The only Thanksgiving I’ve ever spent away from home was in 2010. I was a 23-year-old professional actor, recently graduated from theater school and on the road with a show. We were a small company of actors, musicians, and technicians in Winston-Salem, North Carolina—all miles from our respective homes. The company decided our Thanksgiving meal would be potluck. Everyone would bring a dish that would normally grace their family’s table, and instead we would have a meal full of each other’s traditions. I immediately knew what dish I wanted to bring: my grandmother’s stuffing.
As the sweetness from the cornbread hit my tongue, my eyes immediately began to well with tears. It was a taste of home.
As I sat down at our Thanksgiving table that year, I remember staring at my plate. It was, of course, a little different than what I was used to, but I was grateful for this chapter of my life with new friends at my side and a new plate of food in front of me. My grandmother’s stuffing was my first bite, and as the sweetness from the cornbread hit my tongue, my eyes immediately began to well with tears. It was a taste of home.
How to Find Home During the Holidays
I never knew the magic of tradition until I found myself celebrating Thanksgiving in North Carolina. Finding ways to create connections to what matters most to you can make the holidays away from home take on their own special significance. Read on for a few ideas to help you feel the warmth and magic of the holiday season, no matter the distance you are from your loved ones.
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