Friday, November 6, 2009

~CELEBRATING THANKSGIVING - The Tradition Lives On~

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION
Circa 1963
L-R: Linda, Rebecca, Cynthia & Kathleen

A few days ago I shared with you a little photograph of my sister, two cousins and I dressed up as Pilgrims for a Thanksgiving Celebration in my home town of Hacienda Heights, California. Just before Thanksgiving Day 1963, the Los Angeles TRIBUNE came out to my humble home and photographed us four little girls gazing over the huge Horn O' Plenty centerpiece my mother had made. The newspaper clipping you see above has somehow survived forty five years...

LOVELY CLAPSADDLE ART
(Free to Use as You Please)

Thanksgiving was always a huge event in our family and we had simple, but lovely, traditions. We learned about the practices of America's earliest settlers and we came to respect the things they experienced at a young age. I can assure you they did not drive to the local Market and buy a frozen bird and store it in their freezer for a few weeks! Nor did they have ready made frozen pie shells, canned pumpkin, pre-fab stuffing or dried meringue powder... Instead they feasted on Venison and Wild Fowl and even Swan and Lobster.

ANOTHER FREE GRAPHIC
Art by Ellen Clapsaddle

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. This harvest meal has become a symbol of good will between the English Colonists and Native Americans. Although this feast is considered by many to be the very first Thanksgiving celebration, it was actually in keeping with a long tradition of celebrating the harvest and giving thanks for a successful bounty of crops. Native American groups throughout the Americas, including the Pueblo, Cherokee, Creek and many others organized harvest festivals, ceremonial dances, and other celebrations of thanks for centuries before the arrival of Europeans in North America.

Thanks to my good friend Patty, our local newspaper is coming out to my home to photograph our Miss K and my sister Jenny's three children. Jen's kids are a quarter Native American and we are excited about her four year old son being our "Little Indian". We love how their heritage mingles together with that of our earliest settlers. Somehow we are keeping the traditions going as we try and teach our children and grandchildren about the plight of our Nation and the sacrifices made.

Blessings to you as we celebrate the passion birthed in the hearts by those who have gone before us...Rebecca

19 comments:

Unknown said...

How wonderful Rebecca!! It will be so cool to have your sweet little ones photographed for the paper! I adore the picture of you a the top, you are adorable!! I love Thanksgiving so much. It gives me such a warm, comforting feeling. And I love to stuff my face, lol!!
Hugs,
Amy

Faye said...

Rebecca, I enjoyed your post so much! Thank-u so much for sharing. Hope you have a blessed day!

Anonymous said...

Becky--

This bring back a lot a beautiful memories. You kids were so small.

The celebration of Thanksgiving is more than just tradition in our family. It is a way of life.

God has blessed us as a nation. Everyday is/should be a day of thanksgiving.

Thanks for sharing. I look forward to seeing the up-coming photo of my grandchildren in the newspaper.

Love you-- Mom

Anonymous said...

That was a wonderful story. I love the tradition also. How great about the newspaper. Love the continuation of that tradition. Blessings
QMM

Anonymous said...

What an adorable picture. No way it can be 45 years...LOL!!
Love the post.... psssst..... I still can't believe how long it has been since I was that age?!?!?!?
Have a Wonderful Weekend!
Love,
Marilyn

Vicki said...

Hi, Rebecca,
I loved reading about your Thanksgiving traditions. How wonderful that you are passing it on to the next generations! I hope you are having a blessed week. Enjoy your weekend! Vicki

Dolores said...

Precious picture!!! What a wonderful tradition your mom started.

We have so much to be thankful for....!

Sure looking forward to seeing the new pictures.
What a blessing you are Rebecca!

Dolores said...

Precious picture!!! What a wonderful tradition your mom started.

We have so much to be thankful for....!

Sure looking forward to seeing the new pictures.
What a blessing you are Rebecca!

Edie Marie's Attic said...

Hi Rebecca!

What a darling photo of you! I love old photos, they mean so much. This was such a great post. Thanksgiving is a perfect holiday of sharing and thanking our Lord for our many blessings. No gifts, no 50 places to go... just a nice family or friends time.
I wasn't worried about the darling gift, I know how things can get away from us, for sure! But I will keep my eye open and look forward to it!! You're too sweet.

Hugs, sherry

Andrea said...

I love the picture! And what a rich heritage to share with your family, especially the little ones! It is a living legacy!

Christmas is my favorite holiday, but I do love Thanksgiving. It is much more relaxing, and we are able to enjoy our families more, for we are not burdened with commercialism.

I am trying to be more thankful, remembering God in the great and small. He is good!!!

Blessings to you, dear friend,

Andrea

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Hi Rebecca!
I love this picture of all of you girls. It is so precious and what a wonderful time that was in our lives. Things were simpler then for sure.

I am so tickled to know that the tradition will carry on in Ms K and your sister Jen's children. Please post a copy of the pic when it is taken so that we can all see. I am so tickled for you. It will be like reliving a piece of your childhood.

I mailed a little package to you today. You should have it sometime this next week I believe. I hope you love it as much as I did making it for you. Straight from the heart to you.

Stop by and read my Pink Saturday post. I think you will love it.

Many, many hugs and much love, Sherry

blushing rose said...

G'morn, Rebecca ~ TY for sharing this wonderful piece of your past. The pic is adorable, anxious to see the wee 4 in the new pic.

Your Mother says it in a nutshell ...
'God has blessed us as a nation. Everyday is/should be a day of thanksgiving.' Thank you, Mother ...

Too many forget that this is a 365 day a year 'celebration' & forget the other 364 days.

Remember all those that have given their lives to protect us & our freedoms.

Hugs, TTFN ~Marydon

The French Bear said...

Love your post and the clipping Rebecca, I just love the soft colors and the most romantic pictures you have here!
I always feel so uplifted when I read your posts, I do read them all!
Hugs,
Margaret B

Julie Marie said...

Hello Rebecca, what a precious picture of you and your family when you were little girls! And I love that you have saved it all these years... I can't wait to see little Miss K and all your other special little ones in a new photo! Thanksgiving is one of my favorites as well... my mama always made it so special, with things alot simpler than today, and always filled with love... love to you! xoxo Julie Marie

THE HOME THAT LOVE BUILT said...

How precious! Loved this.

XO
Brook

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

I think you and I had magical childhoods! I lived in a world of Fairy's and magic. Those pictures are just so cute. You must have had a wonderful mother too! You carry on the beauty that can be life! I love it, Rebecca...
Mona

Abatevintage said...

Hello thank you so much for visiting me today for Pink Saturday. I loved our visit.

Thank you so much for your kind words.

Have a wonderful Sunday.

Blessings,
Heidi

Celestina Marie said...

Hi Rebecca, What a wonderful post and I love the pic of you with your sister and cousins years ago. Such a wonderful time and to think you nearly going to see it again but this time with your grand daughter and her cousins. How special to have the paper there to capture the moment.
Thanksgiving was always very special when I was growing up and still is. Only back then, in Michigan, we had snow knee high at times. LOL

Love to you sweet friend,
Celestina Marie

June said...

I love this Rebecca sweet! First...you are the cutest little pilgrim I've ever seen. I am sooo excited to hear about the newspaper doing this feature. I hope you will share it with us all, as we love your sweet Miss K so much. I can't wait for the day of Thanksgiving when all my chicks (children) come home to roost.

I sure wish you could spend the day with me shopping, we would have such a blast. Actually I do shop with you once in awhile, because I'll see something and think to myself...that looks like Rebecca to me! You are on my mind a lot dear friend! Now if we could just meet...sigh.
Love to you friend,
June

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