Thanksgiving Traditions

My thoughts are flooded with childhood tradition memories this time of year, and growing up, there were so many.

Finding the largest turkey that money could buy. Me wondering if it would even fit in the oven!

The detested whole cranberry sauce that managed to make it to our table one year (the jellied cranberry sauce was preferred).

Stuffing that filled the bird; dressing made with the pieces and parts that came in the little bag inside the turkey.

Baking all the desserts the day before to free up our only oven. Yay Pumpkin Pie!

The whole house smelling like roasting turkey as we watched the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

Mom puttering away in the kitchen, taking a few moments here and there to catch a bit of the parade.

We girls tasked with setting the table with linens and the fine China (the only day of the year they were used).

The extra people that often joined us at our table over the years. There was always enough to go around.

Everyone helping to get all of the food onto the table.

Saying Grace before we dug in. It seemed that was the only time we bowed our heads and thanked the Lord for our blessings and for the delicious spread my mother single-handedly put out. If something didn’t turn out, we never said a word and always made do.

Tonight, I’m missing her so much as I head into Thanksgiving with my Hubbin, and knowing that even though our own traditions have changed (Cornish Game Hens will replace the traditional turkey for us), we will still give thanks for our bounty, and for the people in our lives that the Lord has blessed us with.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone; count your blessings while you still can.

And remember to thank the Lord.