What Does a Singapore Thanksgiving Look Like?

More than one person has asked me, "Do they celebrate Thanksgiving over there?", and I've tried to be polite and understanding when I answer.  But, really...why would Singaporeans celebrate a holiday that's 100% American?  Have we forgotten the history behind the celebration?    I know other countries do celebrate their own day of Thanksgiving, but they're not gearing up to celebrate this Thursday.  However, if you take a look around our grocery store, you'd think that all of our neighbors were, indeed, getting ready for Thanksgiving. 

For instance, I wonder if there's a Singapore version of the Butterball hotline, since they're clearly going to need one:


And, if your idea of  the perfect Thanksgiving side involves Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs (Heaven forbid!), you're in luck. Don't worry about the S$7.50 price tag; it doesn't take long to become immune to all price insanity.

Likewise with the pie filling for $7.50 a can.  It's not a Thanksgiving staple for us, but it's amusing to see so much of it so suddenly in the stores.  I'll likely buy a can of cherry pie filling to keep on hand since it's a main ingredient in one of B2's favorite desserts.  One can is cheaper than a purchased dessert, so it makes sense to splurge for something special. 

Don't forget the cranberry sauce!  Whether you prefer the smooth canned kind (like my kids), the lumpy canned kind, or freshly made with fresh cranberries, you're in luck.  All three varieties are readily available this week.  Now, if I only had that small brown rectangular Pyrex bowl from my Grandma's house for the cranberry sauce leftovers, it would really feel like Thanksgiving.  It seems like every year, we ate cranberry sauce out of the same bowl.  It just isn't the same from any other. 

For some, the French's fried onions are a high priority on their Thanksgiving shopping list. My family is not from the People of The Green Bean Casserole, but my inlaws are.  As a result, I've learned to eat it (once a year) and actually enjoy it, but I'd only make it if someone requested it specially.   It must be a tradition for every other American on the island (all 19, 996 of them), however, since the stores have pallets of mushroom soup and these onions.  I did notice some of the cheddar cheese flavored ones last week, and I remembered last Thanksgiving with a laugh.  We were on our way to celebrate in the North Georgia mountains with the Marion side of the family, and were were asked to stop and pick up the onions. Of course, the Ingles in Clarksville was out of everything but the cheese kind, and they certainly added a little something to the casserole.  Again, I don't have a long history with the dish, so I'm just guessing that the cheese variety is not preferred. 

Again, just ignore that S$7.95 price tag; everyone else who wants those French's onions certainly is.  It's a small price to pay for the comforts of something familiar. Even I might admit to enjoying some green bean casserole if it was part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Singapore.

I'm not sure we're having Thanksgiving dinner; I can't bring myself to pay the outrageous price for a turkey that no one is really even passionate about. Spending a day cooking for just the 4 of us probably isn't the best use of my time, either.   I'm beginning to feel a need for cornbread dressing, however, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be making cornbread for dressing after tucking kids into bed on Wednesday night.  I've made a shopping list of ingredients to have on hand...just in case!

From all indicators, it appears that a Singapore Thanksgiving looks an awfully lot like an American one. 
Maybe the next time I'm asked if we celebrate Thanksgiving over here, I'll just say, "Yep."  Want some green bean casserole?