← Stories Podcast: A Bedtime Show for Kids of All Ages
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Hello. Welcome to Stories Podcast. I'm your host, Amanda Weldon. Today's story is called An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving, an adaptation of a story by Louisa May Alcott written for you by Daniel Hines. We have Stories Podcast merch, available@storiespodcast.com shop. We're also on Cameo for all of your personalized video message needs. And don't forget to follow us on Instagram. Stories Podcast if you send us a drawing of your favorite scene or character, we'll share it on our feed. Now here's a word for our sponsors Experience the beloved Harry Potter series like you've never heard them before on Audible Harry Potter the full cast audio editions present the iconic series as a truly spellbinding listening event for the whole family. The adventure will surround you. You'll hear footsteps echoing off the walls of Hogwarts and the whoosh of a golden snitch as it darts past your ear. And the production also features a rousing new musical score that heightens every magical moment. Listen as a list Stars like Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore and Keir Knightley as Professor Umbridge create a spellbinding experience for not only longtime Harry Potter fans, but also those brand new to the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. The first story, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is available now, with new audiobooks releasing every month. Moving forward, it's Harry Potter like you've never heard it before. Listen on audible. Go to audible.com HP1 and start listening today. As parents, we know how quickly family time can turn into scrolling time. With everyone defaulting to their own devices after a long day, wouldn't it be great to have an active option the whole family can enjoy? Something fun for those cozy fall nights when no one wants to leave the house. We've found the answer. Nexplayground an active game system where your body powers the play. It's 100% motion driven gaming. No controllers or wearables needed. Just move naturally to play. The game library is packed with family favorites. Join Bluey in a game of keepy Uppy. Go on adventures with how to Train youn Dragon, Dance with Barbie, Pop Bubbles in Gabby's Dollhouse, or master some moves with Kung Fu Panda. Even better. Playground is kid safe with no ads in app purchases or mature content. It's the perfect way to turn screen time into active family time this fall. Want to learn more? Visit nextplayground.com that's nextplayground.com to explore active family gaming today. Thanks. Enjoy the episode An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving Once upon A time there was a family of a mom, a dad and six kids, each one two years younger than the last. Tilly was the oldest at 14, then Ben was 12. Then there was Roxy, Rhodey, Saul and Sam. Don't worry, I know that's a lot of names. There won't be a test later or anything. Just know that it's a lot. And that their parents, Mr. And Mrs. Bassett, had trouble remembering them all themselves. And they were the ones that named them. The Bassett family was a close knit family and they had to be sharing one small house and they were always happy to be hanging out, except when one sibling was warring with another. Those fights were common, but with so many other kids around to choose from, it was easy to play with someone else until you blew off steam. Tilly, as the oldest, took charge in most situations. Alright, today we're playing hide and seek. She would shout and all the others would come running. I will be it first. I'm counting to 50. Go. And they'd all be off. The kids loved their parents, of course, but they really loved their Nana. She would come over at least once a week, spending time with each of them, sneaking them candy and watching all of their plays and songs and flips and somersaults. She was a world class Nana and they were all looking forward to seeing her the next day at Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. It was an exciting holiday for the Bassett kids. They all loved to eat dessert especially. And Thanksgiving was the one day of the year they could eat all the turkey, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and especially pies. And especially, especially the pies that Nana made. But that year, something terrible happened. The morning of Thanksgiving, they were all listening to the song Alice's Restaurant in the kitchen when mom's phone started buzzing. Oh, I wonder who that could be, she said. Probably your mom wants to come over early, dad said. I bet you're right, mom said, looking at her phone. This is her calling now. Hey, Mom. What's what? Slow down. Okay. You okay? Okay, we'll be there as soon as we can. Okay? Love you too. The kids and dad were all looking at her now, worry in their eyes. Everything's okay, she said. First, there was a frost this morning and Nana slipped and fell. She's okay, but she wants a ride to the hospital for an X ray just in case. And she doesn't want to use an ambulance. She looked at dad. All right, he said to the kids. I'm gonna have to go with your mom and help your Nana. We shouldn't be more than a couple of hours, so just relax and don't make any messes. We'll start cooking as soon as you're back with Nana, okay? Is Nana alright? Asked Tilly. She's fine, said Mom. She's always been a little over worried, and now that she's older she has a right to be. We'll just get her checked out and then we'll be back before the turkey's even defrosted. Okay, mom, said Tilly with a relief. I'll make sure they don't make a mess. Tilly's in charge, dad said to everyone, grabbing his jacket and Mom's and then scooping up the keys to his car. Behave and we'll be home soon. I want to go with you, said Sam, the babiest brother. You stay with Tilly, said Mom, giving each of them a quick kiss. We have to go. We'll call you soon, Tilly. Goodbye. Now. Another flurry of kisses and a few cries from Sam, and then they were gone, leaving Tilly in the kitchen with her five brothers and sisters. What do we do? Asked Sol. Let's make a pillow fort. Screamed Roxy. Yeah. Shouted the younger kids. No. Shouted the older kids. Pillow forts were fun, but they involved the little ones taking pillows and cushions and blankets from every room in the house and just generally making a huge mess, which wasn't fun when you were the one who had to clean it up. Tilly and Ben had learned. Time for a movie. Shouted Ben instead. Cartoons. Rhodey yelled and cannonballed into the couch. Tilly put on the first movie they could all halfway agree on and then sat back under her blanket with a book and waited for her parents and Nana to get there. But an hour and a half later, the movie ended and her parents still weren't home. Tillie thought about calling her mom when her phone rang. It was her dad calling. Hey, she said hopefully. Almost home. Sorry, kiddo, said Dad. I should have guessed, but the urgent care is a madhouse on Thanksgiving. A lot of cuts and burns and little fender benders and all sorts of stuff. We think your Nana might have sprained her hand, so we just have to wait, just in case. What about Thanksgiving? Tilly said, and then all her siblings crowded around trying to listen at her ear. We'll still be able to get it done, but we're gonna need your help. My help? Said Tilly. I don't know how to cook. She felt panic rising in her chest, imagining the giant turkey and all the stuffing and the carrots and potatoes and the pies and oh my, oh my how could she ever get it done? Calm down, Tilly, dad said. I can hear you spiraling. I was doing it quietly, she said. The silence was how I could tell. Dad laughed. Now listen, you don't have to cook. I need you to take the turkey out of the refrigerator and put it on the big metal roasting pan your mom uses. Then we need you and Ben to peel the potatoes and carrots. Okay, dad, tilly said. Anything else? If you feel ambitious, you could chop the potatoes up and get them ready to boil and mash. Nana has all the pies with her, so dessert is covered. Okay, we can handle it, said Tilly. Tell Nana to feel better. They hung up and Tilly turned to her siblings. Okay, everyone, Nana hurt her hand, so they're gonna be a little longer. Ben and I are going to start getting dinner ready and you all get to watch another movie. Hooray. The younger kids cheered. Tilly and Ben went into the kitchen and got the turkey out in the pan, and then they got the vegetables peeled. It was actually kind of fun, the two of them laughing in the kitchen and singing along with the radio. They got it done fast and were just cleaning up when Tilly's phone buzzed again. It's mom this time, tilly said. Hey, mom, what's up? Sorry, guys, bad news, she said. Nana's okay, but she broke a little bone in her wrist. We're going to have to wait for them to give her a cast and all that. We'll be home around 5 or so. But what about Thanksgiving dinner? We'll have it tomorrow, mom said. What if Ben and I just did it? Tilly asked. I'm in high school now. I can cook a turkey. Tilly heard her parents talking on the other end of the phone, and then her dad came in. Okay, kiddo, you can do the dinner, but let's keep it simple. Got a pen and paper? Write this down. Tilly got a pen and paper and her dad gave her some very simple instructions to follow. Stuff the turkey with the stuff in the fridge and roast at 350 until the probe goes off. Mash the potatoes and roast the carrots in the oven when the turkey is nearly done. There were more instructions, but they were all pretty simple like that, and Tilly was feeling confident. You take care of Nana. We'll handle dinner, she said, and then hung up. Now for a quick ad break. We'll be back with the rest of the story after this. If you'd like Stories Podcast and other favorite kid podcasts ad free. Subscribe to Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts experience the beloved Harry Potter series like you've never heard them before on Audible. The full cast audio editions present the iconic series as a truly spellbinding listening event for the whole family. The adventure will surround you. You'll hear footsteps echoing off the walls of Hogwarts and the whoosh of a golden snitch as it darts past your ear. And the production also features a rousing new musical score that heightens every magical moment. Listen as a list Stars like Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore and Keir Knightley as Professor Umbridge create a spellbinding experience for not only longtime Harry Potter fans, but also those brand new to the magical world of witchcraft and wizardry. The first story, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, is available now, with new audiobooks releasing every month. Moving forward, it's Harry Potter like you've never heard it before. Listen on audible. Go to audible.com HP1 and start listening today. What's going on? Called the little ones. Mom, dad, and Nana won't be here until dinner time, so it's up to us to make Thanksgiving. You guys play a game or something while Ben and I cook. We want to cook, said Sol and Sam. Yeah, we can help, added Roxy and Rhodey. Okay, said Tilly. Let's do this. All the kids cheered and they got to work. Tilly thought touching the inside of the turkey was gross, but her middle siblings, Roxy and Rhodey, had no problem, so she gave them that job. She had Ben take over the potatoes and gave the littlest ones the job of breaking apart the dinner rolls, which came in one big tray, all attached together. It started well. Tilly got the oven on and preheated and then went to check on the turkey. Stuffing almost done? She asked, and Roxy smiled widely. Done and better than mom and dad could ever do, she said. What do you mean? Tilly asked. Take a look. Tilly looked and saw they had used the herbs and stuffing she had put out for them, but they hadn't stopped there. They'd added some of their favorite candy, half a jar of Nutella, a handful of leftover bits of cheese, and anything else they could find that looked tasty. Whoa. Wild, she said, and then she smiled. Tilly was in charge, but she was still just a kid herself and couldn't help but want to taste their strange creation. Okay, let me put it in the oven. She popped the turkey in the oven, then went to see how Ben was handling the potatoes. She found him in the pantry covered in potatoes from head to Toe Ben, what happened? Ben pointed at the mixing bowl he had tried to use. He didn't lock it into the base first, and it had shot around in wild circles, flinging potatoes everywhere. Sorry, sis, he said. Should we start over? Tilly thought of peeling all those potatoes again and shook her head. Just scrape the potatoes off the wall and the counter and into the bowl. They'll still be good. Roger that, said Ben. Next, Tilly checked on the little ones. They had gotten the rolls apart successfully, but had then started throwing them at each other one little bit at a time. By the time Tilly found them, they, Sol and Sam were in a pile of shredded bread like a mound of snow and laughing their butts off. Tilly laughed too, and figured the bread was probably fine. She stuck it all back into lumpy balls and threw them on a tray. Inspired by all her siblings creativity, Tilly decided to freestyle a little herself. Figuring the turkey got a late start, she cranked the temperature up to 450 to really get it going. Then she took the carrots and decided to spice them up since she'd been into Mexican food lately. She hit them with cumin and chili powder, and then they looked this awesome red orange color, so she threw those into the oven, too. What now? Her siblings asked. Now we wait. Tilly got all of them playing a game of hide and seek and then tag, and then they all fell down in the living room to watch another movie when all of a sudden the smoke detector started beeping. Fire. Screamed Saul. And he started running in circles. That set off Sam, who started screaming while Tilly ran into the kitchen. Luckily, nothing seemed to be on fire, but the oven was letting out big clouds of black smoke. The turkey. She jammed the off button on the oven and then pulled open the door. A great cloud of black smoke billowed out and the smoke detectors upstairs started going off too. Fire. Screamed Ben. This time, everyone out. The kids hadn't really gotten dressed for the day, and during tag and hide and seek they'd shed even more clothes. So it was a gang of six kids who all ran into the front yard. Some missing shirts, some missing socks, and the baby, Sam, with her whole butt hanging out. And of course, that's when mom and dad got home. Dad took one look at them all outside and heard the smoke alarms inside, and he ran in to check. A minute later the alarms were off and he waved them all back in. Just a smoking turkey, he called. Nothing to worry about, but I'll crack some windows. Nana's here, sam said, throwing herself into Nana's legs. I'm here, angel, nana said, patting her awkwardly with her arm in the cast. We made dinner, Nana, said Sol. I ripped up all the bread. Sounds wonderful, said Nana, laughing. They went inside and Tilly tried to set the table, but since they had ignored every instruction their parents had given them, it wasn't quite the normal spread. The carrots were so spicy that Nana took one bite and started coughing, needing three glasses of milk before she could speak again. The potatoes scraped up, had bits of dirt and hair all through them, and the rolls hadn't stuck back together right, so they were mostly a tray of crispy black breadcrumbs. But worst of all was the turkey. Tilly had jacked the heat up so high that it was burnt crisp and black on the outside like a smoking shell. The inside was still raw, and the stuffing and candy mix they'd improvised had melted and run out, leaving a huge scorching pile at the bottom of the pan. There wasn't a single edible bite of Thanksgiving dinner to be had, and soon all the kids started to cry. All except Tilly, who was old enough to know that it was at least partly her fault. I'm sorry, she said to her parents and Nana. They should have followed your instructions, but we got a little carried away. It's okay, mom said. It was a lot to ask of you. Besides, said dad, we had a feeling this might happen. Why don't you and Ben go get the boxes in the back of the car? Tilly and Ben ran outside and opened the trunk to find three huge boxes full of food. One was a giant turkey, another all the sides, and the third was full of Nana's pies. They cheered and carried it back inside. All of you get cleaned up and go to bed, dad said. Thanksgiving's tomorrow. We should help clean the kitchen, Tilly said. We should? Asked Roxy. We should, said Ben. And so the older kids helped put the younger ones to bed, and then they stayed up and helped clean up their mess while Nana told them all about her trip to the doctors. And the next day they all got together in the morning to cook Thanksgiving dinner. The kids got to help again, but this time they listened and learned from dad, mom, and Nana. The turkey came out perfectly, the stuffing wasn't melted at all, and the carrots were sweet and not spicy, and when they sat down to eat, it was the most delicious Thanksgiving any of them could remember. The End Today's story, An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving, was an adaptation of a story by Louisa May Alcott written for you by Daniel Hines. It was edited and produced by Ellie Hines and performed for you by me, Amanda Weldon. If you would like to support Stories podcast, you can leave us a five star review on itunes. Check out all of our merch available@storiespodcast.com Shop Commission a special video on Cameo, follow us on Instagram toriespodcast or simply tell your friends about us. Thanks for listening.