In 1621, when the recently arrived Pilgrims from Plymouth, England, sat down to share a feast with their new neighbors, the seed of what we know today as Thanksgiving was planted. The colonists had arrived the year before on a small ship called the Mayflower. Having set out with 102 hopeful adventurers, only half the Pilgrims survived that first brutal winter along the shores of Massachusetts Bay. Starting anew in a foreign land proved difficult, and the hardships they encountered left many of the colonists sick and desperate. The Wampanoag Indians who befriended them taught the new arrivals how to grow corn and where to fish, as well as what dangers lay in the woods—both animal and vegetable.
To celebrate both their first corn harvest and making it through their first year in the new land, the Pilgrims hosted an autumn feast in 1621 that included fowl and fish—though not much in the way of pie desserts, as the Pilgrims’ sugar supply was gone. This annual celebration caught on, and Americans returned to the feast table in the years that followed on unspecified dates across the growing country. It wasn’t until 1863, during the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of thanksgiving be held each November on the last Thursday of the month.
At Leland’s Cabins, we honor our nation’s history and embrace the spirit of sitting down with friends and family to share a delicious meal. But let’s face it, our modern Thanksgiving Day celebration can get complicated. According to AAA (the American Automobile Association), just under 49 million people traveled during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2016. Meaning time we could spend reflecting on the gratitude we feel in our lives is instead spent sitting behind the wheel of a car or standing in a security line at an airport.
That’s why at Leland’s, we like to take this time of year to remind ourselves of the simple pleasures in life, and the real joys we find in cabin living.
Unplugging from the Rat Race
While our cabins are used for a variety of purposes, one of the top reasons customers come to Leland’s is to find a high-quality family cabin. A place where memories are made and childhoods are magical. Mondays to Fridays are all about work and making a living. But the weekends are meant for enjoying the fruits of our labor.
Instead of waiting in line at the airport or facing travel delays on the highway, just load up the car and head to the family cabin for the weekend. Before the kids even have time to ask, “Are we there yet?” you’ll find yourself at your private woodsy getaway.
And what better way to shake off the rat race than to escape to a place where cell-phone service is spotty? Where the office can’t quite reach you? Where the kids’ screen time is replaced with hiking-in-the-woods time? Where your daily commute is a bike ride? And rush hour traffic is left to the geese flying by overhead?
While our cozy cabins tend to attract singles or empty-nesters, our larger models like the two-bedroom, two-bathroom Settlement Harbor and the three-bedroom, two-bathroom Ponderosa provide enough space for everybody to be happy and not underfoot. We consider it our contribution to quality family time.
Ignoring Black Friday Sales
Our custom cabins offer a range of features that appeal to a variety of lifestyles. But something we’re especially proud of is our commitment to giving you the best log cabin homes you’ll find anywhere. Leland’s cabins are Texas made and Texas proud. Meaning pride in craftsmanship and family honor go into each one we make.
Let the rest of the crowd race to the store to catch that bargain on skinny jeans even before their Thanksgiving leftovers have been cleared from the table. With Leland’s, you can take comfort in knowing that we’ll give you the best deal possible on our homes every single day. From the 216-square-foot Rio Bravo all the way to our 1,536-square-foot The Lodge, our range of custom cabin sizes and styles can fit your budget as well as your dreams.
No midnight-madness sale necessary.
So Much More to Do Than Shopping
Once the bird is eaten and the diners around the table are stuffed, the fun can really start. For Leland’s Cabins customers who’ve decided on a log-cabin getaway, the endless joys of nature and the great outdoors are just outside the door and waiting to be experienced. Simply grab your shoes and go.
While stores and businesses like to whip up consumers with enticing sales, at Leland’s we know there’s so much more to do on a long holiday weekend than go shopping. Take the kids out on a hike through the forest. Pump up your bike tires and ride along a country road until sunset. Pull out the s’mores fixings and fire up the logs. Sit outside telling ghost stories until the stars come out. Stay up late listening to the night noises. And wake up early to see the sunrise.
Life’s simple pleasures don’t have to come with a steep price tag. But they’re worth their weight in gold. At Leland’s, we want to help you enjoy life’s special, precious moments. Stop by our cabin supercenter in Grandview, and see for yourself what simple living is all about. Needless to say, we’ll be thankful for your visit.
