Hosting a Halal Thanksgiving

La llaha illa Allah


Panic has started to creep its ugly head (both on me and the poor Turkey)....

A few weeks ago I decided it would be a great idea to invite the entire family over for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at my house (my family thought I had bumped my head as I am the last one to host such large parties).   But this year I was craving a huge family dinner because I had missed out on it for the past three years.  In 2008, I was coping with my Cancer and took the kids to Disney as I was not sure if I was going to live.  In 2009,  Iqbal and I had gone to Hajj to thank Allah for  getting through 2008 and in 2010, we were living in Dubai without my family.  

So in true modern style, I posted an invite on Face Book to my family but in true unspoken Afghan culture the invite includes all extended family by marriage of my sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins.  The reason we have to (yes we have to!) invite everyone is because the concept of individualism does not exist in our culture and religion or at least for my generation it does not.  I personally feel guilty when I put my nuclear family needs before the extended family -- becomes very draining and stressful at times.   Now for the younger generation (the one that were born here) they have no problem with individualism.  

After sending out the invite,  one family member felt the needed to remind me that we should not be celebrating Thanksgiving as it is a  non-Muslim holiday.  I reminded him As long as I can remember my mom or aunt  or for that matter his mom have hosted Thanksgiving dinner . We did not "celebrate" the holiday, per se, but everyone was off work, so it was convenient to have dinner together.  We ate Turkey because it was available and on sale.  I personally embrace Thanksgiving because I do not believe it conflicts with any Islamic principles.  We are giving thanks for what Allah has given us. 

Now the reason I am panicking for a couple of reasons.  First,  we do not believe in responding to dinner invites.   We are just not wired to respond and at the last minute if something better comes up we may attend that instead.  So I have no clue who will show up, yet still have to be prepared to feed them all (up to 40+ people).  This drives my American friends crazy, at times I mix the cultures and forget to respond to kids birthday invites.  On more then one occasion I find myself calling the mom asking if we can still come.  


Secondly store bought turkey is not an option we have to find Halal turkey  (a turkey that must be slaughtered in a proper Islamic way).  Now a week before Thanksgiving dinner, I am on the hunt for 3 Halal turkeys.  


Lastly, hospitality is engraved in our blood.  Once you open your home to a guest that person is considered family, they have free rein of your home.  A woman is obligated to host, serve and prepare everything (which includes turkey, Afghan rice,a meat sauce dish, at least 4 or five side dishes, home made pickles and pot after pot of green tea for an unknown number of people) .   With that said, I am started to panic how I will do it all and how will the house look after the event .