IdeasThanksgiving.com Showcases at-Home Living History Hobby

Lebanon, OR, November 05, 2009 --(PR.com)-- The David and Carrie Franzwa Family of Lebanon, Oregon has launched IdeasThanksgiving.com, a new holiday hobby website that teaches living history as a unique Thanksgiving alternative. The site focuses on early 17th century English, French pirate, and Native Wampanoag cultures, and provides historical how-to information and quick-start resources so families can easily participate in the novel approach.

Franzwa family matriarch, Carrie Franzwa, turned to living history for Thanksgiving in 2007 after realizing the depth of her and her family’s boredom with the holiday. “If you’re not a foodie or football fan, you’re flat out of luck for having any fun on Thanksgiving,” said Franzwa. “I adore my family, but Thanksgiving itself had become a chore, not a vacation break. We needed something different.”

Inspired by her love for living history Franzwa chose to deviate from the traditional observance and attempt a flashback to 1621 New England. Finding no resources for homemakers she was only able to research table settings and certain customs that first year. Her family of teens and adults were unsure of their enthusiasm for planned changes, but their positive response to her efforts on Thanksgiving Day were so encouraging she decided to continue her research and make living history a new holiday tradition.

In 2008 the Franzwa family added Renaissance-era costumes, games, and decorating to their historical mix. This year the Franzwa family will be adding French pirates, which have a clear connection to 1621 Plymouth.

“We are learning amazing things about our history even though that hasn’t been our primary objective” said Carrie Franzwa. “The learning just happens when you’re having fun trying to re-create the past.”

The Franzwa family hopes their enthusiasm for the new hobby proves infectious. To help others more easily join in the alternative hobby, the Franzwa family is sharing their knowledgebase, books, and free quick-start aids, including how to set an authentic 1621 table, at their new website IdeasThanksgiving.com.

Carrie Franzwa is a veteran home educator K-8, and a living history enthusiast who has authored seven K-12 education titles. The Franzwa family maintains an online storefront at Lulu.com/TeachFromTheHeart, and organizes community Thanksgiving events in their hometown of Lebanon, Oregon. For more information about Carrie Franzwa and the Franzwa family, or about IdeasThanksgiving.com and the historical Thanksgiving how-to guide, The American Patriot’s Treasury of Historical Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas, contact Carrie Franzwa at 541-259-6617 days/eves, or 541-258-1566 on Thursdays and Fridays 10-5.

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