The holiday season is racing along faster than Santa’s sleigh on an icy hill. Soon, we’ll be dreaming of “visions of sugar plums” along with high doses of glucose, fructose and galactose—which sounds like something Obi-Wan Kenobi would sprinkle on his Wheaties.

Halloween kicked off the three-month buffet, leaving many of us with the task of finishing off leftover mini KitKats and Snickers because, well, “somebody’s got to eat them.” 

And, of course, Christmas brings its share of indulgences, from cookies to eggnog. But the real climax of this calorie marathon is the Thanksgiving feast, with the golden-brown turkey taking center stage. I must confess, once the calendar hits November, “Ghosts of giblets past” spring to mind like a turkey pop-up timer.

As a kid, I loved starting Thanksgiving day by delivering newspapers at 5 a.m. in total darkness and bitter cold. Most houses already had one light on in the kitchen, where moms were rattling pans and wrestling with turkeys to get the stuffing in place. 

The pre-dawn Thanksgiving sights and sounds sent shivers down my spine—or maybe that was just the 12-degree temperatures giving me frostbitten fingers and toes. Either way, I was slightly envious of those turkeys headed into warm ovens.

Even before Black Friday became a thing, the Thanksgiving newspaper was packed with ads. I had to carry the papers on foot, and those hefty editions weighed almost as much as the turkeys in the ovens.

Speaking of big turkeys, my mom always managed to pick the biggest one at the store. She had to, given she was feeding my older brothers and their wives, me and my little sister. The average Thanksgiving turkey these days weighs about 15 pounds, but that would have been far too svelte for our family.

It was absolute torture smelling all that great food Mom was preparing. I would cut breakfast and lunch down to almost nothing to make room for the big feast. And what a feast it was! My plate never seemed big enough for all the options, and I’d inevitably end up pushing mashed potatoes too close to the cranberry sauce, causing it to slide off onto the once-a-year tablecloth.

Then, of course, came the moment when I just couldn’t take another bite. You know the feeling—when your stomach groans, signaling, “Okay, I’m done. One more spoonful of pumpkin pie and I’ll explode!” For a moment, I felt a tinge of sadness that it was over and that we’d have to wait another year to do it again.

But then I’d remember there were turkey sandwiches to come, prepared later in the evening for the men to enjoy while watching football and the ladies to snack on while protesting, “I can’t eat another bite.” 

Plus, there would be turkey sandwiches for lunch every day for the next two weeks and turkey soup well into December. Heck, it’s possible I would’ve been gnawing on turkey bones into the new year if Mom hadn’t worried so much about what the neighbors would think!

Years later, my wife carried on the tradition while we raised our three boys, putting just as much effort and love into preparing a Thanksgiving meal. We didn’t need quite as large a turkey, but the care was the same.

Looking back, I realize those Thanksgiving gatherings weren’t just about the food. 

With the whole family gathered around that large dinner table, I know that there was plenty of good stuff besides the food being shared—and I am still thankful for that today.

 Community Thanksgiving Meals

All meals take place on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, and are free and open to everyone.\

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Salvation Army
1235 N. 4th St., Grand Junction

A full Thanksgiving meal will be served, featuring turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce and pie. To donate a turkey or volunteer, call 970-242-7513. 

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

First Christian Church, 1326 N. 1st St., Grand Junction

This community dinner is open to all! Call 970-242-7204 for details.

12-3 p.m.

Friendship Hall, Montrose County Fairgrounds
1001 N. 2nd St., Montrose 

Thanksgiving dinner is available with dine-in, takeaway and delivery options! Delivery requests must be made by noon on Wednesday, November 27. Call 970-318-6759 to request delivery. This dinner is entirely run by volunteers and donations. To donate, visit Montrose CommunityDinners.com or find @MontroseCommunityDinners on Facebook. To volunteer, call 970-318-6724.

11 a.m. until food runs out (usually 1-1:30 p.m.)

Hotchkiss Senior Center
276 W. Main St., Hotchkiss

Enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal with smoked turkey, green bean casserole, potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, fresh rolls, cranberry sauce and dressing. Volunteers can arrive at 10 a.m. Both diners and volunteers are encouraged to bring desserts and side dishes to share (though not required). Call 970-260-9628 for details.