2022年感恩節隨感

“Time flies, even if turkeys don't.”

–President Barack Obama，2015.

今天是感恩節。

入鄉隨俗，每年這個時候，都趁機大吃特吃一頓。今年也不會例外。但自己其實對感恩節沒有什麽特別的感受。對聖誕節，以及其他所有洋節都是如此。

中西文化差距太大。我們從小沒有這樣的傳統和習俗，成年後生搬硬套，過起來肯定會走樣。

所以，我很佩服那些基督徒朋友，在感恩節團契時過得非常有儀式感：每人輪流感恩，上上下下感恩個遍。

這樣的儀式感其實挺好。我們每個人都應該趁機檢點一下人生百事，不管大事還是小事，該感恩的就感恩。

總的來講，我們中國人不太善於表達感情，尤其是在口頭上。書麵上，對感恩的表達自古就有。《詩經》中的《小雅·蓼莪》就是向父母告白的名篇。短短數語，把子女對父母的感恩表達的淋漓盡致：

“蓼蓼者莪，匪莪伊蒿。哀哀父母，生我劬勞。蓼蓼者莪，匪莪伊蔚。哀哀父母，生我勞瘁。”

相比之下，西方人特愛表達感情，不管是書麵，還是口頭。感恩啦，愛意啦，張口就說。來美國久了，我們也學會並時常表達這類特殊感情，但大部分都是用英文來。可是不知為什麽，用英文說“love you”，比用中文說“我愛你”，在份量上差距非常大。

當然，表達了也並不意味著真心感恩。美國人向土著印第安人表達感恩四百年了，印第安人卻越來越少。打住，這類話題不易在此展開，否則會影響節日氣氛。

轉到吃吧。

1621年11月，從歐洲漂泊到美洲新大陸的移民設宴款待土著印第安人，以表達對他們的感謝。至於第一次感恩大宴餐桌上有什麽食物，史料記載不多。據有限的史料，餐桌上有水禽（是火雞，也可能是野鴨、野鵝），還有鹿肉，玉米麵餅，玉米麵糊糊，等等。

摘錄幾段文字，放在這裏，供參考：

Two primary sources—the only surviving documents that reference the meal—confirm that these staples were part of the harvest celebration shared by the Pilgrims and Wampanoag at Plymouth Colony in 1621. Edward Winslow, an English leader who attended, wrote home to a friend:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others.”

William Bradford, the governor Winslow mentions, also described the autumn of 1621, adding, “And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck a meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion.”

來源：https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-was-on-the-menu-at-the-first-thanksgiving-511554/

現在的感恩節大宴，餐桌上的重點是火雞。其他的必須食品包括南瓜餡餅，土豆泥，和蔓越橘醬。為了寫這篇隨想，第一次知道 cranberry 的中文名。

下麵是10人大餐的標準搭配，以及今年的參考價格：

16-pound turkey: $28.96 or $1.81 per pound (up 21%)
14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $3.88 (up 69%)
2 frozen pie crusts: $3.68 (up 26%)
Half pint of whipping cream: $2.24 (up 26%)
1 pound of frozen peas: $1.90 (up 23%)
1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.73 (up 22%)
Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $4.13 (up 20%)
30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.28 (up 18%)
1 gallon of whole milk: $3.84 (up 16%)
3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.96 (up 11%)
1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 88 cents (up 8%)
12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.57 (down 14%)

眾所周知，近期通脹泛濫。據美國農業局（Farm Bureau）的統計調查，今年感恩節大餐的成本比去年高出20%。

 

說到火雞，在我居住的新英格蘭地區，這個季節，經常看到一大群火雞從院子穿過，猶如如閑庭信步。每到見到火雞，就會動一絲絲閃念，當然從沒真的從沒想過要獵殺火雞。今天特意查了一下發現，在自家院子裏獵殺火雞，規定相對苛刻。

首先，院子要足夠大，至少占地10英畝，否則別想。
Landowners (who own 10 or more contiguous acres) must obtain a Free Landowner Resident Game Bird Conservation Stamp to hunt wild turkeys on their property.

其次，狩獵工具也有具體規定。
Legal Bows: For the purposes of hunting deer and turkey, legal bows include long, recurved, or compound bows with a minimum draw weight of 40 pounds and crossbows. Mechanical string release devices are permitted. Projectiles coated with any drug, poison or tranquilizing substance are prohibited.

Crossbows: The use of crossbows for hunting deer, turkey and all other species is permitted. Legal crossbows must have a minimum draw weight of 125 pounds and permanent fixed rifle type stock with a functional mechanical safety device. Adjustable crossbow stocks are permitted, but folding stocks are not. The bolt (arrow) length must be at least 18 inches, excluding the broadhead. Crossbows are considered loaded when fully drawn with a bolt in place. Telescopic sights are permitted.

Arrowheads: Legal arrowheads for hunting deer and turkey must have at least two blades and must be at least 7/8 inch wide at its widest point. Arrowheads that are designed to open on impact are legal provided they meet the above requirement.

Legal Firearms: Shotguns, 20 gauge or larger, with #4, 5, 6, 7, 7 1/2 shot, or any combination. Shotguns must not be capable of holding more than 3 shells.

第三，獵殺火雞後，必須馬上係上特製標簽，標簽可從官網網站下載。
Tagging and Reporting: Immediately upon harvesting a turkey, complete and sign a Harvest Tag and keep it with the carcass at all times. The Harvest Tag must remain with the turkey until it is cut up for consumption.

這些規定，看著就頭大。麵對這樣的法律規定，一不小心就可能會違法。

不知用徒手、氣槍、彈弓或陷阱等方式捕捉，是否違犯規定。看來，必要時得找律師谘詢一下。

這些都可以在火雞宴上當談資。

祝大家夥感恩節快樂！

 

附：下麵這個鏈接提供了好幾篇與感恩節有關的趣文：

The Surprisingly Strange History of Thanksgiving (and Other Turkey Day Trivia)
Dig into this collection of fascinating Thanksgiving reads while you’re waiting for dinner to cook.
https://getpocket.com/collections/the-surprisingly-strange-history-of-thanksgiving-and-other-turkey-day-trivia?utm_source=pocket-newtab

 

2022年11月24日，星期四，感恩節