LIVING IN FRANCE

How Will You Celebrate Thanksgiving 2024?

Or will celebrate be the right word?

This turkey once ruled my son’s yard. I’m not sure what eventually happened to it. (photos by author)

While Thanksgiving in the United States is still more than a month away, the US presidential election is, as we’re constantly reminded, drawing ever closer. Less than two weeks as I write this.

Since moving to France eleven years ago, Thanksgiving has been pretty much just another day. Last year, I think I had a dermatology appointment. But given the historical nature of the event taking place a few weeks before this year’s Thanksgiving, I wonder how Turkey Day will go. The consequences — one way or another — are not just of concern to Americans, the entire world will feel the impact.

Since I can no longer look at election polls without feeling a sense of impending doom, I decided I’d stop thinking — or try to stop thinking — about this year’s Thanksgiving and look back at my first Thanksgiving in France.

My car with an unusual dusting of snow

My first was a definite turkey. I’d recently bought the car — pictured above with a dusting of snow, unusual here in the Languedoc. While I’d intended to ride a bike everywhere, I quickly realised that this was one…