Thanksgiving Day 2010

[Big Man]

... With my dear father passing away 6 wks ago, it is going to be VERY hard. I just don't feel like cooking or even really celebrating the day ...

I know how you feel, shopgirl61. The holidays, especially those just after the loss of a parent, can be really hard. When my parents were living, Thanksgiving (and Christmas, too) were really BIG holidays. For Thanksgiving, we would always go to my sister-in-law's house (my wife's sister) for Thanksgiving dinner. All of my wife's family would be there. We'd have a huge meal and spend the rest of the day watching the parades and/or ball games on TV. Then on Friday, all of my family would gather at my Dad and Mom's house for a repeat of the entire Thanksgiving dinner. Two HUGE meals on two days.

Now that the children are all grown with their own families and both my folks have now passed away, we go to my in-law's house for a meal on Thanksgiving day. Then on Saturday (as that's usually the best time to get all my children together), we have our own family Thanksgiving meal at the old home place. It feels good to be able to sit at the same table as my great grandparents sat at over 140 years ago and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with my family.

So, shopgirl61, should you find yourself needing a place to celebrate Thanksgiving, you will always be welcomed at our table.

 

[Spitfire]

No plans! Nothing! Just another day at the office.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Friends who we've had here for the last 4-5 years just bought a house in August, so we're going there. The problem is it's about 90 minutes away, he's a bit of a pill and she's great, and though I've asked a couple times what we should bring, it's the "Gee, I dunno." Frankly, I'd rather stay here because I like doing the whole spread and I had to fight the impulse to grab some brining mix at Williams-Sonoma Saturday night. Gee, who knows - we keep hearing it's going to be snowy winter in Seattle - maybe it'll get really snowy that week.

 

[davidraphael]

I'm English, my wife is American, so we compromise: we always drink bourbon and listen to William Burroughs' Thanksgiving Prayer:
[video=youtube;s4nSxArk9g8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4nSxArk9g8[/video]

 

[23SkidooWithYou]

Then on Saturday (as that's usually the best time to get all my children together), we have our own family Thanksgiving meal at the old home place.

You just gave me a great idea, Big Man. Maybe I'll make my first attempt at a Thanksgiving meal that Saturday. Kinda takes the pressure off. Thanks! Plus, the fire department might be more available on Saturday than the actual holiday! LOL

I also appreciate the balance you've expressed between the cherished memories of parents and grandparents and creating new memories with children and grandchildren. The connection between generations, past and present, is really a finely woven fabric and one we are all fortunate to wear, if you will.

 

[kamikat]

I stopped having Thanksgiving with my extended family years ago. Life is too precious to spend time with people who are toxic. Every year, we invite friends who also have toxic family relationships and every year my Thanksgiving gets bigger and bigger. I call it Thanksgiving with the Family You Choose. It's generally a full, traditional Thanksgiving menu.

 

[Cricket]

Since becoming an adult with our own family, the night before Thanksgiving we eat with my husband's family. We talk and fellowship with one another until the kiddies start getting tired. Then it's off to bed with full bellies.

Then on actual Thanksgiving, it is a ritual. Our two year old and I watch the parade while I put the finishing touches on the feast, which include putting the deli-made dressing in the oven. We still haven't mastered that dish yet. Then we wait for my family to arrive and dive in.

Then its football games and outdoor activities.

May not sound like much but it's a great way to start the holiday weekend.

Finally after all the extended family is gone, that Friday we search for a Christmas tree, cut it down, decorate and get ready for the Christmas season. I think I like the Christmas kick-off just as much as the other festivities.

 

[shopgirl61]

I know how you feel, shopgirl61. The holidays, especially those just after the loss of a parent, can be really hard. When my parents were living, Thanksgiving (and Christmas, too) were really BIG holidays. For Thanksgiving, we would always go to my sister-in-law's house (my wife's sister) for Thanksgiving dinner. All of my wife's family would be there. We'd have a huge meal and spend the rest of the day watching the parades and/or ball games on TV. Then on Friday, all of my family would gather at my Dad and Mom's house for a repeat of the entire Thanksgiving dinner. Two HUGE meals on two days.

Now that the children are all grown with their own families and both my folks have now passed away, we go to my in-law's house for a meal on Thanksgiving day. Then on Saturday (as that's usually the best time to get all my children together), we have our own family Thanksgiving meal at the old home place. It feels good to be able to sit at the same table as my great grandparents sat at over 140 years ago and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal with my family.

So, shopgirl61, should you find yourself needing a place to celebrate Thanksgiving, you will always be welcomed at our table.

TY Big Man, you brought a tear to my eye.

*Blessings*

 

[shopgirl61]

I stopped having Thanksgiving with my extended family years ago. Life is too precious to spend time with people who are toxic. Every year, we invite friends who also have toxic family relationships and every year my Thanksgiving gets bigger and bigger. I call it Thanksgiving with the Family You Choose. It's generally a full, traditional Thanksgiving menu.

KamiKat - :eusa_clap

Love it!

 

[shopgirl61]

Oh sweetie... I hope you didn't take what I wrote the wrong way. Chinet or china, it doesn't matter! It's the love that goes into your meal that does I was just telling you our tradition. I'm sorry you won't have the big get together you thought you would. I understand since every Christmas it's usually just the four of us, now that we live away from everyone in our families and I was used to a lot of people joking and laughing. You know what though, it will be just fine. You will be surrounded by your children that love you and that is truly a gift. Oh and yes, it's all me in the kitchen. No one but my mother is allowed in there and she doesn't live here.

Try to make it a cheery event even if you're sad.... pretend you're Julia Child and have some wine or make some hot cocoa if you don't drink, put on some great music (even if it's Christmas music) and enjoy yourself. The kids will love it! It's hard to be sad when you're listening to Mele Kalikimaka http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEvGKUXW0iI

Rue, no worries as I never took offense

As long as we don't have to do dishes! I have always admired china and to me it was something that was given as a wedding present. I've never been married and therefore have none. But, I have had 3 kids and still have remnents of their blankies that are priceless heirlooms to me

 

[rue]

Rue, no worries as I never took offense

As long as we don't have to do dishes! I have always admired china and to me it was something that was given as a wedding present. I've never been married and therefore have none. But, I have had 3 kids and still have remnents of their blankies that are priceless heirlooms to me

Oh thank goodness! I'm such a worry wart. I seriously worry that I've offended someone everyday by accident and then worry about it constantly. I'm really just a big ol' mess lol

Ahhhh... baby blankets.... is there anything more precious?

Sorry for being fftopic:

 

[JimWagner]

Thanksgiving day my daughter and her family will drive up from Atlanta. We'll be doing Chinese hot pot that day. If you aren't familiar with this it's best described as Chinese fondue in a broth instead of oil. Thin sliced beef, chicken and shrimp dunked in the community pot and then dipped into a sauce you make up from a table full of condiments, eaten with rice.

The following day we'll do the full on traditional American Thanksgiving turkey dinner. I may have to try that Mung Potatoes recipe from up-thread, though. Really sounded good.

 

[PrairieSunrise]

We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving at my parents house. The 5 married siblings who live close will be coming home to join the 4 of us still at home. Along with their spouses and kids that's gonna be 26, and we're having a few friends with no local family over to bring the total number up to 33.

We'll provided the main dishes of turkey (one roasted, one deep fried), smoked ham and smoked ribs (Dad smokes them Wednesday night), gravy's and oyster stuffing, breads, and desserts. Everyone else is going to bring salads and other vegetables and potatoes.

Before dinner we'll have a short Thanksgiving service where Mom will go over the first Thanksgiving story so that all the kids know why the day is special. We'll sing the traditional Thanksgiving hymns and a few patriotic ones. Then we'll eat.

After the main meal is cleaned up, we adults will sit around and talk politics and play music and the kids will play games or join us adults if they want.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Last year we had Thanksgiving for the first time without my dad and mother, who had passed away. For me, Thanksgiving was always about family gatherings, with seven or eight in attendance for years and years. So, we opened up our house to some families at church who didn't have local relatives and had a feast. We moved furniture out of the living room to make room for some extra tables, and put all the leaves in the dining table.

We had two turkeys, two kinds of dressing, cranberry sauces, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, jello salad, and rolls. This is not counting the mammoth relish tray my wife puts together to snack on while we're cooking. A family quite knowledgeable about wine brought several bottles picked to complement all the dishes. For dessert there was pumpkin pie, chocolate pie, and apple pie, all with whipped cream or ice cream or both, it's Thanksgiving let's go the whole nine yards, and a pot of coffee.
I do the turkey, make the dressing with cornbread made from scratch using my mother's hand written recipe, and my wife makes the gravy from the turkey drippings. The sides and desserts and vegetables are brought by our guests.

We ate too much, and laughed, and dozed, and gave thanks, and I didn't want it to end.

 

[Wally_Hood]

Yes, I don't care if they change 10 minutes later but when we sit down and pray and give thanks we shall all be dressed up.

I grew up when you dressed in your Sunday best for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner; now I can get my kids to wear semi-dressy clothes for the duration of the meal and then they act like they're choking or something. These occasions call for the best recipes, the best china, and the best clothes.

 

[C44Antelope]

My son is in the local high school marching band. They are marching in the McDonalds' Thanksgiving Day Parade in Chicago. That's the main event for our family this year.

 

[Babydoll]

My parents are coming over to our house for Thanksgiving. I'm doing the cooking (as always). I've asked everyone what they need to have to make it seem like Thanksgiving. My parents are very easy to please - turkey! The Mister wants his grandmother's (Lilypie is named after her) recipe for cornbread dressing. I'll make that for him.

It will be interesting because it's Lilypie's first holiday with her eating solids. I wonder what she will like the most...

 

[Big Man]

This is the earliest family Thanksgiving picture I have. I believe it was taken in 1952 or 1953. That's my Dad and Mother in the foreground. The man at the head of the table is my grandfather Dobson (my Mother's father). The older lady in the back, left is my great grandmother Sparks (my Mother's grandmother). I believe this was the first Thanksgiving dinner in my grandparent's barn. Yes, that's right, barn.

In early 1952, their house burned. My grandfather Dobson renovated the barn into a house. Excepting several years when my grandfather was working for the Department of Defense, they lived in "the barn" for the rest of their life.

As a child, Thanksgiving was always at our house. My grandmother Brown and my two aunts (Dad's sisters),my grandmother and grandfather Dobson, and two of my grandmother Brown's nieces (who were elderly ladies back then) always attended Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving was always a great family time at our house.

 

[Foofoogal]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Oh how I love family. Wonderful scene Big Man. Looks like some we used to have. It is hard when so many ones you love are gone before you.
Just love that photo.

 

[rue]

This is the earliest family Thanksgiving picture I have. I believe it was taken in 1952 or 1953. That's my Dad and Mother in the foreground. The man at the head of the table is my grandfather Dobson (my Mother's father). The older lady in the back, left is my great grandmother Sparks (my Mother's grandmother). I believe this was the first Thanksgiving dinner in my grandparent's barn. Yes, that's right, barn.

In early 1952, their house burned. My grandfather Dobson renovated the barn into a house. Excepting several years when my grandfather was working for the Department of Defense, they lived in "the barn" for the rest of their life.

As a child, Thanksgiving was always at our house. My grandmother Brown and my two aunts (Dad's sisters),my grandmother and grandfather Dobson, and two of my grandmother Brown's nieces (who were elderly ladies back then) always attended Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving was always a great family time at our house.

Big man.... I have to tell you that between your home that I found on the vintage homes thread and your stories everywhere on this site that I've read.... I am sincerely jealous of your nostalgic life. You should write book. I'd buy it!