We don't have family nearby, so we always host Thanksgiving for friends in the same boat. We've had as few as 5 at the table, as many as 12. This year, we anticipate 8-11. I love Thanksgiving--to me it's a day that transcends religion and politics--it is what it is, a day to formally stop and acknowledge the good things in life. Yes, we should do so everyday, but I do like that there's a formal 'stop, breathe, think' day for it.
I'll make the cranberry sauce the day before, and I often make gravy the day before and then we just reheat it. Tif and her sweety are bringing the pies, though I'll buy a gluten free one for me, and Brad and his partner are bringing a fruit tray. Jenn and her fiance will be bearing the gluten free bread, and anybody else that shows up can bring beverages and chocolate/nuts. We always provide the turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce and potatoes.
Like Anya, I get up and turn on the parade. But since we eat around 3:00, I get started on the turkey by 10 AM and try to have it into the oven by 10:30. This year, I'm working on a gluten free stuffing and it's going pretty good. Going to make one last batch this weekend with some tweaks, but so far, what I'm making tastes pretty damned good. I'll put the recipe on my personal Gluten Free blog when I am happy with it.
Anyway, since I don't stuff my turkeys, the dressing will go into the upper oven--I'll make this the day before and it can be ready to go in the oven.
This year, we have a small upper oven, and a bigger lower oven, thanks to being in our new home. And a kitchen that I can put a LOT more people to work in. With our house the past eleven years that we rented, it was hard to have one other person in there working. Now I can have plenty of minions.
We'll sit around, talk, watch the parades, munch, and then sit down to a lovely formal dinner at the table. We always have the tradition of holding hands before dinner and going around, talking about what we're grateful for.
And after dinner, after people have digested, our friends help us put up the Yule tree--we don't decorate Thanksgiving night, but we get the tree up and ready. (Two trees this year, the large on in the living room, a smaller one for the family room). And sometime on Thanksgiving, I watch the Winona Ryder version of Little Women, which for me is just the perfect Thanksgiving movie.
And this year, Samwise and I have much to be grateful for. Our kitties are healthy and happy. We have a new home. Samwise just got a new contract. My books are selling well. We're together--and still madly in love. Life, while never perfect, is good.
So what are your thanksgiving traditions? What do you do that's special for your family? For us, it's bringing together our family of choice. It's spending a day with people we love and choose to have in our lives, and re-affirming that friends are family too.
Yasmine
5 comments:
Hi,
We are usually invited to celebrate Thanksgiving with our American friends here and this year is no different.
I will be bringing corn bread for the meal.
Yes, there is lots to be thankful for. I am most thankful for the the little everyday miracles that happen in life.
Valerie
in Germany
The man I married abou 18 months ago, was actually with me for about 10 years. When the holidays come around - especially Thanksgiving, I always look forward to each final ending of the year, because its a reminder for us what being together means to each other.
I begin the whole cooking/prepping process the night before - usually around 6pm. I cook/prep and clean as I go until about 3am. I take a shower and jump into bed for about 4 or 5 hours of sleep.
By 8am or 9am, George is up, we share our cup of coffee together, I throw the turkey into the oven and let it cook 'low-and-slow'.
He takes me out to breakfast to share more time with me. When we come home, he puts another pot of coffee on and he will kick in and help out.
We pitch in for the remaining items and usually when the phone calls come in sending holiday turkey-related wishes, thats when we finally sit down to relax.
The tradition is that the first deviled egg tested is my husband's job! LOL Ariel, my daughter will taste test the veggie dishes. Im so juiced up on caffeine by this time that I dont eat anything...
This year, it will just be George and I. Ariel will be sharing Thanksgiving with her father, this year.
We enjoy the day without feeling like we are rushed. We end the day with a must-do tradition.
In memory of my grandfather, we make the family traditional turkey vegetable soup. Nothing gets wasted in our house and George is a big help when it comes to this very important soup. We always say a special prayer to "Konky" (his nickname) wishing him well and that we make his favorite soup and that as we consume it, the warmth of the broth is like feeling a warm hug from him that consumes us. When we get our cup of soup, we always toast to him and his love for family and togetherness.
That is a MUST-do every year.
Happy Thanksgiving from our house to yours!
Melanie, George and Ariel!
Oh I love that version of little women! It's the best! I think it's great for the general season. I like to do the parade in the mornings, then work on the bread, then nap while it's rising. These days home isn't the best place.I'd rather be at your place that sounds nice! But, I will likely lock myself in my room and watch the parade, doze, and watch movies. He he
Thanksgiving is a big gathering for our family. My mom and I cook lots of food and invite anyone and everyone to enjoy. The largest group we ever had was twenty-two people sitting at the table and another twenty or so that dropped by to grab a plate. We've always made enough to feed the military people that are working and take plates to the ones on duty at the gates. It makes us feel happy to help these men and women. Cooking has already started with the pies and the breads. Turkey gets put in its bath tomorrow.
My family and I always watch the movie A Christmas Story. We can't wait for christmas time (Yule)
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