Thanksgiving!!!: IMB Holiday!

Guess what guys: it's almost Thanksgiving!!  Yayyyyy!!!

image source: longislandpress.com

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday.  When I was little it meant seeing my cousins who live out of town, a couple days off from school, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pajamas, the most amazing home cooked meal of the year, lots of things with cinnamon in them (who doesn't love cinnamon?  It's the best spice of all the spices!) and the start of HOME ALONE airing on a loop on TV.

LOVE that movie!

Now, as an adult, Thanksgiving means seeing friends and family here in LA I might not have seen for a while, a couple days off from work, watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade in my pajamas with my cat (that's not as sad as it sounds), the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR at HBO (more on this in a second), lots of things with cinnamon (and rum) in them (specifically my signature spiced/spiked cider - more on this later), and the start of HOME ALONE marathons airing on a loop on TV.

Love that movie too!

As mentioned above, Thanksgiving at HBO is a very special day.  The Friday prior to the actual holiday we have what is called a "Progressive Meal" - each geographical section of the office is assigned a part of the feast (i.e. appetizers, salads, potatoes/starches, desserts, etc.).  Anyone who cooks is given a plate and a map (yes, a map) and at 1:00 pm all work ceases as everyone makes their way through the halls piling all the food they can fit on their plate.  Of course everyone goes into a food coma immediately after and productivity never fully resumes.  I personally look forward to this day ALL YEAR ****and it's almost heeeeeeere****!!!!!!

With holiday travel becoming increasingly hassle-riffic, I've chosen to stay in Los Angeles for actual Thanksgiving this year.  As tough as it is to be away from my family, a good friend of mine hosts Transplant Thanksgiving for all of us whose immediately families are back East, and it is kind of the best day ever.  We play video games of the active/moving variety so we don't feel so guilty snacking all day and then gorging ourselves at dinner.  We sip wine and spiked spiced cider all day as well:

I made this.  It may not look like much, but it was a huge hit, I swear.

And at the end I get to go home with Thanksgiving Parfait: a tupperware containing layers of leftovers - the most beautiful container of leftovers you will ever see in your life.

Here are a couple more photos from last year's Transplant Thanksgiving:

Drooling yet?  I am.

I also love how the city empties out - there's this beautiful, peaceful quiet that usually lasts through the long weekend.  I'm looking forward to seeing more friends, hopefully seeing my cousins as well, catching a movie or two with Boyfriend, and hopefully getting a long-awaited-for and much-needed massage.

And oh yeah, that whole thinking about what you're thankful for and why your life is actually a good one is always nice too.  ;-)


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!!!!!