How can I celebrate Thanksgiving in Spain? « Euro Weekly News

This year’s Thanksgiving will fall on November 28, but for those Americans out there, this may be a daunting time where planning how to deliver that perfect American festive evening can be a little tricky without the help of these tips.  

Thanksgiving is that time of year when Americans in the USA and across the world, celebrate something completely unique and completely American. Traditions revolve around giving thanks, family, sharing meals and remembering loved ones. So, as every American knows, the special day needs to be planned and executed with care.

For Americans living in Spain, the date on the calendar may be looming like a weight on your shoulders. Without the essentials lining the store shelves like back in the home country, it can be a tricky time of sourcing and choosing – an almost impossible feat if you don’t know where to begin. At a time of giving and sharing, it can also be isolating if you’re the only family on the street celebrating.

Tips to help Thanksgiving run smoothly in Spain

That’s why we are going to help make this festive period a little easier. Let us offer some tips on how to make Thanksgiving run smoothly with the same festive spirit and American glow, just like back home.

Take the pressure off: invite friends and add a Thanksgiving potluck spin

One option is to take the pressure off yourself. Whether you are part of a small American community or not, invite fellow Americans, expats or Spanish friends over and ask them to contribute a dish to the table. This hotchpotch of dishes from back home and other countries can be exciting and put a new ‘potluck’ spin on the evening.

Maximise on Thanksgiving’s values like gratitude

Another way to liven up the evening and make it meaningful for others is to maximise on the theme of gratitude. Aside from sharing the meaning of Thanksgiving with non-American guests from your community, voice your own list of things you’re grateful for at the table and encourage others to do the same. This can make the sentiment of Thanksgiving highly tangible and real for other dinner guests and bring the special day home to them.

The big question: the Thanksgiving meal! Even though the basics are easy to come by, everyone knows that feeling when its just not quite the same. However, there are ways around this.

How will I source the ingredients for the Thanksgiving dinner?

For turkey, buy this at any major Spanish supermarket or for a fresh bird, try asking a local butcher. El Corte Inglés offers premium turkeys, especially during this festive Christmas season. Cranberries are not exactly a kitchen staple in Spain, but cranberry jam is usually a simple alternative, known as mermelada de arándano in Spanish. You can also find this delicacy in British supermarkets like Iceland overseas with stores in Alicante, Murcia, Almería, Málaga, Sotogrande and the Canary Islands.

Now for that quintessential pumpkin pie. Ready prepared tinned pumpkin is not likely to be lining the supermarket shelves in Spain, but there are overseas sections in some supermarkets like Carrefour. If not, puree or steam your own pumpkins (calabaza), found in major stores.

A final and last resort option is to order online. Imported American food stores like Taste of America can often be a key hot spot for sourcing those home-from-home essentials.

Incorporate a Spanish touch into your Thanksgiving festivities

Thanksgiving back in America has its own particular flavour. But why not incorporate a Spanish touch to make you feel more integrated into the wider community. You can add some Spanish starters that won’t boycott the main meal like jamón, local cheeses or olives. For wine lovers, make sure to splash out on a few local or national wines that reflect the country’s expertise in wine production. Albariño and Verdejo are ideal white wine choices with Rioja filling in for the reds.

Stream Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade using a VPN

Don’t forget to stream Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or a football game in the background via an American TV network. Try investigating VPN’s which allow you to watch American TV from the comfort of your Spanish home.

And finally, relax! Enjoy the evening and recall the key values that Thanksgiving stands for. Being generous and warm with your neighbours, grateful for what you have and gastronomically savvy with the ingredients at your fingertips, you will be guaranteed a Thanksgiving evening – Spain-fusion style – like no other!

Find other articles on Thanksgiving