saying thanks

everyone on earth in possession of a television set knows this: in the united states, thanksgiving is a big deal.

i knew it was going to be big too, when i saw, a week in advance, the crowds start to gather on 34th street, near and around macy’s: that giant of a department store. preparations for the annual parade were on, and everyone wanted photographs. bright lights – brighter than usual, that is - started to spring up everywhere, there was tinsel in shop windows, and four-letter words that made their presence felt at every turn i happened to take: sale.

for me, the more interesting thing was an invitation i received to a traditional thanksgiving dinner at glendale, new jersey. the invite came from an american i happened to meet in mumbai through a friend, not so long ago. ‘would you like to go to my sister’s place?’ he asked. and i nodded, curious about this all-american ritual. there were invites from indian-american friends too, but i wasn’t sure about another meal involving curry when confronted with the possibility of being part of something i would have no access to in india.

when it was all over and done with, i realized that thanksgiving simply acts as a fabulous excuse for family and friends to get together. just like diwali does. or id. or, for that matter, a cousin’s birthday. it was just as warm, the wine and turkey notwithstanding. relatives poured in, everyone helped in the kitchen, teenagers lounged in front of the tv, the men discussed american football in staggering detail, the women milled about in groups, and there were smiles all around. i loved every minute of it.

the day after thanksgiving is referred to as black friday. it’s when businesses that aren’t doing too well can move out of the red and into the black. on my way back to new york, a little before 5 a.m., i saw queues form outside department stores along the way.

the family dinners were all over with. shopping in earnest was about to begin.