Here’s a nice Holiday lakefront story By Lori Wolak…
Family holiday traditions can take on many different forms these days. Not everyone goes over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house for Thanksgiving anymore. In fact, many younger families I know prefer to have grandma come to them, if possible. When our extended families ended up being too far away from us to be with on Thanksgiving, my husband and I decided to take the family to the lake for the long weekend.
Not being ready to give up totally on tradition, we have Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings at the lake. We are very fortunate to have a year-round sanctuary at our lake house. We had a heat pump put in when we built it, as well as a fully functional kitchen. So, turkey, stuffing ingredients, yams, potatoes, green beans and rolls make the trip with us in the ever-present cooler for Thanksgiving weekend.
Thanksgiving as a Lake Experience
The last few Thanksgivings at the lake have been some of the most peaceful and relaxing holidays I have ever had. Gone are the worries about traveling through airports, or driving on super-busy highways. We take smaller back roads whenever we can. We know all the shortcuts for getting to the lake by now. We don’t have to worry about packing a lot of clothes, we just make sure everyone has a sweater and a jacket. No more worries about family friction with seldom seen relatives, or sleeping arrangements in unfamiliar houses.
Over the years, our trips to the lake have settled into a practiced routine. It has been refined and adjusted to make both arriving and departing as easy as possible. Adding a little Thanksgiving to this mix was as easy as pumpkin pie. In fact, the kids really appreciate the chance to see the lake again. Thanksgiving is usually the first chance they get to go to the lake after school and sports start-up in September.
The lake draws us into its peaceful serenity for the long weekend. The quiet of the woods and the beauty of the scenery remind us of all we have to be thankful for. First and foremost we are thankful for our family. Secondly, we are thankful for being able to share the lake with them.
Try It, You’ll Like It!
We are not alone in moving our Thanksgiving tradition to the lake. We have found that many of our lake friends take the opportunity to bring their family and friends to their lake houses for the long weekend. Any extra time spent at the lake is looked on as a bonus. Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy quiet walks, bike rides, fishing, canoeing, or hikes around the lake during the day. At night the stars come out and put on a spectacular show. Why not try creating a new Thanksgiving tradition at the lake and take advantage of all the lake has to offer?
