksgiving and Christmas as a huge family celebration, almost a
festival, and being from India, I’ve participated in my fair share of festivals.
COOPER FAMILY
“This will mark year 13 of watching Jim Henson’s
Emmet Otter’s Jug-band Christmas with our kids
on Thanksgiving morning. The movie is from the
1970s (my husband watched it when he was little)
and is a signal to our family that the magic of the
holiday season is upon us.”
WOJCIK FAMILY
“Every year, my family
goes to the Manor
House. It is always
freezing cold, but there
is a campfire to make
s’mores and a treasure
hunt for the kids to
do while we walk
through this beautiful
home where every
room is decorated in
breathtaking fashion
according to a theme.
The feeling of Christmas takes over, and it’s a
special time for my entire family.”
Back home in India, we are always celebrating something or another, often as a way of
giving thanks. My favorite is the great festival of lights, or Diwali. Diwali, considered
by many as the new year, usually comes around end October or beginning of
November. A distinct feature of this festival is how houses are decorated with
rows upon rows of lights - little earthenware candles called diyas. It has all the
Hollywood trimmings—homes are scrubbed clean and decorated, families come
together, feasts are devoured... you get the picture! Diwali in India always ignited the
warm fuzzy feelings in me. Everyone seemed to shine on Diwali!
My husband and I spent our first Diwali after moving to the US putting our new home
in order. That year, Diwali happened to fall on the same day as Halloween! So we
celebrated with ghouls, skeletons, creepy crawlies, and even a unicorn or two, but hey, at
the very least there was light!
That year, we decided to do something nice for Thanksgiving, being it was our first
big American holiday and all, and so we booked a trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Thanksgiving, a road trip, some shopping and beer—this was going to be fun! But we
were two lost souls, discovering this beautiful country, so you can imagine how it all
went down.
OF COURSE we did not pay heed to the many signs that said "Closed for
Thanksgiving". Where we came from, festivals were prime money making time for
restaurants—so something just HAD to be open! Sure was—McDonald's!
Over the last couple of years though, we celebrate Diwali with equal fervor as
Thanksgiving and Christmas. We even have our own little traditions— tree decorating,
cooking up a small feast, while enjoying as much of the sunlight as we can and of
course there is always some shopping and gifting. However for us, it's not about
celebrating a particular festival, rather it is about celebrating our lives, what makes us
unique and those little things that make us happy. And truly that is what I'm thankful
for.. a life I can celebrate!
This season, I have been celebrating many things: the joy of being a mom for the first
time, my one year anniversary of being diagnosed with cancer and the positive life
changes it brought with it. I am also celebrating family, and friends like family who has
been our rocks in these trying times. Finally, I am celebrating just being alive! I wish
your family’s and you the best of the season, I hope you are thankful for your blessings,
enjoy a bounty of laughs and celebrate a life of abundance!
Oh, and for those wondering, yes—I did eventually have a beer or two at Grand
Rapids!
CORDELLA FAMILY
“On Christmas morning, we have mimosas (virgin
for the kids) and read the birth story of Jesus from
the Gospel of Luke before we open gifts.”
Bhumika Nasta left behind a city she had
lived in her whole life and moved with her
husband from Dubai to Perrysburg in 2016.
When not writing you might find her nose
down in a Harry Potter book, whizzing up
a storm in the kitchen or dancing to the
latest tune with her little girl!