LaBranche, Mich. (WZMQ) – Many families have certain things they do every year around the holidays, these are commonly known as traditions.
A few days before Thanksgiving I posted on Facebook asking for anyone with unique family traditions to share them. One family in LaBranche had such a compelling story I joined them for Thanksgiving. Here’s how the Welch family makes sure no one who’s eaten at their table is forgotten.
For the Welch’s Thanksgiving means food, family, and one special tablecloth.
“Everyone that came to eat with us added their name,” remarked Carol Welch, who cares for the table cloth and hand sews on the names after every new signature.
The tablecloth has made the trip to every Welch family thanksgiving for at least the last 30 years. They aren’t exactly sure when the tradition started, but they do know the value the names that are signed on it hold.
“I think most importantly are our parents, my mom Joesephine Welch and our Dad Walter Welch,” added Barb Veeser, Carol’s sister and another one of the senior members of the Welch Family.
The names found stretch decades, from members of the family who have passed away, to the youngest of the Welch’s. There was some debate as to who was the first to sign, but it was confirmed that the oldest to sign would now be over 100 and the youngest is just about to turn 3.
“It’s really cool to see my name and see everyone else who I might not have been able to meet,” said Maddilyn, one of the younger family members at the gathering.
About 40 people gather at the Welch Family Camp every year to enjoy the holiday. Coming from as far as Minnesota to break bread and enjoy eachothers company.
“As we get older we definitely see it from a different perspective, when you’re a kid you run around and eat candy and stuff but now you catch up with everyone and see how everyone’s life is going,” commented Paige Welch.
The family made it clear from the moment I pulled into the driveway that even though I had never met them before I would be treated like family. Almost like a Thanksgiving miracle we found out that statement had more truth than we thought. It turns out, unknown to any of us, through the way of my grandmother all the way back in New Jersey I was in fact related to the family.
The table cloth might seem like just a way to hide scratches and give a festive theme, but to the Welch’s it represents much more than that. generations of family, whether it be old or new, sewn together by love and commitment.
