I really can not believe that Thanksgiving is TOMORROW! The time really does fly; it's the end of November already! I remember waiting for October to get here so that we could close on our house, and it took forever. A will be seven months old on Thanksgiving day, and besides that there is just so much else to be thankful for. For one, my parents are watching A two nights this week - I am going to be so well rested for the weekend! Whatttttttt! As we prepare for Thanksgiving and the monstrous meal that typically accompanies it, we each await our own family traditions that take place on the holidays. I'm always excited for Thanksgiving food, but let me tell you a few of our family traditions this holiday that might be different than yours!
1. My family does not eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I know I just heard some of you gasp. "No turkey on Thanksgiving? That's just wrong!" Hear me out though. First of all, turkey is not even historically accurate for what was most likely eaten at the first Thanksgiving meal. Chances are the pilgrims ate duck, geese or swan. Because of this, years ago my family started having steak instead. Anyone complaining now? Didn't think so - steak is a delicious substitute and it still goes great with all the other Thanksgiving sides.
2. We almost always go to the movies on Thanksgiving. Though we hate that there are people who have to work on Thanksgiving and can't spend all day with their families, if they have to work anyway we might as well keep them busy. I forget when we started this tradition, but it has always been a fun way to spend time with family laughing and having a good time.
3. We watch the Macy's day Parade on Thanksgiving morning. This has been a long-standing tradition at my house growing up. We would wake up, and instead of watching cartoons we would watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade to ooh and aah over the giant balloons and dolled up parade walkers. I still enjoy watching the parade with a nice cup of hot chocolate on the couch. Last year the hubby and enjoyed watching it in our little apartment, I hope A enjoys watching it this year as much as we do!
4. We don't always have a large gathering for dinner. There have been some years where our dinner table was packed to the brim. Other years it has just been four of us. Typically, Thanksgiving is spent with my immediate family - and I like it that way! This year the table will be full with the addition of my daughter and my soon-to-be sister-in-law. When there isn't a house full of people that you only see a couple times a year, the pressure to entertain and wear yourself out isn't there. After dinner we all relax, sit on the couch to watch TV or play a game to pass the time until we go to the movies. It's nice!
Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate being thankful and to spend time with family, and that's precisely what I intend to do! How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? What fun traditions do you celebrate that aren't necessarily typical?
1. My family does not eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I know I just heard some of you gasp. "No turkey on Thanksgiving? That's just wrong!" Hear me out though. First of all, turkey is not even historically accurate for what was most likely eaten at the first Thanksgiving meal. Chances are the pilgrims ate duck, geese or swan. Because of this, years ago my family started having steak instead. Anyone complaining now? Didn't think so - steak is a delicious substitute and it still goes great with all the other Thanksgiving sides.
2. We almost always go to the movies on Thanksgiving. Though we hate that there are people who have to work on Thanksgiving and can't spend all day with their families, if they have to work anyway we might as well keep them busy. I forget when we started this tradition, but it has always been a fun way to spend time with family laughing and having a good time.
3. We watch the Macy's day Parade on Thanksgiving morning. This has been a long-standing tradition at my house growing up. We would wake up, and instead of watching cartoons we would watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade to ooh and aah over the giant balloons and dolled up parade walkers. I still enjoy watching the parade with a nice cup of hot chocolate on the couch. Last year the hubby and enjoyed watching it in our little apartment, I hope A enjoys watching it this year as much as we do!
4. We don't always have a large gathering for dinner. There have been some years where our dinner table was packed to the brim. Other years it has just been four of us. Typically, Thanksgiving is spent with my immediate family - and I like it that way! This year the table will be full with the addition of my daughter and my soon-to-be sister-in-law. When there isn't a house full of people that you only see a couple times a year, the pressure to entertain and wear yourself out isn't there. After dinner we all relax, sit on the couch to watch TV or play a game to pass the time until we go to the movies. It's nice!
Thanksgiving is a day to celebrate being thankful and to spend time with family, and that's precisely what I intend to do! How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving? What fun traditions do you celebrate that aren't necessarily typical?