Election Day
November 3, 2008
Every election is important, but this year's contest has dragged many of us from the sidelines. (Did you know that, on average, only 54 percent of eligible U.S. voters find their way to their polling stations? Out of 172 nations, we rank a sorry 139th.)
One of my very early memories is of holding my mother's hand while she went to vote. She was the child of escapees from Czarist Russia, and she approached the voting booth with a sense of awe.
These are great things to talk about at the supper table. Even young children can think about democracy. (No one is boss. Everyone gets a say.) Older kids can weigh in on campaign issues. Listen respectfully to what they say, and let them know what's important to you.
In the early days, Election Day was a great holiday. An Election Cake – a sweet bread with lots of butter, sugar and raisins –was baked big enough to feed a whole town. Hurray for all of us, for keeping the process strong, with or without cake.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
