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“They don’t have turkeys in Spain?!” my mother asked me in a text last November.
“I don’t think they do. I haven’t seen any. Someone told me that maybe I could find one at Costco, but that’s an hour away,” I replied.
I asked everyone I knew where I could find a turkey. It wasn’t even necessary to have a whole turkey. If I could find some turkey breasts or some turkey legs to cook in the oven, that would be just fine.
I just needed turkey!
Finding a Turkey in Spain?
In our Spanish lesson, I asked my language helper where I could find a turkey here in Spain.
She shook her head and said, “I don’t know. You could maybe buy some of the cooked turkey slices that you put on sandwiches.”
I looked at Vincent and smiled.
“That’s not quite the same thing as cooking a giant bird in your oven on ‘Turkey Day.’”
How in the world was I going to keep my family’s Thanksgiving traditions alive today in Spain?
Thanksgiving Traditions in Morocco
Even during all of our years living in Morocco—in North Africa, we could find turkeys for Thanksgiving.
Our first year, we chose a wild turkey (bibi beldi) from the field near our house. The man killed it and defeathered it for us. Well, we thought the turkey was defeathered.
Sitting majestically in the middle of our decorated dining room table, Mr. Turkey still had some feathers on him, and the meat . . . it was tough!! I mean TOUGH! This was not a moist and juicy Butterball turkey!
That was the first and last time we bought a wild turkey!
After that first Thanksgiving experience in Morocco, we decided that it would be easier to bake large turkey breasts in the oven. Accompanied with stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, creamed corn casserole, sweet potatoes, homemade rolls, and pumpkin pie, we didn’t need anything else.
We always managed to keep our American Thanksgiving traditions alive while living abroad.
Thanksgiving Traditions in France
Yes, even in France . . . it was surprising. I could find whole turkeys in several supermarkets. Turkeys seemed to be everywhere. I guess they knew there were Americans in their midst.
If I remember right, they weren’t huge turkeys. However, the size didn’t actually matter.
The turkey had become more symbolic than anything. It was a symbol that our family’s American culture and traditions were still alive.
We also had multiple Thanksgiving dinners—at church and at home with friends. It was always a huge celebration that we looked forward to every year.
Not the Same in Spain
Last year was our first Thanksgiving in Spain. We had a difficult time finding turkey, but we finally did.
Turkey legs—it wasn’t quite the same, but it worked.
Last year, we also couldn’t find anyone to celebrate Thanksgiving with. Most of the Americans we knew were traveling for the long weekend. (I didn’t blame them a bit!)
Our Canadian friends celebrate Thanksgiving in October. Interestingly enough, most of them don’t even bother celebrating their holiday here. A few of them even forgot this year and were surprised when I wished them “Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!”
This year, our family may be alone too, but not for the same reasons. This year, with the COVID-19 restrictions in Spain, we can only gather as a group of six. When you are already a family of six, that makes it a bit challenging. 🙂
Just a “Normal” Day
It’s strange. It’s hard to keep your special family and cultural traditions alive when you live abroad, when the rest of the country is having a “normal” day.
On Thanksgiving day, Spanish schools are in session. In fact, Vincent and I both have Spanish class that day. (But, I’m not going!) Stores are open. Everyone is working and going about their regular, everyday business.
Thanksgiving is nothing special here in Spain.
Most people don’t know that Thursday is Thanksgiving, and most people don’t really know what Thanksgiving is. They do have a translation for it in Spanish, “Dia de Acćion des Gracias,” but many don’t understand the true meaning of this holiday.
This week, for example, I was invited over to the home of some Moroccan friends. I was trying to explain Thanksgiving to them—“L’Aid Choukra.” They had never heard of it. I showed them pictures of pilgrims and indians on my phone to help explain the origin of the holiday. It was a fun cultural lesson.
Thursday will be just an ordinary day in Spain . . . for them . . . but not for us.
My Deep American Roots
I’m still an American. In fact, it’s on days like Thanksgiving when I feel VERY American. I can feel, smell, see, and taste my American roots deeply. On other days of the year, I don’t notice them as much.
On Thanksgiving, my American roots are still very much alive and real.
I guess it’s similar to how I felt on the 4th of July this year in Spain—my national holiday—my longing for fireworks, picnics, and family celebrations.
These are days when I really miss my home country and culture. These are days when I really miss my American family and friends.
A few years ago, I was with my mother and my extended family back in the U.S. for Thanksgiving. It was the first time in YEARS that we had spent Thanksgiving with my family on American soil. It was such a special day—cooking in the kitchen with my mother, eating until we were almost sick, relaxing by the fireplace, and watching movies together.
Alone for the Holidays
Last year, here in Spain, we were alone. It was just our little family—Vincent, me, and the boys. It will probably be the same this year.
“Why don’t you just buy a cooked rotisserie chicken at the store,” my mother said, when I couldn’t find a turkey last year.
“Good idea!” I told her. “We can pretend that it’s a turkey!”
“Chickens are just as good, sometimes better,” she said with a chuckle.
“That’s true, and we can make green beans, Grandma Esther’s Creamed Corn Casserole, and fresh rolls,” I said with excitement in my voice.
My mouth was already watering.
Grandma Esther’s Creamed Corn Casserole was always my family’s favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table. Outside of America, I have never been able to find cans of “creamed corn.” My first year in Morocco, I learned that I could mix milk, butter, and flour in a stove top pan with my can of corn. Voilà—creamed corn! I could do that here too.
“Do you have canned pumpkin there to make a pumpkin pie?” my mother asked.
“Nope. I haven’t seen canned pumpkin here either. They had pumpkins around for Halloween, but none lately,” I said laughing. “But, Vincent can make his famous French apple pie.”
Keeping Thanksgiving Traditions Alive!
We may not have a big turkey on the table, and we may not have pumpkin pie. However, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I’m determined to keep our family’s Thanksgiving traditions alive here in Spain.
We will go to the store on Thursday morning, buy some turkey legs (if we can find them again!), spend hours in the kitchen making some of our family’s favorite dishes, enjoy a nice meal together, go around the table and tell each other what we are thankful to God for, put up the Christmas tree (my family’s Thanksgiving tradition since I was a little girl), take a nap, and watch “Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving” on YouTube (if we can find it!).
After all, it’s not about what we eat, or if we have a big, fat turkey on the table, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to God.
We have so much to be thankful for . . . family and friends . . . and life in Spain—even if we have a hard time finding turkeys in this country!
Happy Thanksgiving to you all—around the world!
—THE CULTURAL STORY-WEAVER
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What about you? Do you celebrate Thanksgiving? If so, what are your special family traditions? If you live in another country, what do you do to continue celebrating Thanksgiving and your other holidays while living overseas?
We invite you to tell us your own cultural stories and global adventures . . . as you engage with the world, breaking down barriers, building bridges, and “weaving cultures!” Write about them in the comment box below.
One Thanksgiving, after my father died, my divorce was final, and my sons were elsewhere, my mother and I celebrated the holiday together. We didn’t really feel like cooking, although I had all the ingredients for a small meal, so we dined on our favorite part: pumpkin pie! We had a small sliver for an appetizer, a good sized slice for the main course with a little cranberry sauce, and a nice piece later on with whipped cream for dessert. It was one of the nicest Thanksgivings I’ve ever enjoyed as an adult, especially as she isn’t with me now.
It’s the people who we love that make the holiday a Holy Day of Thanks.
Thank you for sharing your feast and family.
Thank you, Hillary, for sharing your story! That sounds like a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving celebration with your mother. It will surely be forever etched in your mind. I need to write the story, but our Thanksgiving dinner plans changed last minute. We didn’t have pumpkin pie, but we made it very simple and stress-free! Stay tuned! 🙂