I love Thanksgiving – it is my all time favourite holiday! I love the simplicity of gathering with friends and family and just spending time together. The meal takes centre stage, but it is giving thanks for the beautiful people we choose to journey through life with that this day is really about.

As long as I can remember, my father would make me a Thanksgiving dinner each year for my birthday because he knew how much I loved it…and he did it even though my birthday is just 10 days before Thanksgiving. He was very kind to me as it’s so much work to prepare! My birthday, my birthday dinner and autumn share memories that are so deeply engrained in me.

For the first time ever we strayed from our normal T-Day staples to a vibrant, healthier, vegan, and allergy friendly meal. I would say that for the most part all dishes were well received and gobbled up. I did hear quite a few comments about where was I hiding the traditional dishes everyone was anticipating. Ah well, it’s to be expected when drifting from ritual.

For the first time in 4 years, Mother Nature has blessed us with 18c and clouds for an “almost” autumn like Thanksgiving day in Oz. Having spent the last three holidays suffocating in the heat and humidity of Sydney, once again Melbourne is reminding us we made the right decision to move. If we could just ship over our favourite peeps, today would have been ideal.

This year has been a nightmare and right now many of my friends and family are suffering in COVID hell – in the US and in Europe. We are far from it all and alone in Australia (as things seem to go for us in 2020) but we have each other and our health and so I am grateful. Today, we are really missing our friends and hope that each of you finds some peace and connection wherever you are. I am remembering all of our special ex-pat Thanksgiving gatherings in years past and I can’t help but smile. I am so grateful for a life rich in friendship and adventure.

Happy Thanksgiving!