Thanksgiving in the Balkans

Since Thanksgiving isn’t typically celebrated anywhere but the United States, the Airmen of Camp Film City, along with a few dozen U.S. Army, Navy and Marine counterparts, will depend on each other to keep some holiday traditions this year.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 at the Plymouth Colony to celebrate a successful harvest following a harsh winter, according to Infoplease.com. At the initial celebration, the English Pilgrims invited local Wampanoag Indians to join the feast. The tradition of re-enacting the initial feast continued although not all states observed a Thanksgiving holiday.

According to the Web site, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln gave a proclamation declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving. After different attempts to move the holiday in order to extend the Christmas shopping season, Congress passed a resolution in 1941 decreeing that the holiday falls on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving traditions vary greatly among those who celebrate, but most would agree that turkey is the must-have food at any Thanksgiving meal. A common Thanksgiving celebration might include a feast of turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, corn, dinner rolls and pumpkin pie.  Following (or during) the meal, millions of people tune in to watch two National Football League games. In recent years, Americans have come to expect to see one game involving the Detroit Lions and another involving the Dallas Cowboys.

Many other Thanksgiving traditions, including the showing of certain movies on TV, exist. One of the undeniable nation-wide traditions is shopping extremely early on the morning after Thanksgiving. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, marks the biggest (in terms of traffic) day of the Christmas shopping season. Doorbusters, limited qualities of sale items only available to the first customers in the door, often start at 4 a.m., and lines of people can be found waiting outside many retailers hours before the stores open.

Doorbusters won’t be available at the mini base exchanges here, but Lt. Col. Hamilton Howard, Det. 2 commander, said he would expect the people who follow the Black Friday tradition at home to do some shopping here on Black Friday.

“It will surely be a work day here at KFOR, with work to do for all, so it will not be like the mad shopping frenzy in the United States or at U.S. BXs,” said Colonel Howard.

Tech. Sgt. Jay Valloric, KFOR Public Information Office administrative craftsman, said he won’t miss out on the shopping Friday, but he will miss a home-cooked meal.

“Nothing compares to home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner, but I imagine the Dining Facility here will their best to provide everyone with and enjoyable dinner,” said Sergeant Valloric. “The thing that I’m going to miss most this year is spending the day with my four kids. I love it when they come to me and ask me if dinner is done every 30 minutes.”

Colonel Howard said his plan to have a Thanksgiving meal at the Dining Facility with other U.S. servicemembers and any international friends who would like to join in the feast.

“I will remember that we should be thankful for all we have; and this opportunity to provide a safe and secure environment for an emerging nation state in Kosovo,” said Colonel Howard.

After the dinner, Colonel Howard said he’ll call his family in Germany on the phone or through Internet video and then wrap up the day by watching the annual American football games on TV.

Even though U.S. military members will come together and celebrate with a meal, people will still have dreams of being at home for the holiday. Colonel Howard said he will most miss sharing the holiday with his wife and kids, and his wife’s pecan pie.