There is a disturbing lack of Thanksgiving songs. There is an even bigger dearth of arrangements of Thanksgiving songs for the Ukulele. So far, my mother and I have been able to brainstorm two. “We Gather Together,” complete with overt Christian message, and “Over The River and Through the Woods.”
Brian claims that one is a Christmas song, and it doesn’t count. I say there is pie in the song, and therefore it’s a Thanksgiving one. My mother has decided not to pick a side. “It can be both, really. It’s just about traveling to grandma’s, but we always sang it at Thanksgiving.” No one buys my (obviously brilliant) pie argument.
I’ve been adapting guitar chords for both. Part of me thinks that I should just move to Christmas songs. Another part of me thinks that I should claim “Jingle Bells” as a Thanksgiving song and move on. If Brian can justify claiming the other as a Christmas song, I can claim this one for Thanksgiving, right? I mean, it’s about a sleigh ride… Okay, maybe not. All internet searches bring up dubious songs from musicals or pop groups that Do Not really count. They are not Traditional. But nice try, internet.
This year I’m certain I’ll try to do too many things as usual. It will be pies for days. Trader Joe’s has pie pumpkins, my dad told me at Breakfast last weekend. They’re smaller and sweeter than the jack-o-lantern kind. I’ll go to church on Thursday and listen to the congregation give thanks. I’ll wear the leaf pins that were my grandmother’s. I’ll make affectionate fun of the people who gave terrible thanks in church with the rest of the family who was there. I’ll visit too many houses and attempt to play the Ukulele at all of them, whether people like it or not. I’ll look across the table at my handsome husband, especially dapper in his collared shirt, and at the family around me, and I’ll realize that I have a lot to be thankful for myself.
This post makes me wish it wasn’t almost two weeks away. Sigh.
Casey E. Hamilton 