Over the years, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday, but when I was little I was unsure about the whole thing. Unlike Christmas and Easter, which we spent with my huge posse of cousins on my grandparents' farm, Thanksgiving was spent with city relatives we only saw once a year. They were incredibly gracious hosts, but I was shy and there were no baby goats to play with. Anyway, the thing I loved about Thanksgiving was helping my parents decorate our own house — and I was always in charge of the tiny pilgrim candles.
Of course, my duties included more than just making the crucial decision of where to display the precious candles, though that was obviously a very important job. Even though we ate Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere, my parents always set a beautiful autumnal table for us to eat at the rest of Thanksgiving weekend, and I helped put on the tablecloth, fold napkins, carry silverware, and so on. And since my mom had me baking by age 3 (not using the oven, obviously — don't worry!), I had cornbread and rolls to take care of. Oh my goodness, the coziness. Even when I came home from college, it was all the same: a gorgeously laid-out table, rushing around, and cornbread to be baked.
But all of that, for me, is captured in those little pilgrim candles. I remember having to practically climb in the cupboard to find them, as they were always tucked away at the back behind tablecloths, candlesticks, and other grown-up-seeming finery. They always smelled so waxy — more than other candles — and their delicate coloring was a bit smudged even then.
Whenever I see similar Thanksgiving candles, all those memories come flooding back. But I also think, "What a terrible design for a candle! Who wants a flaming, headless pilgrim lurking on their holiday table?!" Clearly, they're not burnin'-candles — they're savin'-candles, and I hope my parents still have them. Is there an object that brings Thanksgivings of yore rushing back to you whenever you see it?
(Image: Thanksgiving People from A&G Merch)
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I just spit coffee all over my desk laughing about the "flaming headless pilgrims". My mom has/had similar candles but ours also included a turkey...equally gruesome if flaming and headless.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday too, and I don't really have any one thing that I cherish or have a strong tie to, but it's the traditions of setting the table, using the best/favorite china, linens, crystal, etc... I love the finery of it...even the really traditional stuff, but I like to mix them with modern things to start my own traditions and create new memories.
My grandma always had those same candles for Thanksgiving (though I feel like the lady's dress was a different color, but I can't remember what color). I know my mom still has them.
Thank you! I knew I wasn't the only one who was averse to lighting candles in the shape of people or animals (basically anything with a face). Nothing says Christmas spirit like flaming gnomes, right?
Figurine candles are like eating animal crackers or gingerbread men.
Muh ha ha ha.
I have them! only the dress is grey.
Had those same candles, AND the turkey, back in my youth, so those were ancient! Somebody gouged out the pilgrim's eyes at one point, so we got rid of them. (I think it was at "show and tell" at school -- I collected holiday candles back then, or rather my mother did claiming they were mine...)
I don' t have nostalgic Thanksgiving memories, and certainly no decoration or keepsake for the holiday. That is one of a very few "feasts" I prepare each year, though, and a few food items are simply required, either by me or by my partner. So, for us, the food is the thing.
We had those candles, too... we never burned them either. One year my cat took a bite out of the bottom of the pilgrim lady's skirt, so ours had these exceptionally charming cat teeth marks on her in the later years of my childhood. When we pulled them out each year we'd reminisce about the year Riley bit the pilgrim. Ahh, memories.
I loved those candles so much in my childhood, that when I saw them in the Vermont catalogue, I HAD to order them. Vermont Country Store? something like that...and they carry them every year
Oh, and they did indeed smell more waxy or something.
...and they have the Xmas choristers too
Lovely essay. What charmed holidays your family made! And the flaming candle heads thing is hilarious.
Our children's sitter made turkey placecards with pipecleaners and little pine cones with our kids. She lived to be 100, and our children are all grown up, and we'll always use those place cards.
Yup, we still have those candles, too. And the Christmas choristers. Not for burning. I love them, and I love Thanksgiving, too, I think because there are no presents involved to complicate things. Just get together, eat, talk, clean up, and go home.
Thanksgiving time memories.....getting old enough to crank the cranberries into the grinder for relish. You knew when you had arrived when you were allowed to do that and could pass down to younger siblings the chore of stirring the coloring into the oleo. OMG am I dating myself!
I love all of these comments, but @Rookie deserves special mention for dropping the term "oleo"- yes!!!