Thanksgiving Inspiration

The Beloved Peanuts Thanksgiving

I LOVE Thanksgiving.  Longtime readers of The Magpie's Fancy know that I'm not a fan of Black Friday . . . and that I am completely against the idea of going shopping on Thanksgiving Day itself.  I doubt that I have to explain why, but I will say that I am still an old-fashioned believer in devoting a day to giving thanks for all the blessings that we already have.  Period.  

I also think that the Christmas season has become so overblown and so darn long that it is about to completely obliterate Thanksgiving altogether.  This year, most of the stores in our area began putting their Christmas displays out before Halloween, and by now they are completely decked out in Yuletide finery.  I really love decorating for Christmas come December 1st or so.  Call me a Scrooge, but I need that month's separation between my candy corns and my candy canes.

Therefore, I'm slowing things down and taking one holiday at a time.  And I'm finding loads of Thanksgiving inspiration everywhere I turn, so I thought I'd share a few links that might inspire you, too, whether you celebrate American Thanksgiving or you just want to enjoy the beauty of autumn a little longer.

Photo Credit: Michael Graydon & Nicole Herriot from Bon Appetit

First, there's all that glorious food to consider.  And where better to turn for inspiration than Bon Appetit?  I picked up their Thanksgiving issue just before hopping on a plane in Pittsburgh this past week, and I found myself salivating as I turned the pages.  If the perfect mashed potatoes have always eluded you, check out their guide to making gorgeous and delicious potatoes.  Mr. Magpie makes them for us all year round, and he always uses Yukon Golds, as Bon Appetit recommends here in the guide.  Who knew he was such a brilliant cook?  I did, actually, because he makes my favorite potatoes in the world!

And this pie.  This is the one I'm dreaming of.  Luckily, Mr. M's birthday and Thanksgiving both fall in November, and Mr. M prefers pie to cake.  That means I have two excuses to make pie.  Maybe I'll also make this one . . . just for the sake of being thorough.  You know what they say: "a pie in the hand is worth two in the bush". . . or is it "a stitch in time saves pie?"  "You are the apple of my pie?"  "Pie.  It's what's for dinner."  That last one is what we say in this house.

I think this photo was originally from The Lexington Company.  If I'm wrong, please let me know!     

While it's far too cold in this part of the country to eat outdoors at Thanksgiving, I love the mood of the photo above.  Simple, elegant, and cozy.  A table to linger over long after the meal has ended.  Only inside.  With pie.

From Terrain

I'm also loving the colors and textures of the newest autumn offerings at Terrain.  Their catalog is always a wonderful mix of natural fibers and products inspired by forests and fields.  I have some of those Stargazer lights pictured here, by the way, and they are incredibly pretty!  No ugly cords, plus soft, warm light.  I have to admit, though, that I bought mine much cheaper.  Definitely shop around for the best price!  You can find ones that plug in or some that are battery powered, which would be perfect for table and mantle decorations.

Closer to home, I'm taken by the beautiful displays at some of my favorite local shops in Portland, Maine, especially this one and this one, run by wonderful friends with unerring eyes for beauty, function, and enduring style.  

And finally, this year, Thanksgiving comes after a particularly challenging election season.  Here in Maine, I was disheartened by the election results--and, perhaps more importantly, by the campaigns leading up to those results.  I was also disappointed to learn that on the national level, 2014 had the lowest voter turnout in any election since World War II.  Less than 40% of eligible voters went to the polls, and only 13% of voters ages 18-30 showed up to cast their ballots.  Like so many Americans, I am proud to live in a democracy, but a democracy is only as strong as its citizenry makes it, and I fear for the future of ours.  The Thanksgiving we celebrate here in the U.S. gives us an opportunity to reflect not only on our own blessings, but on what it means to us to be Americans, and on the legacy handed down to us by our forefathers and mothers.  Here is a brief exploration on poets.org of the history of Thanksgiving, as well as a few passages from poems about the holiday.  

If you celebrate Thanksgiving, how will you be celebrating this year?  Maybe with a little pie?  ;)  Do you have any recipe links or other Thanksgiving thoughts/inspiration you'd like to share?  Please feel free in the comments!