|
Post by justkat on Nov 12, 2016 17:39:25 GMT
I'm from Belgium. We, obviously, don't celebrate Thanksgiving. However I now live in the states and am married to an American. Thanksgiving is his favourite holiday. I rather like it myself; what's not to like about giving thanks for our blessings and eating a boatload of good food. lol
So I thought maybe we could share some Thanksgiving traditions.....
Giving thanks is important to me. I try to keep in mind that no matter how bad things are they could always be worse. So over the years I've done different things to allow my guests to showcase their sentiments. One year I placed a blank book and a variety of writing utensils on the side table. Throughout the day all my guests wrote/drew etc little notes and pictures about the things they were grateful for that year. We passed it around the table the following year and reminisced.
Another year I bought a plain white tablecloth. I passed around fabric markers and had my guests do as above but directly on the tablecloth. The kids especially got a kick out of it. After the holidays I paid a friend who does lovely embroidery to embroider over everything so that it's permanent. I now use it most every Thanksgiving.
Another tradition we have is to open our doors for the majority of the holiday so that all our family/friends/neighbors/coworkers etc have a place to go. We welcome people to come watch the parade. Afterwards we have our formal sit-down dinner. All are welcome. Once dinner is over, I arrange the food on platters and place it on my buffet and do an open-house. People are welcome to come for any or all of the day.
Finally the last tradition we have....we always set an empty place at the dinner table. This is to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us whether that they have passed on or are overseas serving our country. We set their place with the dishes but no place-card or silverware. On top of the place setting where I'd normally put the silverware I place a single opened white rose.
So what are some of the traditions or special things you do for Thanksgiving?
|
|
styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,882
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
|
Post by styxgirl on Nov 12, 2016 18:34:01 GMT
Great thread idea!
Ours mostly revolve around food!
We make family recipes: Grandma'broccoli casserole My best friend's corn casserole My Mom's cranberry sauce I buy my favorite Wensleydale cheese with cranberries (mmmmm!)
I also buy flowers on sale and taper candles and have my daughters make the centerpieces for the tables.
And we watch football!
|
|
michellegb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,915
Location: New England and loving it!
Jun 26, 2014 0:04:59 GMT
|
Post by michellegb on Nov 12, 2016 18:38:10 GMT
Great thread!
I make my grandmother's stuffing We share all our favorite family stories of our little quirks and good times We watch football And our newest tradition - mimosas while we finish up cooking and getting things ready
|
|
styxgirl
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,882
Jun 27, 2014 4:51:44 GMT
|
Post by styxgirl on Nov 12, 2016 18:40:05 GMT
Great thread! I make my grandmother's stuffing We share all our favorite family stories of our little quirks and good times We watch football And our newest tradition - mimosas while we finish up cooking and getting things ready I like the mimosa tradition!! ;-)
|
|
michellegb
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,915
Location: New England and loving it!
Jun 26, 2014 0:04:59 GMT
|
Post by michellegb on Nov 12, 2016 18:55:59 GMT
styxgirl It certainly puts us all in a good mood and eliminates worrying about getting everything perfect.
|
|
|
Post by padresfan619 on Nov 12, 2016 18:59:35 GMT
We always take our family Christmas card picture on Thanksgiving Day. Some years we are dressed up and magically somehow coordinated, other years we are in t shirts and flip flops. Just depends on how we decided to show up that day.
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Nov 12, 2016 19:16:27 GMT
It's mostly eating and football! Rolls, pasta salad, dip, pies,.... are made by specific people each year. Some are recipes passed down and some are newer ones that have become favorites. Me and my husband come from big families, so it's NOT formal. We wear t-shirts and jeans. Too much body heat! We sit wherever we can and use paper plates. My MIL tries to make it fancier but it's a mixture of china and regular dinnerware.
|
|
leeny
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,656
Location: Northern California
Site Supporter
Jun 27, 2014 1:55:53 GMT
|
Post by leeny on Nov 13, 2016 0:27:49 GMT
Years and years ago my kids made place mats for everyone. We collected leaves from the yard, glued them on paper, wrote each family member's name, added stickers and glitter and ran each piece of paper through the laminator. We have several that say "guest" just in case. We use them every year. We try to play games, this year we will play white elephant bingo. Everyone has to bring something used from home that is wrapped and I bring my old school bingo set. And if we can last long enough to when the little ones are tuckered out, we will move them to another room and those 16 and over will play Cards Against Humanity. '
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Nov 13, 2016 1:32:24 GMT
I forgot the biggest one! We pick a family in need. Buy a small tree, and attach the money. It's what we do instead of buy gifts for each other. It's done early December so they can use it for presents or bills.
|
|
|
Post by justkat on Nov 13, 2016 2:21:09 GMT
Another tradition, sort of, that we have.....
If there are little ones coming to dinner I try to go all out on their table. The kids' table is often seen as boring or the blah place to be. lol So I try to make their table really awesome so they think the adults are the ones at the boring dumb table. I use special decorations, place little gifts and activities at their seats. I give them little treats etc. I really love making up their table. But we don't always have little ones.
|
|
tincin
Drama Llama
![*](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/stars/star_green.png)
Posts: 5,368
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
|
Post by tincin on Nov 13, 2016 3:16:44 GMT
We have people over well before dinner so we can play games for prizes. My sister and I always pick up the gifts, silly things, useful things, lottery tickets, special candy, etc. The games vary but everyone plays and the hooting and hollering start not too long after the games begin. It's awesome.
|
|
IAmUnoriginal
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,894
Jun 25, 2014 23:27:45 GMT
|
Post by IAmUnoriginal on Nov 13, 2016 3:28:42 GMT
We make mostly family recipes, but every year we try something new. So far, only one recipe has been added to the old, loved standards. We eat the big meal between 1 and 2, get it all cleaned up and break out the board games. When we are with my brothers and their families, the kids and the dads all bring their nerf guns to the host family's house. An all out nerf war breaks out at some point between lunch and leftovers.
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Nov 13, 2016 3:37:55 GMT
I really love making up their table. But we don't always have little ones. The kids table! That was a tradition at my grandma and grandpa's house. I was so excited as I got older each year and was closer to moving away from the card table. Then I realized I was the youngest grandchild and there was no room.
|
|
|
Post by librarylady on Nov 13, 2016 3:45:26 GMT
As we have aged things change, but there is still food and fellowship. I am one of 9 siblings. My parent's home was the gathering place for extended family. At one time we had about 45 people at the house for the feast. Now that the nieces and nephews are married etc. and they have to share the holiday with inlaws etc., our crowd has really dwindled. 5 of us, and spouses still gather at my mother's home.
Our big tradition is the love of pies. For many years, we did not discuss who was bringing what, but things worked out. We'd have 2-3 turkeys and great quantities of side dishes --and pies.
Then, came the year that we had turkey, dressing and 42 pies.....yes, that was the side dish everyone brought--pies!! LOL After that, we discuss who is bringing what---although some insist there was absolutely NO problem with the year of the pies!
|
|
|
Post by refugeepea on Nov 13, 2016 3:49:48 GMT
Our big tradition is the love of pies. For many years, we did not discuss who was bringing what, but things worked out. We'd have 2-3 turkeys and great quantities of side dishes --and pies. Then, came the year that we had turkey, dressing and 42 pies.....yes, that was the side dish everyone brought--pies!! LOL After that, we discuss who is bringing what---although some insist there was absolutely NO problem with the year of the pies! We had the same problem! Then we did assignments. Me and my sister were the youngest so we ended up being assigned chips and dips. Huge family and everything else was taken. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/5645536/images/MNrJDkDuSwqIMVw33MdD.jpg)
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 15, 2024 4:06:10 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2016 3:50:23 GMT
This thread is awesome! I especially like the little tree with cash ornaments for a needy family. I think I'll do that. My friend is a civilian on the local police force head of victims assistance. I'll bet she knows someone who can use it.
My family is small and about 25 years ago I seemed to be the only one with a stable marriage & a house with some kind of cooking skills. I was in my early 30s. So I hosted Thanksgiving & invited my parents, my DH's parents (all of whom were divorced & some remarried) and any other relative that wanted to come. Meal at noon.
Well, that stuck as tradition for everyone & my kids & my nieces love this tradition. It was interesting to have a bunch of divorced people on their best behavior in my little house. And oh my gosh, the food has been amazing! All from scratch & every cook has a specialty. We eat around noon then by 3:00 I've loaded the first dishwasher load & ready to watch the cowboys with those who don't need to run to other family gatherings.
We don't do anything special, but the little house is filled with laughter & stories & good food. It' lasts only a couple of hours but it's precious time. Now, we have a 2 year old & an infant grandsons so that's exciting. And my niece just got engaged.
Just being together is the best.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 15, 2024 4:06:10 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2016 3:56:13 GMT
Oh my gosh, librarylady! The year of pies! That's hilarious!
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 15, 2024 4:06:10 GMT
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 13, 2016 3:58:47 GMT
I have many traditions from growing up. The best one was my mom would invite one or two or ten random folks to join us. Her single best friend. The newly widowed hisband or wife. The new couple next door. The homeless guy she met at the store. Dad called them, lovingly, her strays.
Now that my family is gone, I'm blessed to have been taken in by a lovely family who treats me like one of their blood. My mother's good karma bleses me. ♡
|
|
|
Post by deafpea on Nov 13, 2016 4:55:19 GMT
This is so fun! I love the stories! Year of the pies! LOL! Please keep sharing the stories! My family's traditions have evolved too. When I was growing up, Thanksgiving was always at my grandparents' (Dad's parents) home. They had a nice big home with a long living room so several tables set end to end through the whole length of the living room could seat everyone. Everything was homemade, and all family recipes. It was a very traditional meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy made from the turkey drippings, dressing (made with homemade bread), vegetables (from the garden), rolls (made by my aunt), home-canned pickles, and pies. We had pumpkin, apple, and mincemeat (the fruit kind). Later on we added other kinds of pies. The meal was usually about noon, and after eating the menfolks would clean up while the women chatted. Then whoever was interested would go watch football, and some would go outside. Later on we'd have sandwiches with the leftover turkey on homemade sandwich rolls, along with a vegetable tray and any leftovers that people wanted to eat. As my cousins married, and my grandparents got older, hosting Thanksgiving became too much so my dad and his brother and sister rotated hosting between the three of them. Attendance also varied depending on who was with the in-laws and who was serving LDS (Mormon) missions. Eventually the family just got too big so we ended the big Thanksgiving get together in favor of annual summer reunions, since those could be held outside. With my own family (parents, brothers and sister), the first few years we (DH and I) would go to my parents' home for Thanksgiving, on Thanksgiving. It wasn't a problem because DH's parents lived out of state and didn't always come for Thanksgiving and his sister had her own family and in-laws. I was the only one of the children married for the first 4 years. After my brother and sister married (the same year) and in-laws came into the picture, we'd alternate celebrating Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving with the in-laws. The "off" years we'd celebrate on Friday or Saturday. By this time, DH's parents had moved to our state and we started spending Thanksgiving with them too. So now we spend Thanksgiving with one family and get together with the other family on another day that same weekend. It works out great and everyone is really flexible and it's fun for the kids to have the holiday spread out a little more. We still have pretty much the same menu we had growing up although we've experimented a little. Mom's made cornbread stuffing a few times, and we've tried different ways of making the sweet potatoes (yams n apples and with the marshmallow topping). One dish I remember from the growing up years is creamed onions, but it seems my family isn't that fond of it because we don't make it anymore. I love it though--I think I'll make a dish of it and bring it along with my other dishes. I usually make the green bean casserole (found a fantastic from-scratch recipe from Alton Brown. www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/best-ever-green-bean-casserole-recipe.html). This year I'm also making the frozen cranberry salad in individual molds (that belonged to my grandmother). So now for my Thanksgiving funny story. I can't really remember any big disasters growing up (like dropping the turkey or forgetting something or whatever) but then again, being the only Deaf person in a group of hearing people, I would not have heard anything unless my parents told me. But I can't recall *seeing* anything. One year (probably 6 years ago now or so) my daughter (about age 13 or so) decided she wanted to make pies for the family dinner. She worked hard to make two pumpkin pies from scratch and she was so proud of her efforts. She put them on a jelly roll pan so they wouldn't slide around on the drive up and put them in the car. Unfortunately she put them near the sliding door of the van and when we were all getting in the van, my oldest DS (age 11ish) didn't pay attention to where he was putting his feet---and stepped squarely into one of the pies! We had to throw it away. I felt *so* bad for my DD--she had worked so hard and was so proud of her work, and a moment of carelessness by her brother ruined it! That didn't dampen her enthusiasm for making pies--she now brings a pie each year. Merilee
|
|
|
Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Nov 13, 2016 14:27:58 GMT
Another year I bought a plain white tablecloth. I passed around fabric markers and had my guests do as above but directly on the tablecloth. The kids especially got a kick out of it. After the holidays I paid a friend who does lovely embroidery to embroider over everything so that it's permanent. I now use it most every Thanksgiving. I love that idea!! Finally the last tradition we have....we always set an empty place at the dinner table. This is to remember our loved ones who are no longer with us whether that they have passed on or are overseas serving our country. We set their place with the dishes but no place-card or silverware. On top of the place setting where I'd normally put the silverware I place a single opened white rose. That's beautiful. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and one I miss the most. Back in a previous life (before divorce), I was the house to go to for Thanksgiving. I had cornucopias full of Lindt chocolates overflowing. I'd make several desserts. A turkey and a ham. All the sides you could possibly eat. Now I work Thanksgivings (I'm in the hospitality business and no one is allowed off for Thanksgivings where I work). My kids have Thanksgiving with my folks. But for the past few years, my one tradition with them is to take a photo of me & the kids together when I get home on Thanksgiving night. It's just a quick snapshot on the self timer of my camera. No retakes. The kids are tired and full. I'm tired and hungry. I usually get home around 9 or 10 at night. But it's my first photo in my December Daily (hybrid).
|
|
|
Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Nov 13, 2016 14:37:15 GMT
Then, came the year that we had turkey, dressing and 42 pies.....yes, that was the side dish everyone brought--pies!! LOL!!
|
|