Thank You Turkey Day

If you're an American living abroad with no American country-folk around you, you know it starts to suck when the middle of November rolls around. Pumpkin filled dishes start coming up on your Pinterest…cute little french bulldogs dressed in turkey costumes appear on Instagram…and stories of terribly fun and yummy looking "Friendsgivings" show up on Facebook.

Why Australia! Why do you not have a Thanksgiving?! I know, the whole thing with Pilgrims and Indians doesn't fit but that's not what modern Turkey Day is all about. It's a brilliant day - a holiday that isn't centred around consumerism, doesn't involve material things and isn't associated with a religion. It's so beautifully simple. A table, friends and/or family, food, drink and some "Thank You's" are all you need.

So, as I sit here celebrating Thanksgiving by watching American TV (Woohoo! for the new US channel in Sydney!) while eating homemade stir fry, I need to come up with some sort of holiday substitution to keep myself from sulking. No, I don't have 5 of the turkey day essentials (especially the turkey) but thankfulness is accessible anywhere in the world.

Here are my top 5 so I don't bore you.

Thank you…

1. Mother nature for putting trees in places that are better off with trees, flowers in bleak nooks and crannies and invisible unicorns.

2. Friends and family for unconditional love.

3. Body for being whole and getting out of bed every day.

4. Animals for being nourishment, comfort and so damn cute.

5. People of the world for random acts of kindness. I hope you're given the same treatment you give.

Gobble gobble.