If This Isn't Nice, What Is?

If you ask a group of people their favorite holiday, I bet many will say Christmas.

But not me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not the Grinch. I love the Christmas decorations and the music. 

But sometimes I feel a bit like Charlie Brown seeing how commercialized the holiday has become, and feeling the pressure to shop for people who consistently don’t want anything.

Or maybe I’m still overcoming the childhood disappointment of never getting the Sony Sports Walkman I wanted.

This was the first walkman that had a REWIND button…

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. 

It centers on being thankful, being with loved ones, and eating good food.

I can get on board with all of that.

Plus, there’s always a new movie that comes out on Thanksgiving, and as a child I have many fond memories of going to see the lights turned on at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis, and seeing a movie on the day after Thanksgiving.

The world’s largest “artificial” Christmas tree in Indianapolis, IN

But living in London means Thanksgiving isn’t widely celebrated.

However, there are a handful of restaurants that put on a Thanksgiving dinner.

In years past, my husband and I have gone out to dinner on Thanksgiving with other friends (who aren’t American) and shared the joy of the holiday - and pumpkin pie. 

But this year I decided the kids were old enough to go out to dinner with us for Thanksgiving. 

Both of my children were born in the UK, and have only ever lived in London. Although they have parents from the US and New Zealand, they identify as British.

But I want them to understand their American heritage, too, and Thanksgiving is part of that. And unlike July 4th, I feel like I can safely celebrate Thanksgiving in the UK.

So this year I decided we would have a family Thanksgiving dinner, and since I have not inherited my grandmother’s skills in the kitchen, we were going out.

But my Thanksgiving plans were thwarted before I could sit down for mashed potatoes.

At 11 am on Thanksgiving Day, the school called and said my daughter wasn’t feeling well.

Operation Dinner Out was now off the table.

At 1 pm, my phone rang again. 

The school’s name appeared on my screen. 

That’s never good.

My son had thrown up at school.

Now my plans were really out the window.

My husband was working in town, so I gathered my two patients at home. 

My son, who is 6 years old, was very apologetic.

“This is your special day, Mom, and now it’s ruined.”

“It’s OK, hon,” I said. “I ordered a pumpkin pie from the bakery, and when you’re feeling better, we’ll be able to eat it. And we’ll all be together. That’s what’s most important at Thanksgiving.”

And here’s the funny thing – I meant it. 

My husband and I improvised and ordered chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and a baguette from a French restaurant nearby. (It was as close as we were getting to a Thanksgiving dinner on short notice!).

Before he arrived, there was a knock at the door.

It was a book I had ordered a few days earlier.

If This Isn’t Nice, What Is? by Kurt Vonnegut.

Like me, Kurt Vonnegut hails from Indiana.

I may not have grown up loving Slaughterhouse Five as a high school student, but as an adult, I’ve learned to appreciate the wit and wisdom Vonnegut shared.

This book is a collection of Vonnegut’s advice to the young, and the title refers to something Vonnegut’s Uncle Alex used to say. 

Uncle Alex believed people didn’t appreciate the good times enough, so he made a habit of noting the good moments in life, like sitting in the shade on a summer day drinking lemonade.

In moments like that, Uncle Alex would say aloud, “If this isn’t nice, what is?”

As I sat around our dining table that Thanksgiving evening, with two kids in their PJs, and a husband who was still soaking wet from going out in the rain to pick up the dinner, I thought about the evening I had planned – and the evening we were having instead.

We went around the table and shared what we were thankful for.

Then I said aloud, “If this isn’t nice, what is?”

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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and sharing pumpkin pie with her family.

She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.

Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.

To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com