NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

As you read this, you will either be preparing for the greatest holiday of the year or recovering from it. Why do I like Thanksgiving more than any other holiday? I’m glad you asked! (O.K., maybe you didn’t, but you get to read about it anyway.)

Thanksgiving is all about the three F’s. Normally, an F would be an abhorrent letter to a teacher, but not when it comes to this festive occasion. The three F’s are food, football and family.

Turkey is not my favorite meat, but there’s something about it at Thanksgiving that is amazing. The repast that is laid out on my parents’ table is pretty consistent, though I like to try out new recipes and use my family as guinea pigs on if they’re good or not. 

But the turkey, real mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, and hot buttery buns make this the one meal I would never want to miss.

And after I’m stuffed, out come the pies! There is always pumpkin, of course, and at least one other variety. One type of pie I miss since my Grandma Domeier died is mincemeat. Many people cringe at that thought (no, it doesn’t actually have meat in it), but I always loved it when Grandma made it that one time a year.

Football! It’s been rare when the Vikings have played on Thanksgiving, but that’s no excuse not to sit back and watch a little pigskin with the men in my family. 

It’s usually a good time to take a nap as well, but this year I’ll be watching with keen interest since my great fantasy football mind caused me to draft Tony Romo and whoever is starting at running back for the Dallas Cowboys that week. Yuck, no wonder I’m only .500 this year despite also having Adrian Peterson on my team.

Family is the most important reason this is a great holiday. At the end of the day, after all the eating and the grunting at the football game, it’s always good to see my family. 

As we kids have grown up and started families of our own, not everyone is always able to make it to the Domeier residence in New Ulm for this day, but it is special with whoever makes it there, including some of my aunts and uncles on occasion.

When Grandma and Grandpa Domeier were still alive, the entire family would squeeze into their small house. I remember how excited I was when I graduated from the kid table to the big one. 

I used to eat a big meal the night before to stretch my stomach and then starve myself all morning to build up a big appetite. I wanted to eat as much of that good food that Grandma put on the table as I could. I know those early Thanksgivings were what put me on the path to loving this holiday.

As I mentioned, not everyone can make it every year, and not everyone is still alive to give thanks with us, but every year I thank God that I have these people in my life and get the chance to be with them. This year, I will also give thanks for all of you who have given me feedback on my column and all of you who read it weekly. I appreciate the support – thanks!

Word of the Week: This week’s word is gemutlichkeit, which means comfortableness and friendliness, as in, “New Ulm offered a sense of gemultlichkeit to all those who visited for the holidays.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

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