Post-Thanksgiving Reflections


Text: Kristen Mastromarchi
Photo: Armiche Bolanos Quesada




Comments

  1. Lisa GallawayDecember 7, 2021 at 4:42 PM

    Grandma Mary Rose and Harry McDonald decided to combine their families together for Thanksgiving under one roof. I believe this tradition started in the late 70"s. The basement was set up like a restaurant with many tables, chairs, kids tables, chairs, kids playroom, 1 little bathroom, 1 bar, refrigerator that had all of the deserts and our favorite one little red practice piano. Yes we all drove the adults crazy with that piano. We can not forget the Beautiful display of all sorts of stuff for the auction. Everyone's name folded in a gold jar. We looked forward to Thanksgiving every year. We got along very well with the McDonald's. Grandma and Harry worked all year round to make it better every year. The stories live on. I remember conversations and everyone we had Thanksgiving with. You had to be a certain age to sit at bar play pool and even move up from the kids table. Grandma's cooking was awesome. After dinner all of us little kids would could wait for the auction. I can even remember who got what. Even if some of couldn't read the names we all excited calling them. We ran around house looking for the people who's names were called. We even turned it into a game show by shouting Hey come on down and pick your prize. Every year Thanksgiving got bigger with boyfriends girlfriends and many more people. Sometimes there were over 75 people. D and G Mastromarchi took over the tradition we are Thankful for that

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    Replies
    1. Upside Down KrisDecember 9, 2021 at 11:52 AM

      Thank you so much for all these memories! I had forgotten about the piano!

      Delete
  2. UnknownDecember 10, 2021 at 11:39 AM

    This is really wonderful, thanks for sharing! I have so many great memories of Thanksgiving at Grandmas but I had completely forgotten about the giveaways. I’ll never forget her little bead dolls. She had that glass display case on the wall, near the front door, full of her very best bead dolls.

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    Replies
    1. Upside Down KrisDecember 15, 2021 at 11:36 PM

      Yes, I remember the display case! I was always fascinated by the bead dolls.

      Delete

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