Help me make some new traditions for thanksgiving Please!!!?

Question

Hi, as a kid our version of thanksgiving was always going to grandmas, it was stressful, not very much fun and always felt like we were just going through the motions. Now that I have 2 small children ages (at time of) 28 months and 11 months and a husband(dog too but she doesn't factor into this lol) I want to make new traditions, fun ones that are not just going through the motions. My parents can't come but a close family friend in his late 50's will be coming as well. I want to trim the tree(we are cutting a fresh one the sunday prior) eat a nice meal and beyond that I don't know what else to do, football is out, no one but my husband enjoys it currently. Any ideas? We live in iowa, in a house in a small town near des moines. Also meal ideas would be great, I don't really know what are traditional foods. thanks everyone in advance

Answer 1

Have you ever fried a turkey? You need a big old turkey fryer, and a lot of oil -- my brother-in-law uses peanut oil -- and it's absolutely wonderful. It takes a lot less time than baking or roasting a turkey in the over and it's always moist and juicy. Even people who don't like turkey like this. Just remember to do it away from the house, and not in the garage. Every year, some bozo tries to fry his turkey in the garage and burns his house down.

A lot of Italians also have lasagna at Thanksgiving. How about celebrating your ethnic heritage?

You could make almost any dish your Official Thanksgiving Meal. Make a nice pot roast or roast pork, and a lot of vegetables. Pick things you know your family likes so you don't have any hassles with the kids.

When we lived across the country from our families, we'd have dinner in a nice restaurant, then go to a movie if it was cold or rainy, or to a park and fly kites or swing or whatever if the weather was nice. In the evening, after dark, you could play some games -- at this age your kids probably aren't much into games, are they...but maybe Candyland and Hi Ho Cherrio for the older one once the little guy goes to sleep.

You could start your baking for Christmas. I think the tree trimming sounds nice. One of my sisters usually decorates the outside of the house the day after Thanksgiving, and they all look forward to it and getting hamburgers from White Castle for supper.

There are so many things you can do to start your own traditions. When I was a kid, we'd all pile into my uncle's car after dinner at Grandma;s house and go downtown to look at the store windows. They used to really decorate them up fancy.

You're kids will love these things, and remember them with a smile when they're old like me.

PS to Denise Blanchard...I'll be praying that you and your husband spend next Thanksgiving together.

Answer 2

Hi my name is Denise Blanchett..Here are a few ideals .
1- get some pinecones,,2- construction paper, ,3- glue,, colors.. Have ur kid to make turkeys out of the pinecones..Make their hand prints on the paper ,, then cut them out .. Let the kids color,, glitter them any way the want to ,, The hand print makes the tail feather.. Then they can draw and cut out the head .. When they get through making their turkey they can use them on the table for decoration ,,Also find some indian corn for decoration on the table.. This is something that my kids do.. They draw hand print and cut it out .. Write their name on the hand print and place it on the table where they will be sitting .... When everyone arrive at the table and before anyone begans to eat .. Go around the table and let everyone tell what they are thankful for ..Since ur children is small have game time with just them . Like do a turkey dance instead of the chicken dance. hehehehe. Go outside go looking for turkeys and calling them ( gobbling ) walk around like turkey..You and the kids go sneak away in ur bed room pull them up close to and tell them why we have a thankgiving day .. Make up a story about the pilgrams coming over an a bigggggg ship and making friend with the indians,, etc.. Kids loves storys..
The Food : Of course turkey dressing or stuffing potatos peas or green bean casserole.. rolls.. banana pudding fried apple pies ,, peach cobbler.. for the kids find a turkey cookie cutter and let them make their cookies the day before thanksgiving,, i hope this helps Happy Thanksgiving
Denise Blanchett .. Pray for our Troops .. My husband will be in Iraq thanksgiving ,, May God Bless

Answer 3

My childhood memories are watching the parade on tv then eating and it was over. So I also looked for more as I raised my children and I have found no matter who is visiting for dinner they also love to join in. I come up with an easy craft idea for a christmas decoration or ornament. I buy all the materials and have everything planned out to make it easy and quick, for younger kids you can have something different.
My family has really enjoyed this after Thanksgiving dinner and we take a qroup picture to show our finished craft. Its fun to look back and see who was with us and what we made.
Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving.

Answer 4

Well when my parents were alive my mother would serve tomato juice with the meal and serve the following:
Turkey
cornbread dressing
mashed potatoes
candied yams
bread
dinner rolls
a relish tray with: bread and butter pickles, green onions, celery with pimento cheese spread in them, plain celery
deviled eggs
jellied cranberry sauce
cranberry sauce
green beans
giblet gravy
and for desert:
coffee and pumpkin pie

We also had iced tea and water just in case somebody didn't want coffee

Answer 5

A tradition we like to do is sometime during the meal we all go around the table and say something we are thankful for that year. It is nice for the little ones to understand the meaning of thanksgiving.And sometimes it can be a lot of fun.