Thanksgiving looked different this year, and for good reason. We were in the Bahamas. Palm trees, turquoise-colored water and warm temperatures beckoned us to put on our bathing suits. And this alone seemed good reason to shy away from a Thanksgiving feast.

The primary purpose of this trip was to celebrate 50 years of marriage – my parents. What did they want for a present?

They wanted their kids and families to celebrate the occasion in the Bahamas – Hope Town, on the small island of Elbow Cay, in Abaco. It has become a favorite destination for my parents. It’s quiet, remote and laid back. For the most part, it is a walking village, with cement, single-lane roads lined with bright, pastel-colored cottages with front porches and white picket fences. It’s very quaint.

My family visited Hope Town once before, two years ago, with my parents. Its simple offerings made for a relaxing and memorable trip. When my kids heard that my parents wanted to celebrate their 50th with all of us, they were thrilled, and began counting down the days starting in August.

But somehow, it seemed that 50 years of marriage deserved more recognition. Their anniversary was actually Oct. 14. Waiting until November, so that they could treat their kids and grandkids to the Bahamas, just didn’t seem right.

“Don’t you want a party?” I asked. “It’s too much work,” my mother replied.

Yes, parties are a lot of work, but so is 50 years of marriage. How about a big celebration followed by a second honeymoon? And yes, if you wish, we’ll all be happy to travel Hope Town. My parents agreed to this idea.

After convincing them to have a big party, I asked them for help. Isn’t that what kids do? It wasn’t financial, nor did it involve cleaning up or preparing food. Rather, I wanted to know where those courting, wedding and honeymoon pictures were, as well as those old family movies and photo albums? My mother dug through closets and bookshelves, putting her hand on history’s past as my husband assembled a celebratory slide/movie show. Its final production was a surprise to both parents and guests. And one thing was really clear – my parents love to travel. Perhaps, indeed, this was all that they wanted.

Scanning the party guests, my parents recognized 50 years is a big deal. Only one other couple there had celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary. So many of their friends had lost their spouses, never to celebrate 50 years of marriage. They were glad, after all, to have celebrated. The party over, it was time for another honeymoon – Thanksgiving week in the Bahamas, with daughters, sons-in-law and grandkids.

What would Thanksgiving look like in the Bahamas? There was already so much to be thankful for. I would have been happy with Bahamian fare of conch, grouper, peas and rice and Key lime pie. But we saw during a trip to Hope Town’s little grocery store that, despite their simplicity, townspeople were more than capable of accommodating American visitors.

In bare feet and bathing suits, we cooked a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. We had our turkey, a milestone celebration and a vacation, too. What’s not to be thankful for?