My traditions involve a traditional meal, but in different places and different branches of the family tree each year. The one constant is, at some point during the day, we watch Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Report comment to moderator

One end of the table.

without a grace when we serve them dinner.

Other notes: my health food fanatic father re-converted his sister to being a health food fanatic. He died of a heart attack a few years later. (Although heart attack was listed as the cause of death, I suspect he really died of rage.)

My aunt is still a vegetarian (though now also eschews gluten as well) and still alive in her eighties (though now in Australia). She was a ballet dancer and ballet teacher; now she is crippled and can no longer walk.

Report comment to moderator

Obsession with alternative health and nutrition is a family tradition. My father told his sister and her husband that unless they changed their diet and lifestyle they weren’t going to live very long.

They were so impressed with his argument, they leapfrogged my father (who was a health food fanatic but not a vegetarian) and went whole–”non-hog” into vegetarianism.

As my aunt and uncle-in-law had a large house and large table, our tradition was to hold the large family Thanksgiving at their Fullerton, California home. That year, my aunt announced, the turkey would be a tofu turkey.

Health food–yes, said my extended family. Tofu turkey was a step to far. (I’m sure all of you Christians can provide some analogy to a Christian family where one branch is too strict or literal or extreme for all the other Christians in the family.)

The crisis simmered for a couple of weeks. Shortly before Thanksgiving, my aunt relented. She would allow two turkeys to be prepared in her now vegetarian kitchen. Most end of the table held the toful turkey. The other end of the table held the flesh and bone turkey.

Most people took a bit of the tofu turkey out of politeness.

When our Christian neighbors have us over for dinner, we bow our heads when they say grace. When we have them over for dinner, they dig in without a grace when serve them dinner.

Some of the world lives in peace. I am thankful for that.

Report comment to moderator

I’m glad someone else listens to “Alice’s Restaurant.” I always listen to it at home, but now that I’m living abroad, far from family, I woul have forgotten!

Since I’m away from home I’ve invited nine or ten Americans and others to celebrate in my tiny apartment. I hope some bring plates and forks and knives! My mom and grandmother mailed me homemade cornbread to make dressing (as Georgians call stuffiing) but unfortunately it got moldy en route. Fortunately the sweet potatoes arrived okay!

Report comment to moderator

Report comment to moderator

They feel compelled to invite the strangest people and animals on the planet to overrun our quiet NH home every Thanksgiving. We have transvestites and street people and the down-and-out including mangy mutts and the ugliest junkyard dogs you can imagine. I am a little surprised that barn yard animals don’t accompany more of them.

So what do I, a conservative straight lace proper New Englander with etiquette training do? Well I serve coffee, mash the potatoes and carve the humanely killed free range organic turkey, which of course only carnivores like myself and a few of the street people enjoy. And I thank God for allowing our home to be used by people who are outcast and lonely and have no where else to go.

My innards tell me this is the kookiest meal on the planet, but my heart says thank you God for the grace to extend a hand to those whom I would normally never associate with.

Report comment to moderator

Report comment to moderator

I tried once to whip cream myself. I made butter.
Now I use Cool Whip.

Report comment to moderator

This is our year for hosting Thanksgiving. My husband, Lee, who is an excellent cook, does the cooking. I do the clean up. (So I am very thankful for the dishwasher I received this week, as an early Christmas present.)

Lee will be making real whipped cream for the pies. But I’d be just as happy with Cool Whip. (Don’t tell Lee.)

Report comment to moderator

Adios is correct, you can’t make Thanksgiving dinner healthy. Forgot about it and enjoy. Don’t forget to be thankful.
I have too many things to enumerate at one time.

Report comment to moderator