Traditions

[f6john]

For close to 50 years I and my family made an annual trek to my parents home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I dare say I only missed once or twice in all those years. I didn’t make too many other trips during the Spring, Summer and Fall maybe one or two a year. Working and distance and funds all played a part but glad I was able to do as much as I did. About 5 years ago the torch got passed to me as Dad was gone and it was too much work and stress for my Mother to host both my family and my sisters family.


So now I hope to carry on these annual gatherings for quite a few years to come. Mostly for my mother to spend a little quality time with her great grandchildren and to expose the grandkids to a taste of the way things used to be. I hope everyone has a chance to spend some quality time with family during this holiday season.

My biggest contribution to the festivities today is peeling the potatoes which in his later years was my fathers job, in addition to cutting up the turkey. My wife has been working for two days and is still in a good mood, I really appreciate her efforts.


Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends!

[The emperor has no clothes]

  Happy Thanksgiving John 


My only real Thanksgiving tradition is to eat more than I should and watch the Cowboys win. 

[Serk]

The whole family on my mom's side used to go to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving and Christmas. My mom is one of 7, and most of hers were traditional Catholics and had many many kids themselves....

It was always entertaining seeing my girlfriend of the time, and even the wife (Who's an old child) freak out at just how many aunts/uncles and especially cousins I have.....

After Grandma had to go into a home (In her late 90's!) and eventually passed away (At 100) the nucleus was gone, but a few parts of the family still gather, usually at my aunt's farm (My mom's twin sister) 30 miles outside Dallas, which is where we're headed shortly.

I am proud of myself, I don't consider myself much of a cook AT ALL, but recently I've been promoted from "Bring the store bought rolls" to "Make the deviled eggs"... Even after the year I added guacamole to the eggs (It was a love it or hate it thing...)

Anyway... Happy Thanksgiving ya'll!

[Rams]

For decades, we've traveled to family functions on certain holidays.   Go to this family member's home for this holiday, that family member's for another.   The routine has been pretty well set, this location for this holiday, that location for that holiday.  But the time is coming when my own immediate family are going to have to start coming to see mom and dad.   Being retired does allow for more opportunities but, being retired also means a fixed income and an aging body.   Yeah, I'm getting older.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all.   Be safe and watch yer six.

Rams

[f6gal]

For decades, we've traveled to family functions on certain holidays.   Go to this family member's home for this holiday, that family member's for another.   The routine has been pretty well set, this location for this holiday, that location for that holiday.  But the time is coming when my own immediate family are going to have to start coming to see mom and dad.   Being retired does allow for more opportunities but, being retired also means a fixed income and an aging body.   Yeah, I'm getting older.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all.   Be safe and watch yer six.

Rams

Fixed income?  You just got that giant COLA!! 

[Rams]

For decades, we've traveled to family functions on certain holidays.   Go to this family member's home for this holiday, that family member's for another.   The routine has been pretty well set, this location for this holiday, that location for that holiday.  But the time is coming when my own immediate family are going to have to start coming to see mom and dad.   Being retired does allow for more opportunities but, being retired also means a fixed income and an aging body.   Yeah, I'm getting older.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all.   Be safe and watch yer six.

Rams

Fixed income?  You just got that giant COLA!!  

Yeppers, it's my money, I want all of it back.  

Rams

[carolinarider09]

Ahhh yes,  the past and the present.   

Since I can remember, we always traveled up north to visit my grandparents and relatives in PA in the Summer.

Thanksgiving and Christmas was spent at my parents home in either Saluda, SC or Myrtle Beach, or Richmond Hill, GA.   

After all of us left home and moved our lives on, all my siblings (brother and sister and their children) and my wife and I and our children and their children spent each Thanksgiving and Christmas at the home my parents retired in. 



It was much like the place my wife and I live in now but older and bigger with more rooms.   



It was in White Oak, SC, nicknamed The Magnolias because of the several large Magnolias in the yard.  My parents and I and my bother and sister and our spouses would dine in the "big" dining room and the kids would dine in a smaller area.

My mother was Pennsylvania Dutch and a great cook and taught Home Economics in High School.  My dad was a Forester, something I tried for awhile before joining the Navy.

So, my daughter has tried to carry on with her Grandmother's recipes and today we had ham, cooked dried corn and a couple of other of her favorite dishes for out Thanksgiving dinner.  Cherry Pie and Cheese Cake were the deserts.

Thank you all for being here.   Hope you all had a good day with friends and family.

[old2soon]

      Normally for the last couple years I've been with Family in Illinois Over Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year. Not this year. Tween my health issues and those changed laws in Il. just don't feel up to the travel. But I purchased the bird taters veggies and cranberry sauce and the 3 Married ladies cooked it all up along with pies cheese balls cold cut tray and other trimmings. Had a Great time with Friends from here on the block!  And all I had to do was walk across the street!  And B T W-All The Ladies are Good Cooks!  RIDE SAFE.

[carolinarider09]

Yes life is good!   

[0leman]

Since I retired in 2009 and moved to OR, we have been having Thanksgiving at our house.  Our #1 Daughter and Family live here.   We have Christmas that their house.  Our other two daughers live a bit far away, one in AZ the other in Southern CA.  Yesterday was really nice as had our two oldest grandsons there.  Both are going to college.   Also, the turkey was really good, and of course all the fixens cause me to enjoy myself. 

It also looks like my monthly stipend will increase due to cost-of-living.   

[Valkorado]

      Normally for the last couple years I've been with Family in Illinois Over Thanksgiving Christmas and New Year. Not this year. Tween my health issues and those changed laws in Il. just don't feel up to the travel. But I purchased the bird taters veggies and cranberry sauce and the 3 Married ladies cooked it all up along with pies cheese balls cold cut tray and other trimmings. Had a Great time with Friends from here on the block!  And all I had to do was walk across the street!  And B T W-All The Ladies are Good Cooks!  RIDE SAFE.

Great story.  THAT'S what America is all about right there.

[scooperhsd]

I got my first SSA check Wednesday. Just plain tired of working for unappreciative bosses, age discrimination, plus MIL watching has just took it out of me.

Had some local friends over from Wed Afternoon until yesterday afternoon.

Dec 4, two of my 3 siblings and a second cousin (and their kids / significant others) will be coming to our place in KC for the Holiday Dinner. We rotate this around (we all are within 200 miles of each other), but making multiple trips during the "potential bad weather season" is just getting too much. My mother passed away more than 5 years ago, leaving me as the eldest.

[Oss]

One of the traditions I have, when I host, is to go around the table and let everyone say a few words about what they are thankful for  We were 19,  our two daughters with husband and boyfriend and 3 kids
plus the widower of my mother in laws sister and his daughter with her husband & their 2 kids plus
my daughter's in laws and their oldest daughter
plus my mom and her aide Pamela who has been part of the family for many decades

Basically this is what I said after my mom sang a blessing song

Thank you all for coming.  This is a remarkable time to be alive.  We all awakened today
in our warm homes, knowing we could eat a breakfast, none of us was starving or wanting for
sustenance and secure in the knowledge that nobody was trying to kill us thanks to our men and women who are guarding our country.

We have things that years ago were not even imagined.

We are free to believe what we wish and have the potential to do what we wish to do for others and for ourselves

As I prepare to wind down my own practice of law I look back and can honestly say I enjoyed more days than not and hope this will continue

I am grateful for our extended family and friends and wish all of us a Happy day and many more happy and healthy days in our country that we love

The food is great, dig in

[old2soon]

     Evan I am PROUD to call you FRIEND. You Sir have summed it up rather nicely. Thanks Indeed.