It was so exciting to have a houseful of friends and family over for Thanksgiving. As soon as the kids entered the front door they rushed upstairs to see what was going on. Usually we played physical games like action-adventure, or hide and seek, and sometimes we played board games. Downstairs was where the adults congregated to exchange howdys, and immediately launch off on myriad conversational topics. I was never much interested in our weather conditions, or news topics. The men talked about cars, or other things that often bored us kids silly. Upstairs was where the real action was.
My mind dreamed of pumpkin pie later; a healthy dose of whipped cream was mandatory. Sometimes we came down from our upstairs roost to watch one of the wonderful religious movies, or the fantasy-adventure movies that played each holiday season. I remember movies like "The Robe", and "The Greatest Story Ever Told". I also loved "Gulliver's Travels", "Jason and The Argonauts", and "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad." In the earlier '60s, "The Wizard of Oz" used to play at Thanksgiving time. I was terrified to my very core with the Wicked Witch of the West, and her flying monkeys.
It was also exciting to wait and watch for an expected car to roll up to the front of the house. "They're here!" I often shouted with joy. Another car rolled up and I also reported "Mom, Kenny and Darlene are here!" (That was my oldest brother and his wife). Kenny was always the life of any party, and once he arrived, all was right in the world. Being the wild man of the family, fun was always guaranteed wherever he set his loafers down. He had the best stories ever which happened to be the greatest tubs of hogwash ever concocted. Still, it was fun to listen to, and want to believe he did all of those things he bragged on. My Thanksgiving memories of the '60s are absolutely wonderful. Life was beautiful, and there were no distractions like there are today.
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