It was Thursday, November 22nd, otherwise known as Thanksgiving day on Sesame Street, and everyone was outside. Well, everyone except, Jimmy, who was still in his room getting his shoes on, to head outside to join his friends. Just as he finished, he looked up and noticed someone.
"Oh, hi there!" Jimmy greeted. "Welcome to Sesame Street! It's a very special day today! It's Thanksgiving day! And, not to make a big deal out of it, but it's my first ever Thanksgiving on Sesame Street! And I can't wait to see how all of my new friends celebrated it! Apparently, there's supposed to be some sort of big dinner tonight. Well, I love to eat, so you can count me in."
Just then, Jimmy's mom and dad came in, ready to head out as well. You see they had volunteered to help Alan set up decorations at Hooper's Store.
"OK, kiddo," Said Jimmy's dad. "You ready?"
"I was born ready, dad!" Said Jimmy as he got up. "Let's go!"
And so Jimmy and his parents left their apartment, and the 123 building, outside, they could see decorations everywhere, and all of Jimmy's friends were all helping get things ready. The neighborhood never looked more festive.
"Wow," Said Jimmy's mom. "The neighborhood looks so beautiful."
"I know." Said a familiar voice. "It's giving me a headache."
The family turned around. It was Oscar, he popped up out of his trash can, with a frown on his face, as usual. Jimmy's mom and ad groaned. They didn't really like Oscar that much. But Jimmy smiled and said hello to his grouchy friend.
"Hi, Oscar!" Jimmy said. "Happy Thanksgiving! Say, you're coming to the big dinner tonight, right?"
"No!" Said Oscar, before saying, "Okay, yes, but after that, I'm heading off to my mother's house, for Trashgiving!"
"Trashgiving?" Said Jimmy and his parents, in surprise.
"It's like Thanksgiving, except way more grouchier. Just like it should be." The grouch explained. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and get myself ready."
And with that, Oscar went back to his can and closed the lid.
Jimmy's mother sighed. "I don't know what you see in that grouch." She told her son.
"Aw mom." Jimmy replied. "Oscar's not that bad. Once you get to know him."
"Yeah, sure," Said Jimmy's mom, uninterested. "Now let's get going to Hooper's Store. We haven't got all day."
But just before they could make it off the steps, they saw Big Bird, Snuffy and Elmo come up. The stopped when they saw the 11 year old and his parents.
"Hi, Jimmy!" The three friends said to him.
"Elmo! Big Bird! Snuffy!" Jimmy exclaimed, happy to see his friends.
"Oh, hey there, boys." Jimmy's mom said. "Where are you three going?"
"We were just on our way to Hooper's Store." Said Snuffy. "We're gonna look at the decorations."
"Oh, we're going to Hooper's Store too!" Jimmy replied. "My parents are gonna help put up the decorations!"
"Oh," Said Big Bird. "Well, why don't we all go to Hooper's Store together?"
"That's a great idea!" Said Jimmy, excited. "Let's go!"
And so, Jimmy, his parents, and his three friends headed off to Hooper's. When they got there they saw Alan, Gina, Gordon and Susan already starting to put up the decorations.
Gina noticed who was coming, and lit up. "Jimmy!" She said out loud.
"Gina!" Jimmy cried as he ran up to her. The two shared a hug, while Jimmy's mom and dad said hello to her, and the other grown ups that were present.
"Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!" Jimmy's mom said.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Gina said. "Jimmy, this is your first Thanksgiving, right?"
Jimmy nodded.
"Wait a minute!" Cried Big Bird. "Do you mean, Jimmy's never celebrated Thanksgiving before?!"
"No, no Big Bird." Susan clarified. "Jimmy and his parents have celebrated Thanksgiving before. It's just the first time they're celebrating here, on Sesame Street."
"Oh." Said Big Bird in realization. "That makes sense."
"Well, Jimmy," Gina went on. "I can assure you, you are going to love our Thanksgiving celebrations.
"Yeah," Agreed Alan. "I don't wanna brag or anything, but we sorta go all out on this kind of thing."
"Yeah, we noticed." Said Jimmy's dad, as he took another look around. "And my wife and I are ready to help."
"Perfect!" Said Gordon. "We could really use some help with the lights."
"Good!" Said Jimmy's dad. "Lights are my specialty!"
"Wow, I think it's so cool, that everyone here celebrates Thanksgiving together." Jimmy said, excitedly.. "I wonder what everyone else is doing?"
"Oh, that gives Elmo an idea!" Said Elmo. "Why don't Elmo, Big Bird and Snuffy show Jimmy what all of their friends are doing for Thanksgiving?"
"Oh yeah, I would love that!" Said Jimmy, before turning to his parents, and asking them. "Can I?"
"Of course you can." Said Jimmy's mother, smiling.
"Yay!" Cheered Jimmy. "OK, guys, let's go!"
And so, the four friends went off to see what everyone else was doing. While the grownups went inside to get more stuff. But just before Gina could go with them, Jimmy came rushing back.
"Gina! Hey, Gina!" Said Jimmy as he ran back.
"What, Jimmy?" Gina asked.
"You will save me a seat next to you, at the big dinner, tonight, will you?" Jimmy asked.
Gina just smirked, and pinched Jimmy's cheek. "Of course I will, sweetie." She said, before giving him a kiss goodbye.
After that, Jimmy followed Big Bird, Snuffy and Elmo past the Fix-It shop, and the subway, when suddenly, he heard piano music, and even said so himself.
"Guys, I hear piano music." Jimmy told his friends.
"Elmo knows who that is!" Said Elmo. "That's Prairie Dawn!"
"Yeah," Said Big Bird. "And from the sound of it, she's close by."
Big Bird was right. Prairie Dawn was playing a little piano in front of the stage, on the stage were Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie, Grover, and Herry. Ernie, Bert and Grover were dressed up as pilgrims, and Cookie Monster and Herry were dressed up as native americans.
"Prairie Dawn always puts on a play about the history of Thanksgiving, and we watch it after dinner." Big Bird explained.
"Ooooh." Said Jimmy, intrigued.
Once Prairie Dawn finished her song, the guys on stage took a bow. Big Bird, Snuffy, Elmo and Jimmy all clapped and went over to them.
"Wow, you guys are getting better every year!" Congratulated Big Bird.
"Thank you, Big Bird." Said Prairie Dawn as she got up. "I think we all deserved ourselves a break."
"I'll say." Said Bert. "That was really tiring."
"Aw, don't be modest, old buddy Bert." Said Ernie to his best friend. "I think you're getting better."
"How long have you guys been practicing?" Asked Jimmy.
"We have been practicing since November 1st." Replied Grover. "We've been doing this for 30 years, so I can assure you, we know what we're doing."
"My only wish is that we get through the final performance, without Cookie Monster eating any of the props." Prairie said.
"Hey!" Said Cookie Monster, defensively. "Me only did that once! Okay, twice. Okay three times, but it only because me was hungry!"
Prairie Dawn just groaned, and left, as did the others.
"Come on, Bert." Said Ernie. We'd better head back to our place and make sure the centerpiece is ready."
"Centerpiece?" Said Jimmy, confused. "What centerpiece?"
"Oh, every Thanksgiving, Ernie and I put a little diorama we made together on the center of the table." Bert explained.
"It's a replica of the very first Thanksgiving." Said Ernie. "We made it out of popsicle sticks, styrofoam, construction paper, and crayons."
"Cool!" Said Jimmy. "I can't wait to see it!"
"Oh, don't worry." Said Bert. "You will soon enough. Now come on, Ernie, let's get going."
So the friends said their goodbyes, and Bert and Ernie left. While Jimmy, Big Bird, Snuffy and Elmo went to the arbor where they saw Gabi, Miles, Telly, Baby Bear and Zoe, who were all hanging a bunch of hand turkeys on a big bulletin board.
"Uh, hi everyone." Jimmy greeted. "What are you guys doing?"
"Oh, hi Jimmy!" Gabi said, as they walked over to each other. "We were just hanging up all of our hand turkeys."
"You guys made hand turkeys?" Asked Jimmy.
"Yeah!" Said Zoe. "Everyone on Sesame Street makes a hand turkey on Thanksgiving, and then we hang it up on this huge bulletin board right here." And she pointed to the bulletin board.
Jimmy looked at the board and saw that all of the people he knew on Sesame Street and made their very own hand turkey, and you could which turkey belonged to which person, because they each wrote their names on their turkey. Jimmy looked around, and saw turkeys from Gina, Maria, Telly, Gabi and everyone else.
"Oh look! There's Elmo's turkey!" Said Elmo as he pointed to a turkey that was scribbled and had a pictures of blocks, a blue blanket, a fire truck and Dorothy, his fish.
"Oh yeah, I see it." Said Jimmy. "Wow, it looks really nice."
"And look over there!" Said Big Bird, as he pointed to two giant hand turkeys. One was yellow, with pictures of bird seed, Big Bird's Granny Bird, and Snuffy, and the other one was brown with pictures of cabbage, spaghetti, and Big Bird.
"Wow." Said Jimmy in amazement. "I'm guess those are yours and Snuffy's, Big Bird."
"That's right!" Said Snuffy. "Well, I don't really have hands, so mine's more of a foot turkey."
Jimmy chuckled and then spotted a light blue hand turkey, that had cookies on it, and it had Cookie Monster's name on it. "Guys," he asked. "Is that Cookie Monster's hand turkey?"
"Oh yeah, it is." Said Miles. "You like it?"
"Well yeah," Said Jimmy. "But I'm just surprised he hasn't eaten it."
"Ooooh." Said Gabi. "Well, everytime Cookie Monster makes a hand turkey, he eats it after our big dinner. And then he makes a new one."
"Ah." Said Jimmy, expectedly. Then he looked at a hand turkey that was slimy green and covered in trash, it had Oscar's name at the bottom, so Jimmy knew exactly who made it. "Whoa. Even Oscar made one."
"Well, where's your hand turkey?" Asked Telly.
"Uuuuuuuum… I haven't made one." Said Jimmy.
Telly gasped. "Oh no!" He started to stay in panic. "Jimmy didn't make a hand turkey to put on the bulletin board! B-But everybody on Sesame Street makes a hand turkey to put on the billboard! If people find out, they-they'll start judging him! Mocking him! He'll have to move out, and he'll miss us and we'll miss him, and I don't even know where he's gonna-"
"Telly, Telly, TELLY!" Said Baby Bear, as he grabbed Telly and shook him. "Calm down, it's okay. Jimmy can just make a hand turkey, and we can help him."
"Oh." Said Telly, calming down. "That's a good idea."
"Really?" Asked Jimmy. "You guys can help me make a hand turkey?"
"Sure thing, buddy." Said Miles. "I'll go get a pencil."
"Oh, I have some construction paper!" Said Zoe. "I can go get that!"
"And I can get some scissors!" Said Baby Bear.
"Wow, thanks, you guys!" Jimmy said.
And so the friends got to work. Miles, Zoe and Baby Bear got construction paper, scissors and a pencil. Gabi helped Jimmy trace his hand on a red and white piece of cp, and cut it out. After that, Jimmy drew pictures of the things he loved, (Timmy the Talking Train & Pals, his friends and family, and food.) Then finally, he wrote his name on it, and hung it up on the billboard.
"Wow, Jimmy." Said Gabi. "Your turkey looks amazing!" And everyone else agreed.
"Thanks, guys." Jimmy said. "I couldn't have made it without your help, though."
"No problem, buddy." Baby Bear assured him. "What are friends for, anyway?"
Just then the kids heard music, coming from the steps, and sounded like a guitar.
"Hm, that sounds like Rosita's guitar! She must be playing it!" Jimmy speculated, before saying to Big Bird, Elmo and Snuffy. "Come on, guys! Let's go check it out!"
So, the four friends said goodbye to everyone else, and headed off to the steps. There, they saw Bob, Maria, Luis, Rosita, and three other kids, and Rosita was indeed playing her guitar.
"Hi, guys!" Said Jimmy as he, Big Bird, Snuffy and Elmo came up.
"Hi, boys." Greeted Maria. "You four are just in time."
"Yes," Said Bob. "We were just about to sing an old Thanksgiving classic, Over the river and through the woods."
"Yeah, and you guys are welcome to sing along with us." Luis added, before turning and talking to someone else. "And you can sing along too!"
"Sure!" Jimmy said. "I love that song."
"Me/Elmo too!" Said Big Bird, Snuffy and Elmo together.
And everyone sang, while Rosita strummed her guitar.
Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through white and drifted snow!
Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.
Over the river and through the woods,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.
After that, everyone cheered.
"Good job, everyone!" Bob congratulated. "That was very good!"
"Si." Said Maria. "And now, Rosita, Luis and I will sing this song in en espanol!"
"An s, wha?" Asked Elmo, confused.
"We'll sing it in spanish." Rosita clarified.
"Oh." Said Elmo, in realization.
And with that, the three spanish speakers, clear their throats and began to sing.
Sobre el río y por el bosque,
Vamos a la casa de la abuela;
El caballo conoce la forma de llevar el trineo,
A través de la nieve blanca y la deriva.
Sobre el río y por el bosque,
Oh cómo sopla el viento!
Pica los dedos y te muerde la nariz,
Como sobre el terreno vamos.
Sobre el río y por el bosque,
Tener un juego de primera categoría;
Oh, escucha el timbre de las campanas, "¡Ting-a-ling-ling!"
¡Hurra por el Día de Acción de Gracias!
Sobre el río y por el bosque,
Trote rápido, mi gris perla.
Primavera sobre el suelo,
¡Como un perro de caza!
Porque este es el día de acción de gracias.
Once they were done, everyone else cheered.
"Wow." Said Big Bird. "That sounded so different."
"Yeah," Said Jimmy. "Different, but awesome!"
"Gracias, Jimmy." Said Maria as she rubbed his head.
Just then someone called out, "OKAY EVERYONE! DINNER'S READY!"
"Oh boy!" Said Jimmy, excitedly. "It's dinner time!"
And so, everyone on Sesame Street, human, monster, bird, snuffleupagus, dog, cat, fish, vampire or grouch, came to the table to eat. Gina, true to her word, saved a seat right next to her for Jimmy, and Cookie Monster sat at the other chair next to Jimmy. Bert and Ernie came to the middle of the table and put their diorama on it. Jimmy took a look at it, it showed the pilgrims and native americans having dinner with each other.
"Wow." Said Jimmy to Gina. "Bert and Ernie's centerpiece is really nice."
"I know." Replied Gina, happily. "It does."
Just then the Count Von Count cleared his throat, and everyone looked him. He then got up and walked over to who was on the right of him, which was Grover. "1," he said. Then he moved over to who next Grover, which was Prairie Dawn. "2," he said.
"Um," Jimmy asked Gina. "What is the Count doing?"
"Oh, every year, The Count counts everyone who shows up at dinner." Gina explained.
"Oh." Said Jimmy. "Makes sense."
A few minutes, The Count had finished counting everyone. There were 100 (Real talk: I don't know how many characters were on Sesame Street at the time. This is just an estimate.) inhabitants that were at dinner that night.
But just before everyone could eat, Alan stood up.
"Now, before we start eating." He began to say.
Cookie Monster groaned. "Come on, Alan!" He said. "Me need food to function!"
"I know, Cookie Monster," Said Alan. "But before we eat, I think we should all take turns saying what we're thankful for. Cookie Monster, why don't you start?"
"OK," Cookie Monster began. "Me thankful for me friends, family, and food. But most of all, me thankful for-"
"Cookies." Everyone finished.
"Whoa." Cookie said. "You guys good."
Everyone laughed, and then Big Bird, who was on the right of Cookie Monster, went next. Then it went down from there, and everyone said what they were thankful for. Even Oscar, who said he was thankful for trash, his worm Slimey, and being a grouch. He was also thankful for living on Sesame Street, and all of his friends, but he would never say it out loud. Finally, it was Jimmy's turn. He got up and said, "I'm thankful for quite a few things. I'm thankful for my mom and dad, but also, I'm thankful that we moved here to Sesame Street. I'm thankful for all of the friends I met, weather they be humans, animals, monsters, birds, even grouches. I'm thankful for everything you guys taught me, and the fact that you'll always be here for me, and I can be here for you. Thanks for everything, you guys. I love you."
Everyone was truly touched by Jimmy's speech, even Oscar was tearing up, a little bit. What was said next was a chorus of "Aw"s and "We love you too, Jimmy!"s, and "Thank you, Jimmy's". Gina even gave her best friend multiple kisses on the cheek.
"OK, OK, Stop for a minute!" Said Cookie Monster. "This really heartwarming and all, but can we please get to the eating?"
Everyone just laughed.
"Sure thing, Cookie Monster." Said Alan. "Everybody dig in!"
And so, everyone started serving themselves, and ate up. During dinner they all had very pleasant conversations, happy to be with each other. After dinner, Prairie Dawn and her friends did their play, and Cookie Monster, actually didn't eat any of the props, but he did eat his hand turkey. Guess, he'll just have to make another one next year, as usual.
Later Jimmy was in his apartment, getting ready for bed. He turned and spoke to someone.
"Well, my first Sesame Street Thanksgiving, was probably my best one ever." He said. "I can't wait for Christmas. But also, I really am glad that I moved to Sesame Street. I think I'm gonna love it here even more, every day. Well, I gotta go to bed now. See you to tomorrow!"
And with that, Jimmy got into his bed and went to sleep.
THE END