Thanksgiving traditions

**kattails** · 11-03-2010, 09:18 AM

since the only family I have is my grumpy, pessimistic 76 year old dad....I was wondering if anyone has any traditions for Thanksgiving? I know people have lots of traditions for Christmas and it seems Thanksgiving always gets left out. I want to teach my kids that Thanksgiving is an important holiday as well.

so does your entire family get together and help cook? do you put up Christmas decorations after dinner? or the day after Thanksgiving? does a large group of friends and family get together to go Black Friday shopping? or do you just sit around, eat, laugh, and enjoy each other's company?

what kind of traditions do you have for Thanksgiving?

**jas** · 11-03-2010, 09:41 AM

This is what usually goes down here. I do the cooking for Thanksgiving as it is my favorite out the the two holidays. My SIL or MIL does the other.

It is ususally my family ,4 of us, in laws 2, great grandma who will be 100 in Feb., SIL and family 4 of them, and my brother, who last month got married. Have the traditional dinner, usually try to have a least one dish that is new or a twist on an old standard.

The time we eat depends on what SIL and her dh have to fit in that day. Her dh parents are divorced so some times they have to fit them both in and then our side of the family. It does not matter to me I'm good eating early or later. They usually like to hit us last so they can spend more time with us and not have to rush off to make the next stop.

Some game is usually on the tv. If the dinner is on the later side FIL will only want to stay a little bit as he gets antsy and wants to get back home. No problem, as I am ususally bushed by that time and ready to have a rest.

There is never any family drama that happens no wild arguments or drunken outbursts. No one really drinks much anyway a beer or two or a glass of wine.

We don't get together and go shopping on black Friday or anything. Some may go shopping, but we don't make plans to to it together.

We don't live all that far apart, about 30min, but we don't tend to just hang out unless it is a birthday, or someone is visiting from out of town. We always say we should, but don't. It is not that we don't get along just life gets in the way.

One of my brothers still lives in the town we are from in Wisconsin and we were there over the holidays last year. They all do everything together. I mean if one part of the family goes out for icecream they call a bunch of the others and they all go. That is way different from what we do. Sometimes I think it would be neat, but don't know how much we would really do that.

My dd was just in awe of how much they go and do all together. She complains that after dark she can't blast me out of the house. It is true. They don't care what time it is, and it was snowing and off they go. They call each other all the time and they have tons of drop in visitors. And it was not just because of the holidays. That is what is normal for them.

**McD** · 11-03-2010, 09:51 AM

Hubby and I have a fairly large family. His parents are split and remarried and both live fairly close.

My parents and one set of grandparents live approximately 4 hours away and my mom's side of the family lives about 6 hours away.

Hubby and I decided when we first got married that Thanksgiving was our Holiday. We don't travel. We stay at our house and celebrate Thanksgiving our way, with your babies. We invite our neighbor over who doesn't have close family and we spend the afternoon eating and having a good old time.

I make a nice big meal (it varies on what we have, this year it's gonna be a ham), all kinds of side dishes, appetizers, and desserts.

Wesley helps me cook.

**Contrary Housewife** · 11-03-2010, 10:23 AM

Our family is too small and too scattered to gather, but DH and I always make the traditional meal, and enough food for 10 people. I set the table with the good china and the candle sticks shaped like turkeys.

At least, we do that on the years when we don't decide to take the week off for vacation and go someplace exotic. (and warm)

**Ceashels** · 11-03-2010, 11:15 AM

Greebo and I typically spend Thanksgiving at his folks house since we can't go up at Christmas (bell choir obligations). They don't do turkey. So when we return on Sat or Sunday, I cook a turkey, make stuffing and we enjoy the works with my Mom and Bro.

This year, the in-laws are out of country so we'll be doing the works ON the actual day. And will usually play some board games after to help us all stay awake!

**moasmom** · 11-03-2010, 01:02 PM

For years, DH and I always hosted Thanksgiving for whoever from either of our families was available to come (we both come from divorced and blended families, so there is quite a mix). Then in quick succession, deaths and alzheimers entered the family landscape, and we couldn't afford to host any more, and the whole dynamic changed.

I used to love Thanksgiving, and now it's sort of depressing. This year, like last year, DH and I will be having Thanksgiving dinner with his mom and grandma in grandma's alzheimer's care facility (she isn't allowed to leave, not even for a quick meal out). Sigh.

I'm actually hoping that one of the catering companies I have signed up with pick me to work on Thanksgiving. *Fingers crossed*

Eek, sorry for being so depressing. I didn't even realize it was bothering me so much. Now, for traditions: my family always took a Thanksgiving walk sometime during the day, before dinner (which we eat at dinner time, not early in the afternoon) to collect pretty fallen leaves for the table. When we get back, we scatter the leaves on the table and then toss out some M&M's (pick out/eat the blue ones!). Regular M&M's come in perfect fall leaf colors and everyone loves eating them throughout the meal.

We also usually do a puzzle together after dinner. And no football! At least in my house. We haven't had cable since 2000, so no one could watch it anyway. Too bad.

**happymomof4** · 11-03-2010, 01:53 PM

The last few years I cook for my immediate family. We always seem to add people. Some years my fil comes and dh always invites people that don't have any where to go. Years ago we use to go visit friends. When the kids got into high school sports got in the way(football and cheerleading).

I make oyster stuffing for Thanksgiving. It is the only time I make it.

**Syn D** · 11-03-2010, 02:37 PM

What has pretty much been our tradition for almost 22 yrs. is ~ I make the dinner and decorate for Christmas.. Hubby watches football.. Kids do their thing.. Only son in house this turkey day, so he'll probably be watching football with hubby..

**frugal is fun** · 11-03-2010, 03:47 PM

My thanksgiving has changed over the past years.

When I was first married and we bought our house I would host thanksgiving. I actually have a picture of me, my mom and my grandmother from that first thanksgiving on my refrigerator. My grandmother and mom both died shortly (3 years) after that. I'm grateful for the few years that I had but thanksgiving hasn't been the same since.

I tried to continue to host the holiday but that left my elderly inlaws and my DH's (at the time) brother and his family, my brother and his new wife. No one offered to help never mind bring anything. One year I was sick for pretty much the entire month of November and NO ONE offered to help, bring anything, pick anything up, NOTHING. So I cancelled thanksgiving.

The following year I gave birth 10 days early on Thanksgiving Day.

I have since gotten divorced and my brother and his wife now host thanksgiving.

This year my sons birthday happens to fall on Thanksgiving so its a little bit more special but in all honestly, thanksgiving hasn't been the same since my mom and gramma died in 2002/2003.

**shoiji** · 11-05-2010, 05:52 PM

Really don't have any traditions. My family has a tradition of not celebrating the holiday on the real holiday but another day close to the holiday. While I understand why I am really glad that is over with.

**sunshine** · 11-05-2010, 08:46 PM

Nov. 1st. . . we place a paper, outline of a tree on the living room door, along with an envelope of colored leaves, and a marker. All who enter are encouraged to place a leaf on our tree of Thanksgiving, by writing something they are thankful for on the leaf and taping it to the tree.

There is a tablecloth in the family --- for Thanksgiving dinner, all present, trace their hand on the cloth with a fabric marker, then sign and date it. It's fun to look back with fond memories of those who are no longer here, comment on how the kids have grown, etc. The year dh and I got married, we traced our hands, intertwined on the cloth

After dinner on Thanksgiving (which is lunch here), we all go rabbit hunting (yes, even the women go). . . good way to walk off the dinner, and have some fun. .. maybe even get some meat for the freezer.

Thanksgiving day, is also the day we put out the jar for the Christmas offerings. . . years ago I found an activity where you put in so much for various things on each day -- like a dime for every light bulb in the house, a nickle for each pair of shoes, etc. The week of Christmas, the money goes to charity.