Harvest Blessings and Friendly Feasts
Thinking back to my childhood I still remember the vibrant smell of cloves, rosemary and sage waking me up on the morning of Thanksgiving as Momma Peer had risen at the early hours to start the preparation for our delectable feast.

Throughout the day my sister and I would tidy the house, set the table and anxiously await my Grandmother's arrival. A fond memory which still makes me giggle to this day is that I would purposely set the table so Grandmother would sit beside my sister. As we were loading our plates with mountains of food my Grandmother would secretly slather a scoop of turnip across my sister's plate; turnip being swede for my UK friends. A mischievous grin would grow from ear to ear and a silent to wheezy giggle would erupt out of my Grandmother as the deed was completed. She was focused and determined that turnip would make it on to my sister's plate no matter what. My sister to this day still hates the taste of turnip and the thought of the whole fiasco still makes me giggle with glee.
But before I wander too far down the road of nostalgia, let's first talk about the celebration that is Thanksgiving. First and most important, there are two different days of celebration depending on where you live in North America. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October whereas the United States celebrate on the last Thursday of November.
Focusing on my Canadian roots, Thanksgiving in Canada is a time to celebrate the Harvest and give thanks for the blessings of the past year. In our day to day lives it's easy to lose sight of what fuels our fortunate existence but I for one am grateful there is a specific time of year dedicated to helping people to focus on the gifts we've received throughout. Primarily within my family, it would mean a family gathering, delicious feast, possible games and a deeper family connection (although sometimes Teenage Angst Jessica made one too many appearances - yikes!). Although my teenage brain didn't thoroughly grasp the concept at the time, I have found moving away from this regular celebration has left me yearning for it's magic... and a slice of pumpkin pie, I MISS PUMPKIN PIE.
For those who want to embrace the essence of this holiday and enhance the vibes with a few magical properties here's my foolproof list:
Food & Drink

• Pumpkins - pumpkin pie, pumpkin tea or pumpkin soup will do the trick
• Roasted Beetroot, Carrot & Parsnips - glazed with a little maple and honey...drool
• Potatoes - mashed, scalloped or roasted, you choose! If it was me I would say Mashed potatoes with garlic and rosemary. Magically, garlic is known to ward off disease and rosemary is one of the oldest incense. So filling your house with the smell of garlic and rosemary helps create powerful cleansing and purifying vibrations for your house and soon to arrive guests. Plus the taste combination...sensational!
• Turkey - for those who eat meat this a traditional item you would find on a Thanksgiving menu but not a necessity to enjoy a delicious feast.
• Corn - good old corn! I love corn on the cob at this time of year. I remember husking the corn, removing its outer coat, in our backyard to then excitingly deliver to my Mom to be cooked in this GIGANTIC bubbling hot metal pot on the stove top.
• Stuffing - carbs, carbs and more carbs. Like I said this is a feast so don't forget your elastic waist pants/trousers!
• Hot Apple Cider - a traditional drink at this time of year in North America, it's none alcoholic and it tastes GREAT! Swirl a cinnamon stick around for extra POW and you'll know what I mean. If your heart desires you can add alcohol such as a spiced rum, slices or oranges, crushed cranberries and slivers of apple to a punch bowl and voila!Now, the list could go on and on depending on who you ask, but those would be my personal recommendations for a delicious feast. NOW, let's get magical!
Decorations

• Mini Pumpkins & Gourds - for my fellow Canucks, who doesn't love a painted gourd in the centre of the table or on the windowsill? Gourds are hard-shelled crop plants in the family Cucurbitaceae, often used as botanical offerings at this time of year. They make EXCELLENT centrepieces and can be reused during Halloween as painted jack-o-lanterns
• Oak Leaves & Acorns - Use it in bunting or apart of your centrepiece, oak trees are the flagship of Autumn. A small acorn when planted turns into a mighty oak tree. Oak symbolizes strength and offers magical protection. Hang this in our house and bless the energy that enters.
• Autumn Foliage - covering all stages and colours of this beautiful season, add maple leaves and oak leaves to your decor for a blast of colour and to pay homage to this ever-changing time of year.
Crystals
Crystals can be incorporated at ANY time of year. To make this time even more magical I would suggest placing the below crystals or a combination into your centrepiece or around your house to help radiate their specific vibrations to your magical day.
• Garnet - energizes and promotes love, encouraging everlasting relationships. PERFECT for sneaking around the dinner table or gifting to your friends/family as a thank you for their daily presence and support.

• Rose Quartz - softens the heart and wards off negative thoughts, only encouraging positive light. Let's be honest, big get together's can be a bit overwhelming however tucking a little piece of rose quartz in your pocket or wearing it as jewellery will help radiate those positive vibes, keeping your heart chakra open to receive the love recognized during the get-together. If you are the host, put a piece by the entry of your door so that the first vibrations your guest encounter is loving and pure.
• Citrine - great for steering conversations and situations in a positive direction. Centrepiece that sh*t! Keep the conversation light and airy as the meal and get together takes place. I know if I were Momma Peer I would have covered, no DRENCHED, Teenage Angst Jessica in Citrine before allowing her A-N-Ywhere near to the table. #sorryMom #stillLoveMe?
• Carnelian - holds you steady, moment by moment. Perfect for those busy chefs that need a boost of focus and calm when in their creative cooking flow.
Next weekend I will be hosting a Thanksgiving Feast for a handful of friends here in England. It will be their first ever Thanksgiving Feast and the first time I've ever had to cook for a group of people. I'm beyond excited to share this tradition with friends but also slightly anxious to pull off what I consider to be one of the most important family celebrations North America offers. The Ginger Gent and I have already been out picking gourds, pumpkins and coloured corn to start preparing for the day. We're off to the supermarket this week for the veg and meat (and no-meat treats for our vegetarian friends). I've been living on Pinterest learning how to spice things up and for a creative boost on how to decorate. To be honest, as we were in the Pick Your Own Pumpkin patch today it dawned on me just how beautiful this time of year is and how grateful I am for traditions such as Thanksgiving that I can share with my friends. It's a soul-filling time of year so for that, I am thankful for the love, blessings and support that surrounds me from far in near.
To my Canadian friends and family, Happy Thanksgiving and Harvest Blessings to you!
XO Jess Ps. Wish me luck as during my cooking adventures. Be sure to catch me on Instagram as I'll be posting my attempts and shenanigans on the day. Next Saturday, grab some popcorn and get ready for the show. But only if it's Kettle Corn because that's another acceptable harvest treat.
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