(“Out in the Country,” photo by moi, June 2022)

My sister and I have never been the biggest fans of Thanksgiving, because you know. Look what good guys the Pilgrims are! They had all the indigenous people over for a nice dinner and then later killed them. We were just little kids when we put two + two together and came up with, uh, two? Due to half of the equation being dead and all.

I’m sorry, you know, if your family likes to wear headbands and Pilgrim hats, but sometimes things that start out one way end up leaving a bad taste in your mouth. And that, for me, is Thanksgiving weekend, which I used to enjoy. So we’ll have a long weekend, eat and be merry, and do other stuff.

Speaking of taste… she’s vegetarian, my sis, and my daughter and my kids’ dad are, too, They never really liked meat, even when they were little kids. My mom once told my sister, Yeah, I kept trying to feed you baby veal, from the little Gerber jars? You weren’t having it.

Chorus of ewwww.

And my then mother-in-law said something similar. Yeah. Thanksgiving continues to center around a big dead bird or a big dead ham. Pretty much.

As parents, do any of us have a clue? Not so much. It all makes sense later, I guess, when it’s too late. #babyveal #redundantphrase #sorryMommyIknowyoutried #love

So we decided to skip “Turkey and Carnage” this year and head straight to Christmas and New Year’s. You in? It’s starting with nonstop viewings of Hallmark Christmas movies, binging season 5 of “The Crown” on Netflix, and putting up the trees. Eating. Baking cookies. Cleaning the house. Yeah, that’s right. I wrote out some holiday cards already, too. It’s true, kids. Once you grow up, you really do get to do whatever the heck you want. So, whatever you do or don’t celebrate at your place? *Rock it.*

Here are some “thank you” books for the road, though. #gratitude #November #blessings #loveandkindness #peace

“The Thank You Book,” by Danna Smith, illustrated by Juliana Perdomo, is an awesome possum little board book for the babies and preschoolers. (Little Simon/Simon & Schuster, 2022, $7.99.) The littles will respond to the cheerful characters, rhyming text, bright colors and the sweet message. 

Ditto with “Welcome to the Big Kids Club: What Every Older Sibling Needs to Know!” written by one Chelsea Clinton, with pictures by gifted illustrator Tania de Regil. (Philomel Books/Penguin Young Readers, 2022, ages 4-8, $18.99.) I recently heard Clinton interviewed on “The View.” Fun to hear her talk about her two older kids’ reactions — and questions, so many questions — when they found out a new baby was on the way. The book is written in a Q&A format, which works well, and includes the most important question of all: Does my baby understand when I say “I love you”? (Yes, yes, yes and yes.)

“Giving Thanks: How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday,” written by Denise Kiernan, with illustrations by Jamey Christoph, tells the story of the woman who worked to make Thanksgiving an official holiday. (Philomel/Penguin Random House, 2022, $18.99.)

Imagine my happy surprise to be sent a review copy of a new picture book, written by the talented and kind Cathy Camper, one of my librarian acquaintances from Portland, Oregon! “Diez Manera de Escuchar La Nieve,” with fantastic and lively illustrations by Kenard Pak, translated by Rossy Evelin Lima, is a marvel of a book. (Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2020, $17.99.) “Ten Ways to Hear Snow” is also available in English.