Norman The Pilgrim is a free-standing doll getting ready for Thanksgiving. He has a shirt with long sleeves and embroidered cuffs, square-bottomed pants, long embroidered vest with Pilgrim belt and buttons, embroidered Pilgrim collar, corduroy lined hat with Pilgrim hat belt, a beard, mustache and long white hair fastened in the back. His arms are wire-shaped and covered. His face is embroidered. He also has a fabric covered head and covered rectangular wood base. His inner body is supported by a dowel and is covered by his shirt and squared-bottom pants. He is carrying a wooden rifle.
Norman The Pilgrim is on the hunt. You might wonder if he's on the hunt for turkeys? The answer would be "Yes" and "No." You see, he's really on the hunt for some "peace of mind" from his perfect wife, "Pleasantly Plump - Eunice." She just has to have everything so perfect hat Norman has to get out of the house. So, turkey hunting is an excuse. You see, "Norman The Pilgrim" is a practical man. So, just in case he was to happen upon a turkey, he brought his rifle along. He wouldn't want to disappoint Eunice. After all, she thinks he's the perfect man and perfect husband.....
Pleasantly Plump, Eunice is a free-standing doll getting ready for Thanksgiving. She has a buttoned decorated shirt with long sleeves and embroidered cuffs, gathered skirt with a waistband, tied apron, embroidered Pilgrim collar, embroidered and lined bonnet, squared slip to form her lower body, and long curly brown hair framing her face. Her face is embroidered. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a fabric covered head and covered rectangular wood base. Her inner body is supported by a dowel and is covered by her shirt and square-bottomed slip. She is carrying a basket of pumpkins.
Pleasantly Plump Eunice is the "perfect" Pilgrim Lady. She is a hard worker and believes that everything should be cooked "perfectly." The table should be arranged "perfectly." Even the napkins have to be folded "perfectly." And, the apple pie, pumpkin pie, ricotta cheese pie, and blueberry pie had better taste "perfectly" delicious. She is carrying a basket of pumpkins that were "perfectly" grown in her own garden. She couldn't be more pleasant or more "perfect." Now, if she could just make her husband, Norman The Pilgrim, perfect.
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks for all we have - especially if we have good health.
Thanksgiving is also a time of the year when families gather, there are huge feasts to be eaten, football games to watch, and shopping to be done. It's basically, a time of enjoyment. And, the "dollies" just love having fun, eating a good meal, watching a great football game, and of course - going shopping on Black Friday!
However, we should never loose sight of what Thanksgiving started out as - which is a time to "Give Thanks" for one's blessings. Enough said - "Let's eat!"
I know that I've told you a zillion times how much I love the Fall season and love decorating for the Fall. Well, the "dollies" love it, too! I just love Pilgrims and turkeys and don't think you can ever have enough of them for a wonderful Fall and Thanksgiving scene. Add a few pumpkins to your scene and you're all set.
Over the years I've seen various types of Pilgrim woodcrafts and dolls. I always have some on my to do list for the Fall and Thanksgiving season and thought clothespin pilgrim dolls would be a cute decoration for the holiday season so I made some.
They really are quite adorable and make a cute decoration for the Thanksgiving table.
So, I thought I'd create a free e-book showing you how I made mine so you could make some of your own. To view and download my free e-pattern please CLICK HERE. You'll be brought to Google Drive where you can view our free e-pattern. Then just download our free .pdf e-pattern by clicking on the down arrow in the top center.
For more information on all my free e-patterns, e-printables and e-books please CLICK HERE.
Patterns, e-patterns, printables, e-printables, e-books, graphics, tutorials, how-to's, articles and other e-products are for personal use only. You may not modify, photocopy, download, upload, post, transmit, display, perform, publish, license, reprint, create derivative works from, mass duplicate, re-sell, digitize, and reproduce in any other form (print, digital or electric) or commercially apply, embed, share, Email, or redistribution in any other means. Use of any of the above is prohibited without the written permission of Linda Walsh.
However, you may link to my website(s)/blog(s) and the individual page(s)/blog post(s) (including 1 picture) but do not copy, reprint or duplicate my website(s)/blog(s) or individual page(s)/post(s ) without my permission.
Items made from Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns are intended for personal use for fun or small scale personal and business profit as long as you credit us with the design. Large scale commercial use (i.e. mass production) of items made from Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns are by permission only.
Since there's two holidays in the Fall I tend to put all my Fall seasonal scarecrows, spooky Halloween dolls, and Thanksgiving pilgrims out at the same time. They're usually up for three months - from the end of August or first of September until just after Thanksgiving. By putting them all up at the same time I same a lot of time by not having to change them out. I blend them together so they look fine for the three months.
I also like to alternate what I put up each year for a couple of reasons. First, I have so many wonderful decorations and secondly, it gives every one of the "dollies" their 15 minutes of fame. After all, we have to keep the "dollies" happy and keep the peace in "The Dollie Storage Room." Letting them all shine at some point in time is a way to do this.
Over the years I've seen various types of Pilgrim woodcrafts and dolls. I always have some on my to do list for the Fall and Thanksgiving season. Years ago I saw some Pilgrims made out of little woodcraft doll bodies and thought they'd be a cute decoration for the holiday season so I made some.
They really are quite adorable and make a cute decoration for the Thanksgiving table.
So, I thought I'd create a free e-book showing you how I made mine so you could make some of your own. To view and download my free e-pattern please CLICK HERE. You'll be brought to Google Drive where you can view our free e-pattern. Then just download our free .pdf e-pattern.
For more information on all my free e-patterns, e-printables and e-books please CLICK HERE.
Patterns, e-patterns, printables, e-printables, e-books, graphics, tutorials, how-to's, articles and other e-products are for personal use only. You may not modify, photocopy, download, upload, post, transmit, display, perform, publish, license, reprint, create derivative works from, mass duplicate, re-sell, digitize, and reproduce in any other form (print, digital or electric) or commercially apply, embed, share, Email, or redistribution in any other means. Use of any of the above is prohibited without the written permission of Linda Walsh.
However, you may link to my website(s)/blog(s) and the individual page(s)/blog post(s) (including 1 picture) but do not copy, reprint or duplicate my website(s)/blog(s) or individual page(s)/post(s ) without my permission.
Items made from Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns are intended for personal use for fun or small scale personal and business profit as long as you credit us with the design. Large scale commercial use (i.e. mass production) of items made from Linda Walsh Originals E-Patterns are by permission only.
Colonial Prudence and her brother, Colonial Madis, just love living in New England during the colonial times and love telling everyone they are from Plymouth, Massachusetts.
They are right proud to tell everyone that their grandmother and grandfather came over on the "Mayflower" and that all the members of their family belong to the "Mayflower Society" which is an exclusive club of colonists.
Life during the 1st year their grandparents arrived was difficult at best and many, many of their grandparents friends did not survive. They were lucky, and their grandparents did. For that "Colonial Prudence" and her brother, "Colonial Madis" are forever grateful.
The Fall is their favorite time of the year and during this season in New England their thoughts turn towards their grandparents, the 1st Thanksgiving in Plymouth, and what life must have been life for the first colonists.
Neither "Colonial Prudence" or "Colonial Madis" have any delusions as to how difficult it was. They have been hearing about it their whole life from their parents. They can probably recite the story line by line. In fact, Colonial Madis does from time to time when he and Colonial Prudence are alone.
Colonial Prudence is too well mannered and well behaved to ever push that envelope too far with her parents. She is every bit the respectful daughter.
Colonial Madis, on the other hand, does test them and sometimes their parents get a wee bit annoyed. Then Colonial Madis flashes his folks that charming smile of his and, well, all is usually forgotten. He can charm the pants off his mother and father.
Colonial Prudence is ever mindful of her family reputation and standing in the community and has her hands full keeping her brother, Colonial Madis, in line.
However, she also has a secret weapon in her charming smile and knows that when she gives her brother a certain glance and then a certain smile that he knows enough to behave himself.
Colonial Prudence and her brother, Colonial Madis, just love living in New England during the colonial times and love telling everyone they are from Plymouth, Massachusetts.
They are right proud to tell everyone that their grandmother and grandfather came over on the "Mayflower" and that all the members of their family belong to the "Mayflower Society" which is an exclusive club of colonists.
Life during the 1st year their grandparents arrived was difficult at best and many, many of their grandparents friends did not survive. They were lucky, and their grandparents did. For that "Colonial Prudence" and her brother, "Colonial Madis" are forever grateful.
The Fall is their favorite time of the year and during this season in New England their thoughts turn towards their grandparents, the 1st Thanksgiving in Plymouth, and what life must have been life for the first colonists.
Neither "Colonial Prudence" or "Colonial Madis" have any delusions as to how difficult it was. They have been hearing about it their whole life from their parents. They can probably recite the story line by line. In fact, Colonial Madis does from time to time when he and Colonial Prudence are alone.
Colonial Prudence is too well mannered and well behaved to ever push that envelope too far with her parents. She is every bit the respectful daughter.
Colonial Madis, on the other hand, does test them and sometimes their parents get a wee bit annoyed. Then Colonial Madis flashes his folks that charming smile of his and, well, all is usually forgotten. He can charm the pants off his mother and father.
Colonial Madis really is mindful of his family's reputation despite what his sister, Colonial Prudence says. After all, one day he will be the head of the family and will need to carry on the family name with pride. His grandparents worked too hard and sacrificed too much for him not to be mindful of that.
Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday for counting our blessings and being thankful for all we have. And, Plymouth Kathy is definitely thankful.
In fact, she is so happy her positive attitude carries her all through the harsh winter months and into the spring.
She can handle the harsh New England weather as long as she stays positive. For making it through another harsh winter is definitely something to be thankful for.
And, if Kathy has her health and is surrounded by all the people she loves - well, how can you not be thankful for that.
Everyone knew that coming to America was not going to be easy. Living conditions were tenuous at best and Kathy knew this.
So, she and her family will work hard to make a new life for themselves in New England. A few harsh winters won't destroy their spirit.
In Fact, Plymouth Kathy decided to create a miniature ornament of herself for all New Englander's to make and hang in their homes around Thanksgiving to remind themselves of all they should be thankful for and to remind them that if the early pilgrims could face such adverse conditions in New England and survive, well - so can they.
Count your blessings! "Plymouth Kathy" certainly counts hers.
"I'm Ryan B. Pilgrim" is right proud of himself and quite thankful for all he has. He looks forward to Thanksgiving every year, not just for the terrific food, but to enjoy the company of his friends and family. Plus, he gets to do a little more of his favorite activity - hunting. He takes after his Grandfather Karl.
Everyone in the New England community works so hard during the year and tries to remain positive through the harsh New England winters. They all know that they can count on each other and are there to support each other.
Everyone knew that coming to America was not going to be easy. Living conditions were tenuous at best and no one knew this better than the early pilgrim settlers.
In fact, "I'm Ryan B. Pilgrim" also decided to create a miniature ornament of himself for all New Englander's to make and hang in their homes around Thanksgiving to remind themselves of all they should be thankful for and to remind them that if the early pilgrims could face such adverse conditions in New England and survive, well - so can they.
Count your blessings! "I'm Ryan B. Pilgrim" certainly counts his.
The other day I just had a feeling that the day was not going to be a normally peaceful day.
I don't know why - just a feeling I got.
But, as the morning progressed and nothing strange had happened I started to think the day was going to be okay.
That was foolish on my part.
You see, the day turned out to be anything but normal. It was actually a cool, crisp day to the start of Fall which was a pleasant relief from all the hot, humid days we've been experiencing.
So, hubby and I decided to go for a walk. Since it was so beautiful out we decided to go for a long, leisurely stroll - and that was our mistake!
As we were pulling into the driveway hubby and I got a sense that something wasn't right. The ground was shaking and the house was being rocked off it's foundation.
And, we do mean off its' foundation - hard as that may seem for you to believe.
We looked at each other and said, "what on heaven's earth is going on?" The house was literally rocking to and fro.
As we gingerly stepped out of the car we realized it couldn't be an earthquake as the ground under our feet wasn't moving - thank goodness for that! But, the house was still rockin to and fro!
YIKES!
And, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw movement in the windows. Not just movement in one window - but, all of the windows. As if someone were peeking out the windows and realized too late they had been seen. Now we knew something was going on inside the house.
And, then we heard it - LOUD music.
Not just any music, but the song "The Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett was playing louder than was acceptable in our neighborhood.
We were surprised that we hadn't heard the LOUD music as we were driving up the street.
We were even more surprised that none of our neighbors could hear it.
In fact, our next door neighbor came out and waved at us as he got in his car. He didn't seem to hear the LOUD music.
We looked at each other and said, "He didn't hear that?" How can he not hear that? It's extremely loud. Catchy, but LOUD.
It was catchy and we did have to admit - how can you not like "The Monster Mash?"
It's definitely a song that gets your feet moving.
However, it seems we were the only ones who could hear the music.
We could see from where we were standing in the driveway that there was definite movement inside the house. Not just any movement. There seemed to be many, many people dancing.
On closer inspection we realized that it wasn't people dancing - it was the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Fall dolls dancing. They were having a party while we were out. A "Monster Mash" party.
At this point I could see that hubby was perspiring. I thought for sure he was getting angry and that within a few minutes his blood would be boiling.
Then the strangest thing happened - he started to do "The Monster Mash" right out in the driveway.
"It was a graveyard smash"......right in our driveway.
"The Monster Mash!"
"It caught on in a flash!"
And, then my arms and legs started moving.
I was doing "The Monster Mash" right out in our driveway.
Two old fogies doing "The Monster Mash!"
"The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds!" Even us, in the driveway.
Everyone was doing "The Monster Mash!"
"It caught on in a flash!"
"The Monster Mash!"
But, everything wasn't cool.
The house was still rockin' and our feet were still mashing. It had to stop. We had to stop it.
But, "The Monster Mash" was the hit of the land.
Well, make that the hit of our house.
The dolls were all filing out of the door in single order.
Ghosts, witches, mummies, Dracula, Frankenstein, pilgrims, scarecrows, even turkey's, - all doing "The Monster Mash!" Right in our driveway.
We realized it couldn't be stopped.
Why, "it was a graveyard smash!"
So, hubby and I looked at each other and decided that life was just too short not to enjoy yourselves.
Albeit we were doing "The Monster Mash" with thousands of dolls.
We looked at each other and said, "what a scene this must be for the neighbors!"
But, none of the neighbors were coming out of their houses.
In fact, our next door neighbor returned and just waved at us before he went into his house.
That was strange!
Then we thought, "for sure he could see everyone in our driveway doing "The Monster Mash!"
Couldn't he?"
Or, was it just hubby and I looking ridiculous by ourselves?
Could we be doing "The Monster Mash!" all by ourselves?
Or, were we even doing "The Monster Mash" at all?
Was it all just in our imagination?
Weren't we just doing "The Monster Mash" with thousands of dolls?
Well, in the case of our dolls maybe we should call them "monsters!" "Monsters" for all the trouble they cause us.
In any event, I guess we'll never know.
That day was anything but normal.
Strange, but in a way glorious.
How can you not like "The Monster Mash?"
"It catches on in a flash!"
So, when you get to our door this Halloween, tell them Boris sent you.......
Thanksgiving Day is upon us and today our thoughts will turn to giving thanks, family, traditions, and celebrating.
I prefer to call today - gobble, gobble, gobble day.
Why?
Because today we'll all be feasting until our stomachs are bulging (at least some of us will). I think we should call it calories, gobble, gobble day! Don't you?
Thanksgiving Day is a huge holiday in the United States.
Families and friends get together and give thanks for all our blessings.
We have football games, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
And, the day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season (black Friday) which is, generally, the busiest shopping day of the year.
We've been celebrating gobble, gobble, gobble day for a long time.
We've been eating and shopping, then eating, eating and eating.
And, finally, gaining weight.
Are we sure we should be giving thanks for this? LOL LOL
So, why do we do this?
Well, we seem to think Thanksgiving was a day of observance for the Pilgrims. A day for them and us to give thanks for all we have and all we enjoy.
But, the Pilgrims never held customary Thanksgiving Days in the fall.
In fact, the Pilgrims only had one feast in 1621, after their very first harvest and this was NEVER repeated.
The pilgrims were deeply religious people. A day of thanksgiving to them was a day for prayers and fasting. It was nothing like we have today.
However, when we think of Thanksgiving we think of the one Harvest Feast that the Pilgrims did have with 90 people, including their Indian friends.
So, of course their is a history to how did we got the Thanksgiving Day as we now know it? And, since I just love history, I thought I'd share it with all of you.
The Pilgrims had landed December 11, 1620 and lost many of their group during the cold, harsh winter. Their first harvest in the fall was bountiful so they celebrated the harvest with the Indians who had helped them survive and the feast lasted three days.
So, how did it turn into a national tradition?
Well, that didn't happen until 169 years later when George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789.
As is usually the case, some people wanted it, some (like Thomas Jefferson) did not. So, between 1789 and 1863 Thanksgiving was dependent upon whether the President proclaimed it as a National Day or not.
During the Civil War Sarah Hale, a magazine editor, urged President Abraham Lincoln to reinstate Thanksgiving Day.
In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.
However, it was still dependent upon the President, however, to proclaim the day as a National Day every year. Every President since Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day as the 4th Thursday in November.
Seventy-six years later in 1939 Franklin Roosevelt, however, proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the 3rd Thursday in November to lengthen the holiday shopping season. He did this in 1940 and 1941, too. Doing so, however, upset many people.
So, we have President Roosevelt to thank for linking SHOPPING to Thanksgiving.
It wasn't until 1941 that congress declared Thanksgiving as a National Holiday.
However, they changed it back to the 4th Thursday in November.
Why the 4th? Who knows. Political pandering, probably. Payback for something? Who knows. We're talking about politicians here.
In any event, Thanksgiving has remained the 4th Thursday in November and is inexplicably linked with shopping, parades, football games, feasting (and gorging, perhaps), Pepto Brismol (definitely after the gorging), and the winter dieting frenzy.
After all when you eat, shop, eat, eat, and eat you're going to gain weight.
So, Happy Thanksgiving to all.
When you sit down for your feast today just remember these words "Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Oh, how we love to Gobble.
Eat, eat, and eat!
Oh, what a wonderful treat!
Gobble, gobble, gobble.
Oh, how we love to eat!
Diet, diet, diet!
Oh, NO I will NOT try it!"
Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!
Pilgrims and turkeys are usually associated with Thanksgiving and are also a favorite of doll makers and doll patterns designers alike.
I can spend hour after hour just walking around a craft show. I just love looking at all the marvelous handmade creations. I find I'm always amazed at the creativity of the artist or crafter and wonder just how they made this or that.
Many, many years ago I tried making some of the items I'd seen that I liked at some of the craft shows I'd visited. At the time I couldn't afford to decorate my home so I figured I'd make some things myself. Well, I have to tell you that they never came out as well as the original or even came out at all. So, I decided years ago to stop re-creating some of the beautiful objects I'd see at craft shows and just buy the original. It's a win-win for everyone. I get a beautiful handmade object, signed by the artisan themselves, and they get a sale.
As I walk around the craft shows I also like talking to the different booth owners. Usually it's the artist or crafter themselves and I find they always have wonderful stories to tell or tips to offer. If the booth is really crowded I don't try to talk to the owner, but if it's not I try to compliment the artist or crafter on their work.
From time to time I find that some objects are just so beautiful and there is so much creativity involved in them that they just take your breath away. I always walk away amazed by this particular artist or crafter's talent.
So, I thought you might like to see some of the Christmas objects either my Mother and I, my sister and I, my sister-in-law and I, my brother and I, or my nieces and I have found from time to time at the craft shows.
I saw the painted wood wall clock pictured at the beginning of this post at a craft show in Sturbridge that my Mother and I went to one year and wanted to buy it. However, it looked really heavy and I knew my car was parked far away so my Mother and I decided that I shouldn't buy it. There was just no way we would be able to carry that to my car. I quickly regretted not doing so and hoped that the crafter would be at that show again next year.
Well, the next year I decided to ask hubby to come along to see if the crafter was there. If they were then we could buy the clock when we were leaving the show and I could wait for him outside while he went to get the car. To my delight the crafter was there and we bought the wall clock. I was glad we hadn't bought the wall clock the first year as it really was quite heavy.
What I loved about this clock was that it had three little shelves that you could put handmade seasonal items on and change with the seasons - which every season I do. And, of course, at every craft show I look to see if there are any other miniature handmade seasonal items that I can add to my collection.
So, I thought I'd create a collage of some of the craft show items that are being displayed this holiday season. With several decades of attending craft shows I have bought quite a few items. It would be impossible to display all of them so every season I have to decide which ones will be shown that season. Here's the lucky objects we're showing this holiday season:
The first picture in the collage is a wooden hand carved doll that I bought at a craft show with my Mother. The artist was in the last booth in the hall and we almost didn't notice him. Well, I was glad we did as he made the most wonderful hand carved wooden dolls. You know how much I love dolls. So, I decided to buy two pilgrims dressed in black outfits. Then I spotted the woodsman and thought he was adorable. Of course my Mother told me with the two dolls I had already bought that I had enough. Well, obviously I didn't listen to that advice as he sits atop one of our cabinets every Christmas season. And, one season my Mother told me she loved him. Secretly I think she was glad I had bought him.
At another craft show with hubby one year we bought the Victorian Santa picture that is the 2nd picture in the collage. I just loved the fact that he was Victorian and loved the blue colors. I knew it would be perfect for one of our walls. When it came time to take the Christmas decorations down that year I decided I liked the picture just where it was and have him hanging up all year. He's still there.
The 3rd picture is a cute little reindeer flower stand that hubby and I found at a local school craft show. I like to add the silk floral poinsettia to the back of him for color.
In the second row are three pictures of painted miniature wood houses. The artist at this craft show that my husband and I attended was personalizing the buildings so we decided to make the toy store "Linda's" toy shoppe and the pizza shop "Jerry's Pizza." The church I just loved and thought my Mother would enjoy.
In the 3rd row the first picture is a painted seashell. My Mother and I found this at another craft show one Fall and just loved this artist's work. She used real seashells and added painted paper collages in the middle of the seashells for a 3 dimensional effect. I hadn't seen anyone do that with seashells before and just loved it.
The last two pictures in the collage are some very simple, but elegant ornaments that my Mother and I found at a silversmith's booth one year. Both my Mother and I just loved the simplicity of the ornaments and thought they'd look lovely on my tree - and they do.
So, of course, this year when hubby and I attended a local craft show I just had to buy a new handmade ornament for our tree and choose the hand-painted wood ornament shown in the picture below. I just love hand-painted decorations as I wish I could paint like that and create such beautiful pieces.
While the following two Christmas decorations weren't purchased at a craft show they were new additions to our caroler's scene this year. We saw them at a local Hallmark Store and thought they'd be cute new additions. The tree was put on one of the shelves of our carolers scene and the snowman was added to the fireplace mantle above the carolers scene display. We thought they were great additions and hope you do too.
Next year we'll create another collage. It will be fun to see which Christmas decorations from the craft shows that we decide to display. Stay tuned.
Thanksgiving Day will soon be on the horizon and our thoughts will turn to giving thanks, family, traditions, and celebrating. I prefer to call it gobble, gobble, gobble day. We'll all be feasting until our stomachs are bulging (at least some of us will). I think we should call it calories, gobble, gobble day! Don't you? Thanksgiving Day is a huge holiday in the United States. Families and friends get together and give thanks for all our blessings. We have football games, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
And, the day after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season (black Friday) which is, generally, the busiest shopping day of the year. We've been celebrating gobble, gobble, gobble day for a long time. We've been eating and shopping, then eating, eating and eating. And, finally, gaining weight. Are we sure we should be giving thanks for this? LOL LOL
So, why do we do this? Well, we seem to think Thanksgiving was a day of observance for the Pilgrims. A day for them and us to give thanks for all we have and all we enjoy. But, the Pilgrims never held customary Thanksgiving Days in the fall. In fact, the Pilgrims only had one feast in 1621, after their very first harvest and this was NEVER repeated. The pilgrims were deeply religious people. A day of thanksgiving to them was a day for prayers and fasting. It was nothing like we have today.
However, when we think of Thanksgiving we think of the one Harvest Feast that the Pilgrims did have with 90 people, including their Indian friends. So, of course their is a history to how did we got the Thanksgiving Day as we now know it? And, since I just love history, I thought I'd share it with all of you. The Pilgrims had landed December 11, 1620 and lost many of their group during the cold, harsh winter. Their first harvest in the fall was bountiful so they celebrated the harvest with the Indians who had helped them survive and the feast lasted three days. So, how did it turn into a national tradition?
Well, that didn't happen until 169 years later when George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789. As is usually the case, some people wanted it, some (like Thomas Jefferson) did not. So, between 1789 and 1863 Thanksgiving was dependent upon whether the President proclaimed it as a National Day or not. During the Civil War Sarah Hale, a magazine editor, urged President Abraham Lincoln to reinstate Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a National Day of Thanksgiving.
However, it was still dependent upon the President, however, to proclaim the day as a National Day every year. Every President since Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day as the 4th Thursday in November. Seventy-six years later in 1939 Franklin Roosevelt, however, proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the 3rd Thursday in November to lengthen the holiday shopping season. He did this in 1940 and 1941, too. Doing so, however, upset many people. So, we have President Roosevelt to thank for linking SHOPPING to Thanksgiving. It wasn't until 1941 that congress declared Thanksgiving as a National Holiday.
However, they changed it back to the 4th Thursday in November. Why the 4th? Who knows. Political pandering, probably. Payback for something? Who knows. We're talking about politicians here. In any event, Thanksgiving has remained the 4th Thursday in November and is inexplicably linked with shopping, parades, football games, feasting (and gorging, perhaps), Pepto Brismol (definitely after the gorging), and the winter dieting frenzy. After all when you eat, shop, eat, eat, and eat you're going to gain weight.
So, Happy Thanksgiving to all. When you sit down on the 4th Thursday of November just remember these words "Gobble, gobble, gobble. Oh, how we love to Gobble. Eat, eat, and eat! Oh, what a wonderful treat! Gobble, gobble, gobble. Oh, how we love to eat!
Diet, diet, diet! Oh, NO I will NOT try it!" Happy Thanksgiving! Gobble, Gobble, Gobble! Pilgrims and turkeys are usually associated with Thanksgiving and are also a favorite of doll makers and doll patterns designers alike. I have made many pilgrims and have designed several pilgrim doll patterns over the years. I have also made many, many different types of pilgrims and turkeys that I have made from other designers patterns. I loved making each and every one.
The other day I just had a feeling that the day was not going to be a normally peaceful day.
I don't know why - just a feeling I got.
But, as the morning progressed and nothing strange had happened I started to think the day was going to be okay.
That was foolish on my part.
You see, the day turned out to be anything but normal. It was actually a cool, crisp day to the start of Fall which was a pleasant relief from all the hot, humid days we've been experiencing.
So, hubby and I decided to go for a walk. Since it was so beautiful out we decided to go for a long, leisurely stroll - and that was our mistake!
As we were pulling into the driveway hubby and I got a sense that something wasn't right. The ground was shaking and the house was being rocked off it's foundation.
And, we do mean off its' foundation - hard as that may seem for you to believe.
We looked at each other and said, "what on heaven's earth is going on?" The house was literally rocking to and fro.
As we gingerly stepped out of the car we realized it couldn't be an earthquake as the ground under our feet wasn't moving - thank goodness for that! But, the house was still rockin to and fro!
YIKES!
And, out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw movement in the windows. Not just movement in one window - but, all of the windows. As if someone were peeking out the windows and realized too late they had been seen. Now we knew something was going on inside the house.
And, then we heard it - LOUD music.
Not just any music, but the song "The Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett was playing louder than was acceptable in our neighborhood.
We were surprised that we hadn't heard the LOUD music as we were driving up the street.
We were even more surprised that none of our neighbors could hear it.
In fact, our next door neighbor came out and waved at us as he got in his car. He didn't seem to hear the LOUD music.
We looked at each other and said, "He didn't hear that?" How can he not hear that? It's extremely loud. Catchy, but LOUD.
It was catchy and we did have to admit - how can you not like "The Monster Mash?"
It's definitely a song that gets your feet moving.
However, it seems we were the only ones who could hear the music.
We could see from where we were standing in the driveway that there was definite movement inside the house. Not just any movement. There seemed to be many, many people dancing.
On closer inspection we realized that it wasn't people dancing - it was the Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Fall dolls dancing. They were having a party while we were out. A "Monster Mash" party.
At this point I could see that hubby was perspiring. I thought for sure he was getting angry and that within a few minutes his blood would be boiling.
Then the strangest thing happened - he started to do "The Monster Mash" right out in the driveway.
"It was a graveyard smash"......right in our driveway.
"The Monster Mash!"
"It caught on in a flash!"
And, then my arms and legs started moving.
I was doing "The Monster Mash" right out in our driveway.
Two old fogies doing "The Monster Mash!"
"The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds!" Even us, in the driveway.
Everyone was doing "The Monster Mash!"
"It caught on in a flash!"
"The Monster Mash!"
But, everything wasn't cool.
The house was still rockin' and our feet were still mashing. It had to stop. We had to stop it.
But, "The Monster Mash" was the hit of the land.
Well, make that the hit of our house.
The dolls were all filing out of the door in single order.
Ghosts, witches, mummies, Dracula, Frankenstein, pilgrims, scarecrows, even turkey's, - all doing "The Monster Mash!" Right in our driveway.
We realized it couldn't be stopped.
Why, "it was a graveyard smash!"
So, hubby and I looked at each other and decided that life was just too short not to enjoy yourselves.
Albeit we were doing "The Monster Mash" with thousands of dolls.
We looked at each other and said, "what a scene this must be for the neighbors!"
But, none of the neighbors were coming out of their houses.
In fact, our next door neighbor returned and just waved at us before he went into his house.
That was strange!
Then we thought, "for sure he could see everyone in our driveway doing "The Monster Mash!"
Couldn't he?"
Or, was it just hubby and I looking ridiculous by ourselves?
Could we be doing "The Monster Mash!" all by ourselves?
Or, were we even doing "The Monster Mash" at all?
Was it all just in our imagination?
Weren't we just doing "The Monster Mash" with thousands of dolls?
Well, in the case of our dolls maybe we should call them "monsters!" "Monsters" for all the trouble they cause us.
In any event, I guess we'll never know.
That day was anything but normal.
Strange, but in a way glorious.
How can you not like "The Monster Mash?"
"It catches on in a flash!"
So, when you get to our door this Halloween, tell them Boris sent you.......
We were even more surprised that none of our neighbors could hear it.
We could see from where we were standing in the driveway that there was definite movement inside the house. Not just any movement. There seemed to be many, many people dancing.
"It caught on in a flash!"
The house was still rockin' and our feet were still mashing. It had to stop. We had to stop it.
In fact, our next door neighbor returned and just waved at us before he went into his house.
Weren't we just doing "The Monster Mash" with thousands of dolls? 
