The German word Erntedankfest meaning a festival for giving thanks to a successful harvest, does not at all capture the true meaning of what is probably the biggest holiday in the USA. Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday in the latter half of November and is usually celebrated over the entire weekend. The enormous traffic jams on streets and highways which then result become a major cause for concern for everyone. 

I was once invited as a guest of the Wenzel family of St. Louis to a Thanksgiving feast by Mrs. Margaret, the buyer for Dillard’s Dept. Stores. Her youngest niece had organized the affair, but every guest brought something along and contributed to the meal. The entire family was assembled when the huge traditional turkey with all the trimmings arrived on the dinner table. The head of the household made a little speech and then we all thanked God in prayer for all His gifts and blessings of the past year.

 And then came the pumpkin pie! My goodness, the last time I had pumpkin was at my grandmother’s! But now there were pumpkins everywhere, small ones and large ones all over the place. In the yard, in front of the house, on the window sill, in the hotel, at the airport — pumpkins everywhere I turned! The quintessentialy American variety of oversized ripe, orange-colored pumpkins are truly America’s pride and joy!