c'est beau chez toi | French Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving and its many-course meal can be rather intimidating for a French cook. We've been fortunate enough to be included and hosted by American friends over the years, but we've also developed our own tradition: pick a beach, prepare a picnic, and head out the door.
Every year we go to Crissy Field for a long walk followed by a picnic. All our friends are welcome, which means people who might be alone on the holiday have a place to go.
Our approach becomes more about the beauty of our surroundings and enjoying friends and good food in nature, rather than spending hours in the kitchen. It's about being together in a place that feels meaningful to us.
Some key components: good homemade food - fresh bread, home-cooked dishes, nothing complicated, just well-prepared. But most importantly, proper dinnerware. This is where style becomes important to us. Even for a beach picnic, we don't use disposables. Real plates, proper glasses, cloth napkins. It's not about being fancy - it's about treating the meal with care, regardless of the setting.
We bring a blanket, but we set it like a table. The way things are arranged matters because it affects how the meal feels. When food is presented thoughtfully, people slow down, pay attention, eat differently.
We do keep one traditional element, each guest shares what they're thankful for. It's a simple ritual, but it gives the gathering purpose beyond just eating together.
In France, we don't have Thanksgiving. So when we celebrate it here, we're creating our own version without the weight of tradition telling us what it should be. A beach picnic on Thanksgiving probably seems unconventional to Americans. But for us, it captures what we understand the holiday to be about - gratitude, gathering, being in a beautiful place with people we care about.
The traditional American Thanksgiving is wonderful, but it's not ours. This is.