Thanksgiving without a family to visit

There are certain holidays or traditions that serve as reminders that we are immigrants without extended family in this country. Thanksgiving is such a holiday.

My Tuesday college classes had already low attendance because my students were traveling to their families. Many of our neighbors are preparing big family gatherings.

For us, however, Thanksgiving is not such a big day: First, we didn't grow up with the tradition. In Austria, we don't celebrate this holiday. And secondly, we don't have family here. It's just the four of us, but no grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, nephews or nieces. The separation from the extended family is occasionally quite difficult for our sons. They deeply miss their grandparents and cousins at birthday parties and at christmans.

With regard to Thanksgiving, we try to make the best of it: We will meet for dinner with a German family and another German friend. We do this now for three years and it becomes our own little tradition. This year, dinner will be at the other family's house. There will be of course stuffed turkey, but with a mix of German, Austrian and American fixings: yams, red cabbage, and potato dumplings.