For Those Who Love Thanksgiving

[Saphire]

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I just can't think about Christmas until the day is over. I love autumn in New England and I want to enjoy the colors of fall and pumpkin pie and yankee candles with spicy scents and raking leaves and the way the slant of the sun changes and pours in my windows in the morning. I love thinking about the menu for Thanksgiving and getting the house ready for the big day. Over the years I have loved the anticipation of college kids coming home, this year it will be my daughter arriving on the Tuesday before for her Thanksgiving break.
What about you? Why do you love Thanksgiving?

 

[lovemygoofy]

I love any meals where family, either blood or chosen, can get together. Thanksgiving is great because most people are in a good mood and happy to be together.

I love traditions and some holidays have deep ingrained traditions. This year my husband and I will either be together with chosen family, friends we have made, or we will be alone in a hotel room. Either way I'm bringing my granny's pecan pie with me. I miss her something fierce at this time and will think of her while I make one or two.

I love the smell of cooking and baking and hearing people laughing and just having fun. It's a shame more families don't do big family dinners like it used to be.

 

[Jazzybell]

I love getting together with family and/or friends; being thankful for another year together; and enjoying the big feast!

 

[wdwfan16]

I love the Thanksgiving meal but I tend to glance over it for decorating. Christmas stuff is up by Thanksgiving.

 

[Rora]

I just LOVE Fall and how it feels. I also love that it's the start of the holiday season and Thanksgiving means it's time for some serious Black Friday shopping!!

 

[petchie]

I like that it is solely about food, family and fun. No expectations of anything else. Is a comfortable holiday, anything goes. This year we finally decided no pies, no one eats them. They may have a slice, but I end up with pie left over.

Last year I had half a leftover ice cream cake and they were fighting over it.

This year we are doing ice cream sundaes! no pies.

 

[luvflorida]

I'm with you, OP! Yesterday, I put away the Halloween decorations, but not my fall wreath, pumpkins and flowers. No Christmas decorations here until the day after Thanksgiving.

I grew up on the east coast and raised my family in New England, where many of my relatives still live. I do miss the fall colors and the cool, crisp air this time of year. This will be our second Thanksgiving and Christmas in Arizona, and we're still adjusting to fall and winter temps in the 90s and 80s. If we look closely enough and are observant, we do notice subtle changes outdoors. Of course, nothing as obvious as the fall changes in Maine!

We always hosted large Thanksgiving dinners at our house in Maine. Everyone gathered at our house for parade watching, meal cooking, and football games, and Thanksgiving was always a boisterous, joyful family time. And we had our "signature" dishes. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without my deviled eggs and my aunt's fruit salad, made with pecans and real whipping cream.

Inevitably, things change with time. The passing of elderly relatives, children growing up and going away to college, marriage of young adults, family moving to other areas of the country, and so on. My dad passed away in 2004 and my mom died a year ago. Our oldest child is soon to turn 29 (where DID the time go!) and our youngest child is a Sophomore in college.

Unfortunately, we now live 2800 miles away from our home in Maine and most of our relatives and friends. Fortunately, we our surrounded by our immediate family members. Thanksgiving is still at our house, and we still have the same food (I try to replicate my aunt's fruit salad with varying success!) and it is still a joyful occasion. I miss my parents so much at this time of year, but I try to focus on all the happy memories of them.

And, you know what? I've said this before on the DIS, but it is so true. Our children do grow up and start lives of their own away from home, but they never truly leave. In fact, the family grows! Our family has grown over the past few years to include a wonderful son-in-law and precious grandson. Add in the other kids' friends, boy/girlfriends, and you can see that nobody ever really leaves for too long!

Thanksgiving is definitely a time to sit back and be thankful for all that we have. And then, AFTER Thanksgiving, the fun and joy of Christmas!!! Love this time of year!!

 

[Nancyg56]

I love Thanksgiving. I decorate for Fall and will not take any decorations down until the day after. I love that there is nothing else to think about but the family and friends sharing the day and the food that we all are fortunate enough to have. This year is going to be the best in a long time, my sister's son's are Marines. This year is the first year they will both be home at the same time since the oldest graduated from boot camp in 2001. I think that if we had nothing else this year having them both not only safe on US soil but home at the same time is enough for this family.

 

[4nana]

I love autumn and Thanksgiving is definitely my fave holiday ! I truly enjoy spending time with my loving family/friends from both sides of our large extended family and counting our many blessings.

It's nice as our family takes turns hosting dinner and activities, everyone gathering together, the grands happy to see all their cousins, everyone chatting and hearing all the long distant relatives updates. Not too mention everyone pulling out their traditional handed down recipes for the big turkey dinner & trimmings, the pot luck side dishes guests bring, yummy desserts of pumkpin, apple, etc. pies and our DD's cream cheese pumpkin roll, etc.

Atho this year our son is in Afghanistan, we know his guardian angel is keeping him safe . We're very blessed our DIL and children will travel to share the holiday with us. If we're lucky maybe our soldier can call.

Yes Tina, holidays can be somewhat difficult without loved ones who've passed, but know they will be smiling upon us. I'm sure your granny will be smiling down upon everyone enjoying her pecan pie recipe. So wonderful your soldier boy is home safe & sound to share the holdiay with you!

 

[Tinkerbelle's Mom]

Thanksgving is my favorite holiday!

I cook a traditional dinner (well -- traditional for my family anyway) and I love every minute of it.

I love that there is no pressure about this Holiday. It is basically a day spent in celebration with family and friends over a good meal. It is a time to show appreciation and joy.

For us the Christmas season begins the day after thanksgiving when the tree goes up.


One neat note, my mom taught me how to cook our version of Thanksgiving dinner which she had learned from her mom. About a year and a half after my mom died I moved to California close to her sister (my aunt). I had my Aunt over for Thanksgiving. When my Aunt tasted my stuffing she could not believe it. She was tasting the same stuffing she had eaten as a child. (My Aunt not being a cook never learned the receipe.)

My AUnt now "demands" a place at my Thanksgiving table -- which of course is always ready for her.

 

[disbridemimi]

There really is nothing better then fall in New England.

 

[MsDisney23]

Fall is my favorite time of year, with Thanksgiving being my favorite. I decorate the entire house for Fall, inside and out. Thanksgiving is always at my house, as I love to prepare the Holiday meal. Yes, I remember the days when my dd would come home from college, sometimes bringing a friend. Now she lives miles away across the country.

I enjoy shopping for the perfect turkey, baking pies, the smell of Fall and most importantly being with friends & family. Please never take anything for Granted, there are many out there who will not have much this Holiday season. Thanksgiving is a time of sharing.

 

[aprilgail2]

I have to say that Thanksgiving is one of my least favorite holidays--- To me it signals the start of 5 cold crappy months and its all about food food and more food- I hate the all day cooking for 30 minutes of eating and then the leftovers--nothing worse than left over turkey--blech! We are making reservation this Thanksgiving, no all day cooking marathon for me!!

 

[MiniGirl]

We love Thanksgiving here, too. Growing up I was the youngest with 3 older brothers -- 2 of whom moved to different states. Their wives' families also did Christmas up really big. My mom didn't want all the fighting about which house to go to for which holiday, etc, so she told them that she would love it if all her children came home for Thanksgiving and then Christmas could belong to the ILs. It was the start of a great tradition. As I got older and started working, it was easier for me to get Thanksgiving off rather than Christmas. I think that is one reason why it is a favorite holiday. It was the one time a year my family would come from all over the country and spend time together.

 

[Nancyg56]

There really is nothing better then fall in New England.

Fall is my favorite time of year her. I love the colors, the smell that the leaves have as they fall, a fire in the air, the warm days and crisp cold nights.

I have to say that Thanksgiving is one of my least favorite holidays--- To me it signals the start of 5 cold crappy months and its all about food food and more food- I hate the all day cooking for 30 minutes of eating and then the leftovers--nothing worse than left over turkey--blech! We are making reservation this Thanksgiving, no all day cooking marathon for me!!

All of the above are reasons I love Thanksgiving

 

[Laura]

It's low stress, I get to eat a ton of tasty food, and the house smells great with everything cooking.

We're going to my brother's house for Thanksgiving this year, and I'm really looking forward to it.

 

[auntie]

I enjoy Thanksgiving. We've been having it at our house for a number of years..and I don't mind the cooking at all. It's not a huge crowd..just us and my sister's family about 10 or 11 people. Then whoever the kids are dating..boyfriends and girlfriends stop in as well. I think what I especially like is that there isn't any gift giving involved. It's all about spending time and enjoying a meal with people close to you. Literally being thankful for what you have in your life..and even remembering those who have touched your life but are no longer with you.
We used to rush around stressing and spliting time between inlaws and my family. Then one year, my daughter was sick and we had to stay home. It was the BEST thing that ever happened. Made us slow down and enjoy Thanksgiving in our own home.
I never knew how important that would come to be until my older son (who is 29).. told me his favorite Thanksgiving memories are of waking up, and opening his eyes Thanksgiving morning to the aromas of a Thanksgiving feast drifting upstairs to his bedroom as his dad and I prepared for dinner. I was touched when he told me that. Made me feel as if we did something right. I'm glad we stopped all the running all over the place and made some memories and traditions for our kids right here in their own home. It's little things like that a child brings with them into adulthood.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I love Thanksgiving!! Fall, friends, family, food.....

Also, you can generally wish anyone a Happy Thanksgiving without risking offending them.

 

[NotUrsula]

I've always hated Thanksgiving, and I fervently wish I could just skip celebrating it. I'd much rather spend the day watching college football and eating takeout pizza.

To me, Thanksgiving is all about WORK. When I was a kid I got rousted out of bed at dawn to help with the cooking and setup, which wasn't done until 2 pm, when the 23 people that we normally fed would eat. Then the men would all disappear and the women would go back into the kitchen for another 5 hours of cleanup work. It was always horrendously hot in the kitchen, but my mother always made us dress up, so we'd be doing all this in heels, nylons and dresses with full-pinafore aprons over them.

As a adult I insisted on switching to an evening meal, and I don't get out of bed until at least 9, but I still end up cooking and cleaning all day. My MIL hates turkey and my SIL & BIL have all kinds of dietary restrictions because they have issues with meat (and just about anything that is purchased at a conventional supermarket) -- the menu now requires major negotiation and visits to at least 5 specialty markets. I HATE THIS!

 

[MiniGirl]

I've always hated Thanksgiving, and I fervently wish I could just skip celebrating it. I'd much rather spend the day watching college football and eating takeout pizza.

!

I'm sorry you hate the holiday. Perhaps you should start an I Hate Thanksgiving thread. You could then comiserate with like-minded people, and those of us who love the holiday could continue to celebrate it.