We had a delightful
and traditional "turkey and all the trimmings"
dinner shared with family and our two guests, Ying, a Yale
freshman who is our "adopted daughter" for the
year and Yanjin, a Yale graduate student, also from China.
The young women enjoyed observing
the cooking and carving of the turkey and tasting the sweet
potato casserole and stuffing. Val and I and our family
were surprised by a before-dinner blessing given in Chinese.
A note to the NFL for Thanksgiving
2005: Thanksgiving should be a day when families gather,
eat and talk together. Dinner and conversation in many homes
has to compete with squeals, shouts, groans and hoorays
as the males of the family watch football.
Would the world stop if the football
games were delayed a day or so and held on Friday instead
of Thursday? The men could then camp out in front of the
TV, munching on turkey leftovers. Meanwhile, the shopaholic
women of the tribe who have abandoned all reason to the
great save-a-buck goddess, could arise at 5 a.m. for a pre-dawn
orgy of bargain buying.
The rest of us could then enjoy a peaceful
weekend digesting both the dinner and the pleasant memories
the occasion provided.
LEAVE THIS LIST WHERE KIN CAN SEE IT
Now for some Christmas suggestions
for the seniors on your list:
• DVD player. Most of us have
only a VCR and more and more videos are now on DVD.
• The simplest type of cell phone.
Handy for car emergencies or as part of a "family phone
plan" for chatting with grandchildren.
• Warm slippers
• Photo album
• Wool or fabric glass case fore
that "extra pair" of glasses
• Colorful holiday apron
• Selection of all-occasion cards,
especially appreciated by those unable to get out to shop
• A lightweight wool throw for
bed or couch
• An elegant address book to
replace that worn out one.
• For the reader-adventurer,
"1,000 Places to See Before You Die… A Traveler’s
Life List"
• For the Active Retiree, "Too
Young to Retire… 101 Ways to Start the Rest of Your
Life"
• Day Spa certificate
• Basket of deluxe fruits or
teas
• Hand vacuum for easy pick-ups
• Expandable trivet or a glass
pitcher
• Neck pillow, some may even
be warmed in the microwave and give off delicious heat
• Imported soaps or body wash
• Classy book-ends
• Talking indoor-outdoor thermometer
(helps seniors prepare properly before going out)
• Restaurant or grocery store
gift certificates
• Plants or gardening equipment
• "Lids Off"….
A special electric jar opener
• Key chain with mini-flashlight
• Large-print edition of their
favorite paper or magazine
Hope this will help, or to
quote Robert Byrne, "One reason people get divorced
is that they run out of gift ideas."
Jean Cherni
is founder of Senior Living Solutions, a retirement advisory
service. Contact her at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or
15 The Ponds, Branford 06405. H. Pearce Company REALTORS®
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