‘Tis the season to give thanks

Norwegians always say thank you. In Norway, you thank the cook; you thank the people around the table, and perhaps you even thank providence for providing you with life-sustaining food. “Takk for maten” means “Thank you for the food.” During this season of giving and gathering, of eating and sharing, it’s nice to say thank you.

Because this year, our gatherings will be a little different—perhaps smaller and more intimate—it’s especially important to be thankful for what we have.

In America, we celebrate Thanksgiving in remembrance of the original meal shared between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. It’s also the holiday that kicks off a month-long marathon of food and family, anchored by the dining table, which is the heart of every home. Whether you eat at the kitchen table or the coffee table, there’s something special about presenting the food in a way that shows you care. Nowadays, formal dining rooms are giving way to great rooms and open spaces. Thanksgiving dinner can be a porch party or a shindig in a barn. Our festivities are fluid, moveable feasts. We’ve shed the shackles of formality and are no longer bound by tradition. And yet, we keep the holiday rituals we care about.

Do you have a favorite bowl for ice cream? A tablecloth handed down from your grandmother? Placemats decorated with your children’s handprints? All of these items are imbued with memories. They are totems of love that make the food we serve taste better and the time we spend together more meaningful. And maybe you still set the table with the good china and crystal, fresh flowers and sterling silver flatware, candles and little pumpkin place card holders. And the memories come flooding back.

In Norway, there’s another phrase for expressing gratitude – “Takk for sist.” Roughly translated, it means, “Thank you for the last time.” It’s an acknowledgement of past times together. It’s an affirmation of why all our holiday rituals and special recipes matter. Thanks for the memories.

Our Stressless® dining chairs will work with your decor and your meals, regardless of your personal style and holiday philosophy.  The chairs have wider seats, armrest options with high-back or low back, and come in a myriad of leather choices.  Best of all, they recline with you, while you’re still at the table, so you can just sit and be thankful.

Here’s how it works:  Stressless® Dining is equipped with the BalanceAdapt™-system to respond to your body’s movements and automatically adjust the seat and back position – without levers or handles. When you lean forward to eat, the seat angle reacts to your movement and immediately reduces the pressure under your legs while still supporting your back. If you want to completely relax, you can lean back. The seat will slide forward to give you a more open and comfortable sitting position.

It’s called Stressless Dining. And it’s an entirely unique way to eat. From Norway with love. You’ll find yourself saying “Tusen takk, Ekornes” – A thousand thank yous!