My_Family_Thanksgiving

If you were to be a guest at my home for Thanksgiving dinner this year, an appropriate time to arrive at would be between 5 and 6 pm. My family is not one to consider you rude if you are late due to the fact that there could be traffic. Once you enter the door, it is polite to take off your shoes before entering. Reason why the Filipino culture takes their shoes off is to respect and keep the house clean. What is welcoming about my family is that regardless if you were a guest, everyone greets you and you are introduced to everybody. I don't recall a single family member not being inviting to any guest I bring. A simple hi and smile would be respectful enough since some of my family members are not that fluent in English. There aren't many kids in my family yet so majority of the household including relatives are adults. I believe that you would be able to interact with everybody who is able to understand English, who is usually not a senior. It is still respectful however to acknowledge them with your name with a smile. Looking at the menu, my family usually combines traditional Thanksgiving items as well as a few Filipino dishes. We always have the traditional, turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing. etc. This year we did not have anything different from what you might see at any Thanksgiving dinner. Before we start dinner, we always start with a prayer regardless if it was Thanksgiving or not. Majority of Filipinos are Catholics, so they are very strict with reminding us that we need to never forget to thank God. Someone initiates the prayer then anyone is free to add any special thank you since it is Thanksgiving. Part of my cultures is that we like to see people eat and be satisfied with the meal. If you are not hungry or eat very little, some would think that either you are on a diet, or they will keep asking you why you are not hungry. What is funny to me is that even though I already finished eating, my family, especially the seniors ask if I am still hungry. To them, it is satisfying to see that you are enjoying what was prepared and that you are taken care of. Getting more than one serving of food is not offensive but normal. We are not formal to where we sit on one large table and converse that way, my family usually sits wherever and talks to whoever they want to sit with. Most of the younger generation which is in the 20's and 30's sit around the living room and bar. My parents, aunts, uncles and grandma sit where the kitchen dining table and solarium area is at since there is more room to eat at. You would probably sit with me and my cousins, since some of my family in the older generation do not speak English. My family is very laid back about where and who you want to converse with. After dinner were usually around the house or upstairs because everyone starts migrating to the living room and bar area after dinner. As a guest, it is always polite to smile and thank whoever made the dinner and lastly to thank the host of the party for having you as a guest. Before you leave, you won't leave empty handed. Since more than enough food was prepared at any gathering we have, you will leave with left over from dinner to enjoy the next day.