Thanksgiving as an Expat

Thanksgiving is a special occasion as an Expat. Its kind of like a secret holiday only Americans (and Canadians) know about.
If its November and your living abroad you only have to ask a fellow Expat one question "What are you doing for Thanksgiving". To warm their heart through and through.

For my friends and family yet to experience this holiday outside of the US. I just want to share a few of the interesting things that go on in the Expat community in the lead up to Thanksgiving celebrations.

First of all I live in Australia so my experiences are coming from within an Australian context and these change from location to location.

Expat Thanksgiving - 2015 style

Thanksgiving is celebrated the weekend after Thanksgiving day. So everyone has time to cook.

There is no Black Friday... nope... not even a thing. Its just a normal day.

Many generous Expats put on a Thanksgiving dinner and open their homes to people they have never met. You get used to sitting next to people from all over the USA and the world, in a total strangers house. Its a great way to make new friends.

You most likely attend more then 1 Thanksgiving celebration.

In the lead up to Thanksgiving a huge amount of time goes into sourcing ingredients from home to make your must have holiday dish.

Social media pages become full of notices telling you where they still have 1 can of pumpkin pie filling left. Desperate calls for who has seen a "whole" frozen turkey for sale, or who got the butcher to order one in take up more of your time then you like to admit.

You wonder why canned french split green beans and frenches onions are not stocked in your local store. Also why can't you find canned congealed cranberry?? (this may only apply to you if your from the midwest)

You attempt only once to make pumpkin pie from scratch.. then you realise there are 1000 types of pumpkin and some mysterious verity makes the kind of pie you are longing for... what that verity is... is still unknown.. So you give up and continue searching for the canned verity that tastes so good with such little effort.
You realise Americans love canned food more then almost anyone else.

You get major popularity points at any celebration if you have actual Thanksgiving decorations, plates, napkins or themed clothing. You never wanted a Thanksgiving themed shirt or sweater so bad.

In your spare time you feel compelled to make a turkey drawing... the kind you did in Kindergarden by tracing your hand and decorating your fingers as feathers...

You are extremely thankful you know at least 1 other American who is as homesick as you.
You are grateful for the small things.. your thankful for your fellow countrymen.
Your thankful to have family, although far away who love and miss you.

Thanksgiving is a hidden holiday for me now, but one I celebrate all the same, just with some new traditions added on.

This year on Thanksgiving Day I plan on putting up our Christmas Tree, watching a few good holiday movies and making a nice thanksgiving meal for just me and Graham. Kit cat loves the holiday too cause it means his favorite indoor tree reappears for his enjoyment.

Happy Thanksgiving 2015!