Thanksgiving Traditions

Family traditions have always been important to my husband and I. From the first Thanksgiving we prepared all on our own for our (at the time) 3 small children. Since that first Thanksgiving my husband has been the one to cook the turkey. He washes, brine's it overnight and gets it into the oven the next day. I have nothing to do with the turkey! And don't need to because his turkey always turns out fantastic!

While my husband takes care of the turkey I would be in charge of baking pies and making the side dishes to go with 'said turkey'. Then one day it dawned on me that I should enlist our kids into helping prepare some of the food for our grand Thanksgiving feast. It would be perfect because they could, when grown and out on their own bring that dish to my home for Thanksgiving or to someone else's home. It was a great plan! And it has stuck with us these last six years. Our children really enjoy doing 'their part' to contribute to our grand feast. One day my four Littles will also be taught a dish to make. But right now they are to busy having fun and being cute.



I love having a large family and one day all the side dishes will be prepared by my wonderful children and I won't be left in the kitchen cooking while the rest of them visit. It has been a great tradition of ours and one that I am sure will continue on forever.

Some other traditions we have are playing a board game (usually a new one) after our Thanksgiving feast, drawing names out of a hat for our Christmas gift exchange and then watching A Christmas Story that evening. And we always have turkey sandwiches while watching our movie...such a great day it is each year!