By Eric W. Schoen
Normally in the week before Thanksgiving, I would be gathering the gifts for my cousins in Mahopac who graciously host my sister and I for a delicious Thanksgiving feast. My cousin Fred likes books, many of them with Jewish themes. My cousin Georgette likes cat related items, mugs, books, as well as kitchen gadgets.
My cousins Steven and Sharon like things they can use for dining and serving including glassware, linen napkins, fancy little napkin ring holders and other items for the table and for use around the house. What I like about them is that they usually incorporate our gifts immediately into their dinner.
One year Easter fell before Passover and I found these nice large egg shaped bowls perfect for preparing and serving mashed potatoes. They were the right size for mashed potatoes for 10-12 people, and they made it so easy to put the hot potatoes in and mash them with butter and cream bringing the dish right to the dining room table.
Cousin Daniel, now in High School loves a science project, a book bag or gym bag for his books or gym items or a warm seater or other garment of clothes. One year I bought him a dart board and darts, and he also like electronics.
We can never forget a gift for their beautiful cat or the big dogs they had for many years. The dogs loved people food and one year we arrived as a dog was munching on the crudités platter which I believe had chopped liver on it. The dogs and cats are part of the family and they were always welcome to enjoy my cousins excellent cooking.
My gifts come in fancy reusable gift bags I would buy at Burlington Coat Factory or TJMaxx or Marshall’s for a dollar each. I might tie them with a ribbon but wrapping gifts is something I don’t do well so why bother trying. This year with the ban on plastic bags the reusable bags would come in pretty handy. And Burlington, TJMaxx and Marshall’s always have bags with designs for every season and for birthdays, anniversaries and other yearly occasions that with a little tissue paper on top and maybe a ribbon look very pretty.
My sister on the other hand loves to perfectly wrap gifts. She is good at it, enjoys doing it, and finishes wrapping the last few gifts as she watches the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Every gift has a matching bow and a gift card indicating who it is for.
We usually spend Passover, Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving and Chanukah celebrating with my Mahopac cousins. Quite often cousin Fred’s sister, her husband who is a real Native American and their son join us. Before moving to Mahopac my cousins lived in Sleepy Hollow. How much more traditional can you get then spending Thanksgiving in Sleepy Hollow with a real Native American enjoying a delicious dinner with you?
Not this year. We actually haven’t seen our cousins since last Thanksgiving, and even though we are in touch weekly by phone we miss the personal contact dearly. Passover, Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur, Thanksgiving and most likely Chanukah will be out of the picture this year.
Dr. Fauci and our health experts recommend limiting your holidays to no more than 10 people with those people individuals you have contact with regularly. And like I hope you and your family, we will follow the directions of our medical professionals. No one wants to take a chance getting sick.
After Thanksgiving dinner was over, we would drive home praying not to encounter deer along the way and take an hour or two nap. Than, I would meet friends (or sometimes go it alone) for Black Friday shopping that would start at midnight. As long as it was not too cold the excitement of the crowds put you in the Christmas/Chanukah spirit.
One year I was waiting in line, the lines separated by cold metal barriers for a 40 inch television set. 40 inches was big at the time, but now for the same price you can get a much larger set at about the same price I paid for my 40 inch one.
Every year I would buy 2 of everything on the front page of the Macy’s Black Friday ad, the items that with rebate would end up costing nothing. Watches, pots and pans, small electronics, holiday sweatshirts, tea shirts whatever was there I would buy to get it for free. Why did I buy 2 of each item? I would send one rebate to my sister and one rebate to myself. So we ended up with 2 of each item for free.
I have a knack for filling out the rebate forms and now that they can be sent electronically over the internet it doesn’t even cost you the price of a postage stamp. Sending the forms electronically also gets the rebate usually in the form of a VISA or MASTERCARD gift card to you sooner.
Most years I would fill out 10 rebates each for my sister and myself, and within a few weeks the gift cards would start rolling in. You have to be a little crazy to go extreme like I did. But it was all part of the holiday fun. Perfumes, watches, tote bags, kids clothing, unless it was something I knew we could not gift I would purchase the item and go through the rebate process.
This year I noticed on the front page of the Macy’s.catalog there are some rebate items but most of them end up costing you something after the rebate! I guess the stores got smart to people like me.
Stores have started their Black Friday sales weeks early to avoid people standing on top of each other at the registers and from getting sick. Many items can be ordered in advance for curbside pickup so you don’t even have to set foot in the store. Make sure if if comes with a rebate you get the Correct rebate form and individual receipts. Include the UPC or other code and check off to make sure everything is packaged neatly.
So my friends, this will be a very different Thanksgiving. Chanukah and Christmas most likely too. Maybe things will get back to normal by Passover and Easter. Wear your masks, wash your hands and socially distance. I still see people in stores without masks.shame on them!
I miss spending time in person with cousins Fred, Georgette, Sharon, Steven and Daniel. Pray for an effective vaccine to protect us that will in the not to distant future allow us to celebrate together!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM, go to WVOX.com and click the arrow to listen to the live stream or download the WVOX app from the App Store free of charge.
