Thanksgiving: Top 10

First off: Happy Birthday, Mom! I know for a fact you'll be reading this tomorrow morning, likely before the sun comes up and/or all that dumb paid programming ends on cable television (you know, that kind that I used to watch, and will therefore never live down, since you and Dad just looooove to bring it up? Yeah, that kind.), so that means it is your birthday.

That aside, I'd like to, er, blog, about this holiday season that is quickly approaching (okay, it's already approached, but let's try not to get too technical, okay?). That's right, it is already November and almost December and this side of next week, our Christmas tree and decorations will be up. (Yes, because apparently the Rogovin family is really getting into this year. Like, putting up the tree more than a month before the actual holiday. My mom even asked me if we should put up lights this year. "You mean, like, on our house?" [Well, duh, where else?] We decided to go the "no" route. Not for lack of holiday spirit, but rather for lack of unlaziness, on my part at least. Because if we put them up, we have to take them down. We can't be like the people down the street that have, for the past few years, never taken down the Christmas lights that hang so festively from a giant tree in their yard but are only actually lit 30 or so days out of the year.) I mean, gosh, it's already "Let's Talk Turkey" time on the Food Network (one of my new favorite channels. The other new favortie channel? Food Networkd HD. Don't make fun!), and it has been for quite some time.

So, with all this mindless, uncontrolled rambling about how the holiday season is upon us, let's count down (although not in order; I tend to have trouble ranking lists) my favorite things about Thanksgiving!

10. Macy's Thanksgiving Parade! A note about Meredith Viera: Where was this lady during the reign of Katie Couric? Who cares if she duked it out (or, rather, didn't) with the best of them on The View? Not only does she seem more sympathetic when they do those sad stories where they play the slow, often inappropiately-chosen songs, she's also more fun! Meredith laughs unintentionally more than Katie Couric ever does. So, Ms. Couric, how is CBS? The last time I saw you was not on your Nightly News broadcast, but rather in People magazine with your daughter.
9. Stuffing, cranberry conserve, dessert. Repeat. Yummy. My newly-rediscovered love for cooking and watching cooking should come in handy this year. I'm making all the desserts!

8. All these ridiculous-looking colors! It only happens once a year, but when it does, it is pretty beautiful. I'm amazed by the colors of the leaves (I'm not a wax paper kind of gal, but I still marvel), and also how just this week they've started to fall. Perhaps I've just never noticed, but does it always take this long for the leaves to fall off the trees?

7. The cold weather. As most may know, I feel most comfortable in running shorts and a t-shirt (no "Sunday best" jokes, mom!), but I probably feel even more comfortable in sweats. And I also have some wonderful new coats and winter weather-ware to brave the crazy wind chill in, so it's all good.

6. Miracle on 34th Street. (Laughs. Everyone knows where this is going.) Crazily, the 1994 version was on a few Sundays ago (I think it was my birthday), and there's no escaping its airing on Thanksgiving, probably on AMC or TMC or some channel like that. But that's the 1994 version. What about the old one? You know, when that lady goes "Santy Claus can come and stay with us." Or, the Mary Rogovin interpretation: "Uddy boody boo beedy boody." (It's a complicated spelling, so I did my best.)

5. New traditions: The newest this year will be The OC Thanksgiving episodes. First, we'll start off with "The Homecoming," a wonderful little uplifting episode. Then we'll (luckily) be on a nice emotional high with JJ Philbin and Mr. Schwartz decide to yank (not pull) at our heartstrings, leaving us as weeping little babies. It's a great time for all. (If time, allow for "The End's Not Near, It's Here." After "The Cold Turkey," we'll all be emotional wrecks, and weeping for 45 more minutes will make no difference.)

4. Desserts. Okay, this would make a top-10 list on any of my lists, but it's just more special for T-giving, because it's multiplied by three! (Three!) That's right, first a pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust, then an old-fashioned pecan (puh-CAHN? PEE-can? I go with the former) pie with a whole wheat crust (watching the caloric intake here, people), and then an apple and cranberry crisp with yummy oatmeal topping.

3. Jackets versus D-o-g-s. Okay, I know, I know, it's been, like, a bagillion years since we've beaten them, but somehow I always end up looking forward to this stupid game. I always say, "Maybe this will be the year." I feel more hopeless than a Chicago Cubs fan (okay, maybe not that extreme, but, depending on your knowledge of the history of baseball, you get the point). Still, I end up getting sucked back in to the craziness of the annual game. It's like the Braves. Hard to not watch.

2. A break. Okay, so even though I think 5 days is not nearly enough time off for America's first and most tradition-rich holiday, 5 days is better than none. So this year, I'll be relishing the relaxing days and lack of work.... Oh, wait! I forgot that my teachers apparently forgot that some people have lives and would not like to finish a book and answer questions about it. When we come back the following Monday morning and ask you if you've graded the tests we took a month ago, don't look surprised. You're not the only one that was expected to do work over a break when you should be spending time with your family and eating till you feel you will explode.

1. Friends episodes! Since Friends always came on on Thursdays, it made a habit of making its annual Thanksgiving episode memorable. Some of the best moments:

-Everyone plays football for a "troll doll nailed to a 2x4."

-Rachel wasn't supposed to put beef in the trifle.
-Chandler stays in a box, for reasons that are "three-fold."

-Ross can't name all fifty states and Joey thinks that New England is one.

-Monica chops off Chandler's toe, then puts a turkey on her head.

-Brad Pitt used to hate Jennifer Aniston. Well, their on-screen characters did. Not sure about real life now.

So, everyone, what are your favorite things about Thanksgiving?