Thanksgiving in July

Snickers Salad prompted the idea.
In a getting-to-know-you conversation with my youngest son's girlfriend, she mentioned that Thanksgiving is her favorite holiday. I concurred, and off we went on a verbal holiday meal tour. When she said her favorite dish is her aunt's Snickers Salad, I have to admit that I, well, snickered.
"It's so good," she raved. "It's made with apples, walnuts, chunks of Snickers bars, all mixed in a dressing of mayonnaise and Cool Whip."
"It sounds like some kind of Waldorf Salad on steroids," I said, and then went on to reminisce about my grandmother's Holiday Fruit Salad, which I prepare for every special occasion. It, too, is a fruit concoction, only made of grapes, pineapple, pecans and mini-marshmallows in a dressing of whipped cream and a blend of eggs and lemon.
Thus, when Joey and Sonia spent the July 4th holiday weekend with me on the eve of his departure to Melbourne, Australia, for a three-year job stint, I came up with a plan. We would have a Thanksgiving meal in July. Joey will be Down Under in November, and Sonia will be with her family in Iowa, as is her tradition. Focusing on gratitude year-round makes sense to me anyway, so out came the recipes for my grandmother's salad, my pecan pie, and my dad's favorite banana bread.
Even though cranberries are not in season, and even though we did not roast a whole turkey, we captured the essence. Even though one of my grandsons has an apparent genetic defect that causes him to dislike mashed potatoes, we allowed him at the table. Even though she feared no one would like it, Sonia whipped up her Snickers Salad. Since little of it was left over after the meal, her anxiety was allayed.
We sat around a table decorated with fall foliage and a representative pilgrim and Indian maiden. We shared about those things that fill our hearts with gratitude. We laughed over the silliness that playing "Catch Phrase" brings forth. We celebrated tradition. We celebrated Thanksgiving.
(In photo: Joey and Sonia)