Chris: Will Nora be spending Thanksgiving with us this year?
Susan: No, she's going home to spend the holiday with her mother and brother. She hasn't seen her family in over a year.
Chris: I know how she feels. Thanksgiving is such a big family holiday in the States.
Susan: It began as a celebration by the Pilgrims. They were happy just to have survived their first harsh winter in the new land in 1621 "
Chris: But wasn't that harsh winter followed by an abundant harvest?
Susan: Yeah, that's good reason to celebrate: they had beaten the odds and were still alive. It was a time to relax and "count your blessings".
Chris: You know, most cultures seem to have some sort of celebration like this--don't the Chinese have a festival of moon cakes to celebrate the harvest month?
Susan: Yeah, they do. I believe the round moon cakes also symbolize a family reunion.
Chris: Well, today Thanksgiving in the States has developed into a major holiday.
Susan: True, it's a very emotional time. Families often travel great distances to be together and share a huge dinner. Jamie's mother will have a turkey and a ham, corn-on-the-cob, yams, peas and carrots, and to top it all off, pumpkin pie.
Chris: Just thinking about all that food makes my mouth water, and I think I'm going to gain ten pounds this year.
Susan: But you have the rest of the year to lose those unwanted pounds. And losing weight will give you something to be thankful for next Thanksgiving.
