Oral History – The Single Leaf

I walked out my front door. I must have startled him. I know he startled me as I witnessed him take off in flight at top speed. It happened so fast I wondered if I was seeing things. I saw my neighbor down the street. I thought he was visiting our neighborhood master gardener. I called to him, “Did you see that?” “What?” he replied. “A turkey flying over your house!”

“Oh, I was just looking for him. My wife thought she saw a turkey in our backyard earlier in the day but I can’t find him.” The turkey had been hiding in my foliage. Neither of us had ever seen or heard of wild turkeys in the neighborhood. This was a first. I learned something new that day. I learned that turkeys can fly up to 55 mph! And, I added to my life’s experience.

Thanksgiving is a time for reminiscing in the U.S. It’s a time when families, when possible, get together. Traditionally it comes in the form of a feast. For some it means a day of America’s sport—football.

It is estimated that 55.4 million Americans are traveling 50 miles or more this year! The day is also known as the day of America’s greatest food consumption! It’s only rival is the Super Bowl. Think turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie as the traditional game plan for the Thanksgiving banquet. Many families have other traditional favorites as well. Recently I saw a post where waffles were made out of stuffing, layered in mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce. Always looking for new recipes, I decided it was something to think about when serving leftovers.

Football has also been a traditional favorite at this time of year. Whether it is a friendly game at a local field or watching one or more of the 3 NFL games offered throughout the day, it has become part of the holiday for many Americans. This year the NFL added another game for Black Friday to intercept marketers plans for big holiday sales.

Tradition speak volumes. Some families go around the table to express gratitude. For others, conversation can be awkward. I don’t deny that families are complex and challenges exist. But, it is never too late to adopt or create a new tradition.

As individuals, we determine what we will carry forward and what we create. The Smithsonian Folklife & Oral History Interviewing Guide is a free resource available for download that offers tips on how to make the most of your family conversation to capture family history this holiday season. As mentioned in this publication, “[h]aving a clearly defined goal is key to conducting a successful interview.”

“Out of shared telling and remembering grow identity, connection, and pride, [bonding] people to a place and to one another.”
—Tom Rankin, folklorist

One more way to connect with family about family history is to share a brief replay of a genealogy touchdown—that glorious moment when research came together, you entered your genealogy end zone, and you felt like spiking the ball in celebration (a.k.a., doing the genealogy happy dance as it has been described for generations). Share your excitement of this year’s discoveries and you might just recruit another team member. If not, maybe you’ll expand your cheer squad.

Family. Food. Football. Family History. Touchdown! Turkeys do fly. I am a writer who hasn’t written—at least posted to this blog. I might surprise you in the coming days, but until then—for those traveling, may you travel safely. For those celebrating in the United States, have a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday! For everyone reading this post, enjoy your day!