In Colorful Waters: A Look at Thanksgivings Past: 2009

The best part about our Thanksgiving party 2009 was that I finally didn't freaking get sick on the day of. That mainly had to do with the fact that this time around (after having already done two Thanksgivings in Germany the years before and getting sick promptly at dinnertime each year), I was wise enough to make it potluck and not attempt to make all the dishes myself. Stress avoided and sickness too. Another added bonus was that all my German friends got to full-on participate in the holiday and learn new (for them) American recipes. (And they each try new ones out each year since.) Thus our gigantic, 20+ person German-American Thanksgiving Potluck Party tradition was born.

Emily started co-hosting with me that year and she and Artur (of baby shower fame) make the trip from Munich to Berlin each year for Turkey Day! (It really is so great having another American there.) For 2009, we set the mood with our colorful evites and let everyone sign up for an item from the potluck list, recipes provided.

The big bird! We actually had two, because we weren't sure if one 8-kilo guy would be enough for 23 people. The second one was 7 kilos and honestly, we barely even had leftovers! (Oh, you just wait for the bird story of 2010.)

Somehow over the years I have become the turkey-gutting expert. Oh joy.

This year, as opposed to the year before, I also really really really wanted everyone to sit and one giant long table. (The year before we were just strewn all over the apartment wherever space was available.) I think that cozy feeling of people passing dishes back and forth across a long, packed table is a necessary part of the Thanksgiving vibe.

Thankfully, another good friend, Kerstin, came through for us (and does every year) with an extra table, plenty of chairs, and even plates and silverware. Thank goodness for her... Apartment living (read: storage space) is not exactly conducive to throwing giant dinner parties, but you do what you can once a year.

The appetizer table, with Emily's amazing deviled eggs, was set up in the office/guest room and fancied up with some glitter pumpkins. I loved those little glitter pumpkins. I think we found glitter on the floor for months after having made those guys... Micha hated it. But they were so worth it.

The youngest addition to our holiday fun, little Mia. She was so tiny back then!

Another staple for the party is our much-needed vacant/occupied sign for the bathroom, which has no lock. And what better to mark it with than the East German Ampelmann?

Since we had to use the kitchen table in the living room, we oh-so-classily piled all the dishes people brought with...on the kitchen floor. Pretty? No. But functional indeed.

I kind of love that no matter how much effort you put in to decorating and cozying up the rest of the apartment, everyone still manages to gather in the kitchen.