Thanksgiving Traditions
Thanksgiving is ONE WEEK from TODAY! Somehow that just doesn’t seem possible! I mean, where did August go? Not to mention September, October and half of November! Wow, but this year seems to be screaming past.
But I digress… as usual.
Thanksgiving… it is a wholly American holiday (although the Canadians have their version too) and one that seems to be the “kick-off” for the holiday season of parties and get-together’s. The beginning of that “Most Wonderful Time of the Year” – or something like that.
This year we will be spending Thanksgiving with some extended family that we haven’t seen in a while, and I am so looking forward to it! I was reading through my email and came across a contest where Target is asking about Thanksgiving Traditions, and it got me thinking about some of ours. If you want to take part in the bloggy goodness, head over to TwitterMoms and read up on it.
We all have those traditions that were passed down to us or that we have begun in our own family – those little things that we do or foods that we eat every year that almost seem required. It’s just not Thanksgiving without Grandma’s stuffing or that homemade pumpkin pie. Well, our family is no different when it comes to having those traditions that have been handed to us, and that we are passing along to the next generation.
And football has no part in it!
One of the traditions that was begun by my family when I was around 10 was going to see a Christmas movie on Thanksgiving night. We started doing it when the theaters first opened up their doors for the occasion. I remember going to the theater and NOT having to stand in a hugely long line to get tickets – or getting them in advance! Now that seems to be a tradition for a lot of families – the line stretches around the outside of the theater! We make sure it’s always a Christmas movie – whichever one is out early enough to see on Thanksgiving. This year I think it’s going to be A Christmas Carol – but not in 3D since 3D really freaks one of my kids out.
Another of our traditions has been passed down through the generations. Whether you call it dressing or stuffing, it’s the savory bread pudding-ish dish that is a Thanksgiving must-have. My grandma started the recipe (as far as I know!), and both my mom and I have tweaked the recipe to fit into our family and place our own signature on it. But to have a Thanksgiving meal without it? That just won’t be happening! I’ve even passed it along to my in-law’s! Which reminds me… I need to send the recipe over to D today so she can get a jump on it. I am hopeful that the girls will take the basic recipe that has been handed down and place their own stamp on it and continue the tradition.
One food tradition that I personally can do without though? The onion green bean casserole thing. No thanks! Green beans, absolutely! Cooked quickly with a little bit of bacon and perhaps some oyster sauce, salt and pepper, but that’s it!
The tradition that Eric & I have started, however, revolves around the pumpkin pie. He gets a good sugar pumpkin and we all gather around the counter and work at scraping out the seeds and pulp. He roasts it while the girls & I separate the seeds from the “gunk” inside and we dry out the seeds or roast them while the pumpkin browns in the oven. Then the girls help him scrape, mix and bake a fabulous pumpkin pie totally from scratch. And wow, is it good!
The only other requirement for Thanksgiving around here? Make sure it is filled with family and friends! After all, relationships are one of those things that I am most thankful for!
What are some of your traditions?
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