Thanksgiving Traditions
Traditions are always changing! Once you think they’re set, they evolve. One traditional thread that has held true is the fact that we’ve always tried to have as many of us together as possible for Thanksgiving. This year we’ll be on zoom. Next year in Philly!
Growing up I remember Kelly’s, my father’s restaurant, was open for Thanksgiving. According to my sister, Nancy, that’s where we would spend our Thanksgiving Dinner. Kelly’s always had a special menu featuring several courses: celery and olive condiment plate, turkey with stuffing and mashed potatoes and mints after dessert!
Once Judi and I were married, we went to Scarsdale, NY to have Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Ruth’s (Ruth is Al’s sister, Al is Judi’s father) for a few years. When they moved to Florida, we started going to the Strauses’ ( Joe Straus is Elma’s first cousin, Elma is Judi’s mother). They lived in Elkins Park which was closer than Scarsdale and the pies Joyce ( Joe’s wife) made were terrific.
I always looked forward to Joe & Joyce’s for Thanksgiving because it was a great evening: good food, lots of conversation, lots of people. Definitely things I wanted to offer our guests when we started to host Thanksgiving in 1978.
The earliest of Judi’s notes about us hosting Thanksgiving are from 1978. Judi takes extensive notes after each holiday meal we host: how many people, what we served, what others brought. Our first Thanksgiving included 15 adults and 5 children. Our most packed Thanksgiving was in ‘94 with 28 guests. We were lucky that we had access to the Sansom Street Oyster House ( my restaurant that I closed on Thanksgiving) to help make the meal extra delicious. In addition to shrimp cocktail, and oysters, ( non traditional Thanksgiving dishes) the restaurant cooked the turkey. Later on I even smoked a few turkeys for the meal. We would serve the turkey on a turkey platter that belonged to my parents. And, we were also lucky because for dessert, Joyce brought her pies.
The Turkey Platter
For a few years in the late 90’s we migrated to Florida for Thanksgiving at Sandy and Drew’s house. Their specialty was Turkey cooked on the BBQ!
As the years went on, the guest list grew to include our kids and their partners and then their kids. And, we passed the turkey leg ( bad dad joke) to Susan ( my niece) to host.
Thanksgiving 2011
My daughter, Debbie, who lives in San Francisco with her family, would come home for Thanksgiving. This inadvertently created Thanksgiving traditions beyond the holiday dinner. The traditions included a cookie making party that Judi would host. All the cousins and their kids would decorate cookies that we would serve for dessert at Thanksgiving. These were nowhere near as good as Joyce’s pies, but they were always a big hit, especially with the kids who made them.
From L to R: Ever ( Debbie’s daughter), Judi, Gabby ( Susan’s Daughter)
Yumm Cookies!
Hey it’s Debbie jumping in for the rest of the blog post:
The Thanksgiving traditions also include cousins-giving. A dinner the Saturday night after Thanksgiving that Sam & Anthony ( my brother & his husband ) host for all the cousins.
Sam says, “My cousins are my friends so it's only natural that I'd want to hang out with them when given the opportunity. Thanksgiving is a blast with 3 generations of family eating, drinking, playing & arguing together. But it's our cousins-giving gathering that allows for a more intimate & fun dinner. No kids, no parents, no grandparents, just us 6 1st cousins and our spouses. This allows us to laugh, cry, poke fun, tell stories & reminisce about all our common family. And after a few drinks no family member's quirks, weird habits or sense of style is immune from a good laugh. Keeping family bonds strong takes work and effort. Cousins-giving strengthens our already strong friendship and love for each other and with any hope this will be past down to the next generation.”
It’s definitely one of my favorite traditions.
I also chatted with Susan about hosting Thanksgiving this year. She said, “It seems like the perfect opportunity to get away from tradition, but somehow tradition won. I’m making a turkey. I’m getting food from Oyster House ( Sam’s restaurant) : shrimp cocktail, oyster stuffing, pies. My mom, Sharon is making Aunt Nancy’s ( her sister’s) cranberry sauce. And I’m also making sweet potato pie. “
“My favorite part of hosting Thanksgiving is creating the center pieces for the tables. I contemplated whether to make them this year or not. Ultimately I decided I’m going to since it’s always the most fun and creative part for me “
Susan’s centerpieces!
How are you celebrating Thanksgiving this year? Starting any new traditions? Drop a comment and let us know!
Gobble gobble gobble !!!!!
