Thanksgiving at Skeeter's

Family is everything to the Childress'. For as long as I can remember we have always gone to my Aunt Skeeter's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Now this was no mealtime event where we were in and out. This was and still is today a two day tradition that started back when we were just babies. I can remember as a kid the excitement of getting out of school the day before knowing #1) that I didn't have to go back till next Monday and #2) we were heading to Mississippi to meet up with all of my family from Southaven to Houston Texas for the most unbelievable Thanksgiving holiday you could imagine.

I have often referred to my Aunt Skeeter as Martha Stewart reincarnated. Everything in her home was perfectly placed and fit for the holiday season. Fall decorations were on every wall, table, and room. She even had the latest fall editions of L.L. Beam and Lands End magazines laying on the coffee table. The spread of food was a sight to behold. We had turkey, ham, cranberries, potato salad, stuffing, corn, green beans, fruit salad, greens, and of course an endless supply of rolls. My aunt's sweet tea was always hot so it tasted oh so perfect as it was cooled by the ice. The adults would eat at the adult table and the kids would eat at the kids table. However we've still yet to graduate from the kids table? My uncle George would return grace and thank God for allowing us all to return another year as we worship through Thanksgiving and celebrated as family.

After the meal the men would go in the living room and watch football, we boys would go outside and play football, and the women would sit around the table and talk about who knows what. Later that evening the eating commenced again with coffee and desserts. Now my Nana made the best strawberry cake. When she passed away, her strawberry cake recipe was passed down to my Aunt Skeeter. I would put this strawberry cake up against Old Timer's Strawberry cake any day....and I love Old Timer's strawberry cake. After consuming several thousand calories we boys were put to bed and the adults would all sit in the living room, take a trip down memory lane, look at old photos, and talk about times gone by.

The next morning we would indulge in leftovers for breakfast and pick up on our family tradition. The women would all go there own way and the men went ours. Usually the women flocked to the stores in search of great deals for Christmas. The men took off to the Mecca of malls, the annual treat, the Mall of Memphis. The Mall of Memphis was a big deal. All we had was the Raleigh Springs Mall and this held no comparison to what the Mall of Memphis had to offer. It had an ice rink and a Pancho's, what else do you need? After a long tiresome day of shopping and putting up with crowds we would always meet at the nearest theater to watch that year’s holiday movie. This tradition actually started in 1990 when we all met up to watch a little movie called Home Alone. Little did we know then that this movie would soon be one of the holiday greats. Afterwards we would say our goodbyes and all head towards our own homes.

Thanksgiving at Skeeter's is the only Thanksgiving I know. Today we still partake in this tradition, only the kids table is a little bigger with the additions of our spouses and children. The memories my parents, aunts, and uncles have engraved into our history will long be continued because one day it will be left up to my cousins, brother, and me to carry on this wonderful tradition. And so it shall.
Happy Thanksgiving!

-Steve Childress