Thanksgiving Night

Will Butterfield can't believe it. His 75–year–old mother, Holly, is drunk and threatening to jump off the roof. Again. Holly and Fiona, another elderly relative, won't stop tormenting Will and his wife Elizabeth with their bizarre (though often amusing) antics. Between Will's worries about his bookstore, The Heart's Ease, and Elizabeth's troublesome high school students, dealing with "the crazies" has become just too much. But then something unexpected happens –– Henry Ward, a neighborhood handyman, meets the two old women, and he, his daughter Alison, and grandchildren are drawn into the Butterfields' lives in surprising ways. Both a comedy and a love story –– a first for Bausch –– Thanksgiving Night is about the real meaning of family, and one particular clan that has many reasons to be thankful.

Everyone’s favorite fun-filled, family-filled, food-filled holiday is almost here! Follow along as the feast is prepared, cousins are greeted, and everyone gathers around the table, all with an extra helping of holiday fun.

Originally published: New York: Orchard Books, 1990.

Compare how the first Thanksgiving was celebrated to how we celebrate the holiday today.

A Very Vintage Holiday celebrates the joy and sentimentality associated with all the major holidays on the calendar, from Easter to Halloween to Christmas—and many more. Vintage decorations, customs, history, and lush images offer up great comfort, connection, and continuity in this fast-paced world. Each holiday is opportunity to slow down and connect. There’s a mindfulness associated with carving pumpkins, dying Easter eggs, or stringing popcorn and cranberry garlands that helps us to bond with loved ones in ways that both conjure up good memories and enable us to make new ones. Coupled with beautiful photographs, tips on collecting, and secret shopping haunts, A Very Vintage Holiday offers a 360-degree look at all the traditional and joyful ways we celebrate holidays and gives suggestions on how to make family heirlooms, vintage finds, and holiday activities work for today’s audience. Each chapter is focused on a different holiday and there is a common thread that runs through them all: the love of beautiful holiday decorations as well as an interest in their history, preservation, and relevance in today’s world. Now, more than ever, we need holidays to connect us. A Very Vintage Holiday helps the everyday collector and enthusiast make the most of what they’ve already collected and build upon it for future generations to enjoy.