Was just curious what "traditions" people have to celebrating Thranksgiving. (I also want to say that I am thankful for CA - for the work of the TOE, the commaraderie, the friends, the banter, and the concern for one another shown here.)

We begin with church, celebrating and giving thanks to God for all that He has given to us, most especially for the forgiveness of sin, and with that, eternal life, salvation, and the strengthening of faith.

After church, we gather at our house, whatever family is able to attend comes over as well. This year it will just be my brother as the only other family, everybody else is way, way, way, out of town. We also try to invite someone who is without family for this Thanksgiving, 3 are invited to join us, but we will wait till that day.

At meal time, we do take a moment to go around the table and each individual offers something special that we are thanksful for.

As to mealtime, what to eat. We do not always do the traditional "turkey." Not to many in our family appreciate the white meat, and turkey leftovers get old after the third day. Pumpkin pie is another that may not always be served, as it is also something that is not necessarily a favorite.

We always do stuffing, cranberry sauce, and some yams - no matter what we may have with it.

This year we are doing a large chicken instead (oven stuffer roaster type), having pecan & cherry pie, instead of mashed potatoes, they will be riced potatoes this year (mixin' it up a bit).

This is close to traditionaly, but in the past we have ranged a bit further - prime rib, bar-b-q ribs, walleye, and one year in Connecticut, a seafood buffet (lobsters, clams, shark, mussels).

So, what are your Thanksgiving tradtions?

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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couple bushels of streamed oysters and hanging out in the garage
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For the past few years I have been smoking a turkey, I consider myself just a B+ BBQer, but the brined smoked turkey always turns out wonderful. Last year I fried one as well, brined also, and it was very good and not dry.

For those that do not like dry, tasteless white meat from their turkey, look up turkey brine recipes and.........DO IT. Amazing the difference.
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Turkeyday is when I make my once a year visit to McDonald's for late lunch & dinner.
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Can do a moist white meat on a bird, but the sheer volume of it is so daunting - especially if we're only going to be 5-7 people, for finding a turkey that is ony 10 pounds is near impossible. But, I can get a big roasting chicken that is about that.

Turkey breast made into jerky is wonderful.
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Since moving to NC tradition has been that the family comes to us for the holiday. Thanksgiving day usually consists of the usual eating and drinking and just hanging out with the family. After dessert we usually play some sort of games. Black Friday the girls usually get up early and make breakfast. After breakfast the girls head out to the madness of the malls to go shopping. The guys usually watch a movie until about lunch time and than we head to Hooters for lunch followed by going go-karting. At the end of the day we usually meet a Buca DiPeppo for dinner.(Family style Italian restaurant) It's a busy weekend usually but it's nice to have family in town for a change.
This year we are not sure how it will all work out as the baby is due the 29th. We are still hosting Thanksgiving but we are not 100% sure if we will be home or at the hospital to celebrate the holiday. I am hoping we get lucky and she comes early and arrives this weekend so she will be here to meet the family for the holiday.
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My family tradition is there isn't a tradition. Every year it seems to change. My parents are leaving me high and dry this year. They are going to visit my brother in GA for the holiday.

I usually drive up to WI a little hungover to hang with the family. This year someone got the bright idea to go to Golden Corral. But Thanksgiving night I go out for drinks with my friend Bob I think that is my tradition.
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This will be the 2nd year of doing kind of an open house...have a 19 pound bird and a giant ham...sides include (low carb) sweet potato casserole, homemade mashed potatoes, my best friends famous cheesy sauce for veggies, the deep dish (low carb) apple pie (this made it to the ERIC HERF III this year, and a variety of dishes being brought over. My turkey cooking is from a friend I used to work with...all night 225', baking bag, smothered in mayo...the last several times I have made a turkey or chicken with this recipe, I can't get the bird out of the bag, it just falls apart...so tender and juicy. This will be however, my final attempt at homemade stuffing, last year was a disaster and it was sticky and mushy--even following the directions. Looking forward to having the house full of people AND the man cave will be open and cigars being puffed in there...
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Every year since I can remember we have the priests (usually around 3-4 priests and a brother or two), and their usual cook (good friends with my mom, Korean imigrant and has no family state side), and a couple family friends or my friends if they have no where to go.

I love have the priests over, we do it for Easter and Christmas as well. They often have nowhere to go for dinner and they always give Chong (their cook) the holidays off. This started the year after my grandma disappeared, she had always wanted to do it, so my mom started as a rememberance thing.

Additionally we have two quirky little traditions. First we have a white table cloth we use only for Thanksgiving, we use perminant pens designed for cloth, and everyone present writes their name on the cloth and maybe a little note and the year. I think the oldest name was my grandmas last year, 1993. Its getting pretty full now. The next is after everyone leaves we sit down as a family, usually one of my friends is there by now, and watch National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation to kick off the Christmas season.


*Saddly I'm not going home for Thanksgiving this year. My parents will be coming up here and we will be having dinner with my Aunt and Uncle. :-)
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We don't have a set tradition for Thanksgiving, as where we are and where the kids are changes from year to year.

However, every year I spend the Friday after Thanksgiving making Turkey Bone Gumbo. It's pretty much an all day affair, big production, and has become tradition. This is the one "meal tradition" that everyone looks forward to--probably more than Thanksgiving itself!
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Keep the birds small and do more of them instead of a monster size turkey (if you want moist meat).

Been smoking them for last decade, some years brined and some not. I usually just smoke them for a few hours and then finish them up in the oven so I have better control of the temps and it is plenty smoky. Some do not like smoke, so I go easy on them.

I don't do so many sides, but make sure they are prepared well. Growing up on Cape Cod, I put Linguica in the stuffing along with an assortment of mushrooms.

I inject the turkey with a butter, paprika, herb, garlic and salt solution near close to the cavity and the gives it a nice seasoning.
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I must have green bean casserole for Thanksgiving! My favorite!
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Coming from from an Italian family we do Thanksgiving a little different. This year we will have 35 or so people over, some from out of town, some friends of my nieces and nephews that don't have family in the area.
We start with an Italian antipasto which is Italian cold cuts, and antipasto salad and bread. The 2nd course is homemade pasta in a tomato sauce along with meatballs and other meats in the sauce. We then move onto the turkey, we will do 2, mashed potatos, roasted sweet potatos, stuffing, stuffed mushrooms, salad, cranberry and a few other sides.
Then we have dessert which will be a couple of pies, some fruit and Anise served with oil and vinegar.
Sounds like a lot of food, it is.
Whats funny is when someone new comes and they get so stuffed on the pasta, that when the turkey comes out they almost pass out.

We have a good time, Italians like to eat!
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Oh yeah, I forgot that. If we didn't have this, my youngest son would cry.

Also forgot that this year we are starting a new tradition. After dinner and whatever card games we play, and then leftovers for supper - the boys and I will be driving "up-nord'-eh" to the shack for a few days of hunting and men alone time.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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Ninja and my new DIL will be in town, my wife won't get home til around midnight Friday. Will have our Thanksgiving on Saturday night. Looks like the consensus for this year is a standing rib roast. Some au gratin potatoes, green beans and black-eyed peas (or, maybe butter peas) from this year's garden. My mom will contribute some of her homemade bread. Maybe sourdough rolls, maybe jalapeno cheese bread, maybe olive-rosemary, will leave it up to her! Thinking dessert will be key lime pie, maybe cherry pie, maybe brownies, maybe all of them!
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Giving thanks, food, football, cigars and drink. Think that sums it up.
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Oh the torture why do you do it to yourself....twice in one day. :-)

Eat like a bastard, that's about it.
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Sorry, no that didn't mean go there twice. Kind of meant one stop that would cover both, and in the old days, maybe an extra burger or something for tossing in the microwave later. Plus, it's the only day of the year I eat anything from them, so who cares?
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Oh ok I was going to say....2 times in one day is surely the worst thing possible besides a crave case of white castles.

Got ya the old lunch + dinner deal. Makes sense, quick and easy.
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Hey! A bag or two of sliders were great at 2:30am when you're drunk and nothing else is open. Sadly, haven't been able to get them since I left NY.
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