There Will be No Pun This Thanksgiving!

All families have unique ways to celebrate Turkey Day. Some like a lot of drama. Some watch football. Some go jogging. Our family has a strange tradition that only gets worse with time. It always starts innocently enough. Then someone throws down the gauntlet.

Last Thanksgiving was typical. We’re eating turkey, with all the trimmings. Everything’s fine. Then my brother Eric — who usually starts these things — pipes up:

“This turkey’s great. I’m gobbling it up.”

Everyone groans. The Punning Game has begun.

My husband Randy: “That joke was fowl.”

My sister Jane: “He just wanted to wing it.”

Me: “Good gravy, please stop.”

My oldest son, Patrick: “That knocked the stuffing out of me.”

My youngest son, Paul: “I think everyone’s on a roll.”

My nephew, Sean: “Oops. I ran out of thyme.”

The adults applaud. The punning torch has been passed to a new generation. And yes, this is hardly “Shakespeare in the Park,” but for some reason, it tickles our family’s funny bone.

The trick to the Punning Game is you have to say your lines with a completely straight face, like we’re having a normal, non-ridiculous conversation.

The louder the groans, the more successful the pun.

My parents always wisely sat these games out, mostly laughing at their kids and grandkids entertaining each other.

But this year is different, for us and many families. For the first time in 40 years of Thanksgivings, we won’t have a big family dinner together. As Dr. Fauci has recommended, we’re celebrating in smaller groups. Randy, my mom, two sons and myself will stay separate, but safe, in our corner of Connecticut. My brother Eric, sister Jane, and nephew Sean will have their own Thanksgiving apart. It breaks all our hearts.

The other day, just for kicks, we tried the Punning Game via texting. My brother Eric mentioned a guy from work had brought his dog to the office. Eric sent us all a picture of a cute brown poodle. Then, of course, he had to take it one step further.

“I don’t know how he does it in here, it’s kind of ruff.”

We couldn’t hear the groans but could imagine them.

My sister Jane: “I’m sure there’s a tail to tell.”

My husband Randy: “Let’s put this conversation on paws.”

Me: “Fur sure.”

It was funny, but not the same as seeing everyone’s faces and hearing the groans and chuckles.

Like all of us, I look forward to a post-Covid existence, when we all sit around the table again and celebrate Thanksgiving and play the silly Punning Game.

Let’s hope things are back to normal next year. Let’s hope everyone stays healthy. Let’s hope… (forgive me) butter days are coming.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Does your family have its own special Thanksgiving game? Comments are always welcome and if you like, please share.

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