TMO Staff: Thanksgiving Memories and Traditions

As we researched our staffs’ memories and traditions, the most frequent conversation centered around cranberries – the jellied kind or the chunky kind. It was amazing how many memories of Thanksgiving center around the lowly cranberry.

The Fight Over Cranberries

Tim relayed an ongoing challenge at his home during the Thanksgiving holiday:

I do not know about you, but I really don’t like fights with family during the holidays.  When I was young, I could always tell there would be one at Thanksgiving if mom was making her cranberry sauce for the turkey.

She would take hours and hours to make a whole cranberry sauce with all sorts of spices and other things. The challenge with this was that she would expect me to eat some on my turkey or dressing or whatever was on my plate. Well, I am sorry! I might be a gourmet, gourmand or even just a steak and potatoes type of guy, but I know what I like at or on my Thanksgiving dinner.

I have very specific taste in cranberries. The best tasting, in my opinion comes out of a 14-ounce can! That is right, I like the commercial stuff over homemade any day and anytime. I always told mom I was sorry. She always tried, to her dying day, to make me feel guilty but c’est la vie.

In the early part of my life the choice was always Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce, today it is 365 Organic Jellied Cranberry Sauce. Years ago we didn’t have high fructose corn syrup, today we do. We didn’t understand what organic food was as much as we do today.

So, there you have it, I LOVE canned cranberry sauce!  At our house turkey is on the menu three or four times a year. My wife now makes Alice’s Cranberry Relish, a family recipe handed down the generations. But I am very fortunate! She also likes the canned stuff. No fear of a fight at Thanksgiving. Boy, what a relief.

Inviting International Thanksgiving Guests

Mel shared one of her most memorable Thanksgiving from junior high or high school:

My uncle is an international farmer in Illinois and often had farmhands from other countries, like Romania, working and learning on his farm. So, when we arrived for the traditional meal, we were not surprised to find a delegate of about 10 Chinese farmers who were joining us for dinner. They came with their interpreter and spoke little to no English.

As we were preparing the dinner and attending to the various dishes in the kitchen, the interpreter asked my aunt if they could also help and be involved with the preparations. What was so humorous, was that each of the 10 farmers took a turn stirring the gravy on the stovetop — filing through the kitchen in a line. That was it. That was all they wanted to do to help prepare our Thanksgiving dinner.

The dinner conversation was stilted and interrupted often with translation. To say the least, it was one of the most awkward Thanksgiving dinners I have ever had – and yet it was one of the most memorable.

My Mom Hated Turkey

Angela laughingly recalls her mom hated turkey. Every Thanksgiving it was a struggle to have a full Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings. Mom would always say, “We get turkey at your grandmother’s!”

Angela’s mom was German and did not celebrate Thanksgiving growing up, instead the Thanksgiving meal was a traditional German meal of beef rouladen, dumplings, and red cabbage.

Angela says, “We begged for turkey with all the side dishes, but always enjoyed German food! Now my family fondly recalls those meals and wishes for some of my mom’s incredible German cooking. Of course, it was always better than my great aunt’s oyster stuffing!”

Military Family

Ashlee is part of a wonderful military family with open arms and traditional family values:

In our house, Thanksgiving is all about good food and quality family time.  As a military family, we have spent many holidays away from each other so any time we can be together is a blessing. My husband and I love to cook together and always look forward to collaborating on our menu. He usually takes the lead with the turkey and I take on the sides. I typically stick to my favorite family recipes like green bean casserole, homemade stuffing, and Crock Pot mashed potatoes, but I also like to try new things! Last year we made a skillet jalapeno cornbread with honey butter that will probably make the cut again this year. Fingers crossed my husband makes his apple pie in the smoker with homemade bourbon whipped cream because I have been dreaming about it since last year.

When not cooking, eating, or drinking The Southern Lady Cooks mulled apple cider, you can find the family watching football or playing cornhole with friends. They open their door to anyone who wants to join them, because that is what Thanksgiving is all about!

Much has changed over the last year, but one thing that has stayed the same is our love of family, friends, country, and God. So, from our family to yours – have a very Happy Thanksgiving and be safe!

Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours!!

The Maverick Observer, or “The Moe” as we affectionately call it, is an online free-thinking publication interested in the happenings in our town. We launched in February 2020 to hold our politicians and businesses accountable. We hope to educate, inform, entertain, and infuse you with a sense of community.