we ate hot pot…
This is a little late to upload, but I wanted to still include this family tradition in my writing.
So…First question: What is hotpot?
Good question. Hot Pot is a Chinese thing. It’s a big round pot that starts out with boiling water or broth. Many people also add spice, but our family can’t handle it. There are some that can tolerate it, but then they just spend hours in the bathroom.
The picture added is just the first picture that I found when I typed in “hot pot” into Google. If you want to check, you can. Do exactly what I did. Search: hot pot. And maybe next year that is what you are going to be eating.
This first picture shows more/less of what people would eat at home. And since we had Thanksgiving at home, this was the closest. We just had triple the amount of food and more variety. Sorry I didn’t take pictures, but I am not really that sorry.
Thanksgiving is the time to enjoy with friends and family. Those phones and tablets can go. I even made the kids all talk to one another. Wow it was amazing. But after two hours, they went back to Peppa Pig. Hey, it is progress! Their parents aren’t doing anything, so kudos to me.
But anyways back to the story. My dad went to the supermarket and bought groceries. My sister and brother in law also came with us. So, there were two carts. And one cart is money, but two was fortune. So… The total came out to $500 ($100-Lobster). Yep. I was surprised, but it was okay. We have a big family, and this is a once a year thing. I got over it pretty quickly. I didn’t have that number haunting me all day. It wasn’t my money, so calm down.
We have been doing this tradition for about 3 years. Everyone huddles over in the living room of our townhouse. My older brother and sister come. But their own families also come. Both of my older siblings are married and have kids. So yes, I am an aunt and a college student. ITS A LOT OF RESPONSIBILITY.
We all talk and prepare the food. We open pre-packaged goods and place them on plates. Then we walk all around the house to get kids to stop playing on phones, to find utensils, and to take sneak peeks (lobster). It is chaotic, but lovely.
When the water/broth is ready (boiling), we all just drop pieces of food, and take it out. Not everything is cooked. There are things that also just need to be heated. We all had plates, and some had sauce. We will place it into our plate, and eat. I feel at times this method of eating is like snacking, but my tummy doesn’t tell me that.
Why do we make hot pot every year? We all huddle around the average size table and laugh. Yes, we only laugh. We get to share stories, joke around, and hug the baby. Our surroundings are just filled with love and care. We all know deep inside that we are all thankful that we are sharing the time and meal together. We are thankful for the people and love in the room.
It was perfect timing especially coming back from 3 months of college. I had some time to just stare at everyone and see if anything has changed. We all caught up, and I was so happy.
Our tradition may be different from other families, but I love it. I love how we still embrace the special day, but in our own way. We don’t have turkey, BUT we do have lobster and crab. We also have many Asian snacks and drinks. That might just replace the stuffing and pie.
I am thankful for everything that I have. I know I don’t really speak or just go up to people and say, “I am thankful for you.” It’s all in my journal. I am so grateful for the loved ones (friends and family) in life. People tolerate my weirdness (well not all the time). People learn to get used to my minion impersonations. People love me (well some).
But it shouldn’t just be on Thanksgiving. We should always be aware of the things and people we have in life. We should be appreciative everyday and give thanks. Make a list of a couple things that we are thankful for everyday. I have been writing THANKFULNESS for about a year, and I love it. I feel so much happier knowing that I know what I have.
Hot Pot is our way of celebrating and giving thanks. We all love one another, and we are here for everyone. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving whether it was alone/friends/family. Just remember to say THANK YOU even if it is to yourself.
Peace and love.
