Since we will only be 10 at table, and the kids are age 11 and up, a kids' table seems superfluous.
As to "tribute" dishes, mine is the turkey itself. My mother, who passed away 5 years ago Monday, was the queen of turkey - hers was never dry, always tasty (and she cooked the stuffing separately). My side dishes vary from year to year, but you know the turkey will always be there... I trust that she is watching over it for me.

I am a huge traditionalist. I can cook a turkey any time. The part that makes Thanksgiving so special is the connection to the past -- and for me, that is the recipes (especially since our family is frequently scattered to the winds on Thanksgiving). Our changes are incremental; sweet potatoes are now made from fresh instead of canned (though I still must have marshmallows on my half), and thanks to my husband's influence, I have started adding some apples to the stuffing. Oh, and I gave up my favorite pumpkin-praline pie because he so adores the traditional version.

This year is going to be great, because my folks are in town, and my step-sister and her husband and baby are coming in. I'm really looking forward to us all gathered around the table, stuffing ourselves silly -- then racing for the couch for the second half. :-)

My sister, my grandmother, my two kids and I will gather at my parents house for dinner in the afternoon. I've made the pies, my sister will bring a winter squash dish. My mom will have green beans with almonds, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a well-made turkey with stuffing and there will also be dressing cooked separately.

We'll eat a light breakfast, small healthy snack (e.g., fruit) in the late morning or about noon, dinner at about 2 pm, snack at about 6, and then friends will come over for dessert shortly afterwards. We'll have pie, apple crisp, they'll bring something also.

No kids table--there aren't enough of us for that.

Ah! Thanksgiving, Fred's Favorite Holiday.

When Sainted Mother and Dad were still alive and all the boys were home, mom would whip up a 25 lb turkey. Dad would make stuffing from scratch and eat oysters. Mom would make her wonderful Hollandaise sauce. (good on mashed potatoes!) We always had over what my parents call their 9th, 10th 11th etc sons. We would have 20-25 people every year. Mom would cook all day (and loved it) laying out appetizers, the main course and desserts.

At the Farkel household for many years, we have had the traditional turkey day meal, turkey, potatoes, veggies and pumpkin pie.

But now with 3 of the 4 out of the nest, we are going out for dinner tomorrow.

As many of you know, we have much to be thankful for this year, Frieda conquering cancer, AF dau being home and continued good health of all family members.

We wish a happy and reflective Thanksgiving to all.

hey fred & frieda, a happy thanksgiving back to you.

if this doesn't sound too strange for me thanksgiving is about being able to take out the fancy china & platters & serving dishes rather than the food. i never use any of that stuff any other time of the year (oh, except for christmas dinner) and i always think of family members who are now dead (mom, grandmother, greats etc) who ate off these plates. some of these people i never knew. i like feeling like i'm part of a continuim. very zen or new agey.

Happy turkey day to Fred and Frieda from me. You remind me to be thankful for my own good health (knock on wood).
My kids are off with my ex to share Thanksgiving with his side of the family. I'll get together with friends.
But 10-year old DD really wants to help cook a Thanksgiving dinner at home so we will do one on a smaller scale this weekend involving me and the kids. We made our shopping list last night. For desert,
she wants to make a pie with chocolate chip cookie dough crust (which we'll bake first) then fill it with chocolate ice cream for an ice-cream pie! Gaaah, the things I do to support my children's creative impulses!
Still, if I start her young, maybe she can be in charge of the annual feast in the future and I'll be off the hook!

My MIL was a cook of the Julia Child variety.

She used to make these things with oranges where you hollowed it out, made orange ice cream and refilled the orange. You froze the whole thing.

Well, Trader Joe had a similar dessert. Since I'm a lazy DIL I took to buying them at TJ.

Well, this year they don't have them anymore! How could they destroy my holiday tradition?

RedBird27 - CostCo still sells those. Actually, they have a package that includes oranges, pineapples, coconuts, and some other stuff. Watch out for the empty coconut shells, though. :-)

We're having dinner at the in-laws. MIL is making the turkey and stuffing. SIL is doing the other baking - breads and desserts. We're bringing sides - appetizers, veggies, sweet potatoes, etc. And DS is learning about "low man on the totem pole". He started work recently at a 24-7 drugstore. Guess who gets to work on Thanksgiving day? :-) (He'll get off work in time to join us for dinner.)

Happy Turkey Day to one and all - Fred and Frieda especially!

I love Thanksgiving. I would usually spend all day cooking. Turkey, cranberry sauce, all the sides. Just got divorced. In new part of country, in new job. Thanksgiving alone. Oh well. I bought a turkey yesterday anyway. And I gave away one of the two sweet-potato pies I made. Life goes on. I should probably look for someplace to volunteer.

DH and I are introducing my in-laws to some healthier options this year. I am not sure how well they will go over, but I am excited to be incorporating a few of our own traditions with his families. MIL is making the turkey, mashed potatos and stuffing, we'll make the rest and all meet at my BIL's house. There probably will not be a kids table, but there are 3 or 4 different tables because of how many people will be there. My girls like to sit with a few of our crazy great aunts and uncles who dote on them and let them eat extra dessert (even if they haven't touched dinner). Then we will play games and let the kids run around until they fall asleep somewhere :) Really, I can't wait!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

hey armybrat, i love those! watch out for the coconut ones, they pack a fat content wallop like you wouldn't believe but they're oh-so-tasty!

Most of the time I'm a happy, cheerful sort of guy, but my 6 year old did me in this morning. He's at the age where he constantly asks me questions, and this morning's interrogation was all about what and who I have seen. Yes, I've seen grandma and grandpa. Yes I know what my sister and brother look like, and I have seen all of their spouses. Likewise, I've met all of Ms Weasel's brothers and sisters and most of their spouses before I lost my vision.

But no, I've never seen my 6 year old, and knno, I've never seen his older brother and sisters. I think I know what they look like though, I think, but I'm not really sure.

Then came the killer question, "Who is the last person you ever saw?"

And that reminded me of the dinner at my brother's house 18 years ago on Thanksgiving day. I was sitting on the couch when Ms Weasel came over to check on me. I stared into her eyes as my vision grew dimmer and dimmer until complete darkness. That would be the last time I saw the light of day. Ms Weasel was very, very pretty, and I still imagine her today looking just as I saw her for the last time 18 years ago.

So Thanksgiving Day isn't my favorite, but still, we live in America, the land of opportunity. That alone is enough to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's all about family, friends and food. We are fortunate to have 16 people joining us this year. Good china and crystal get polished up and used. (Maybe someday, I'll have sterling as well.) There is always a kid table and God willing, there always will be. Standards are a turkey that's grilled (same recipe every year or there'd be guests picketing), what my husband calls 7-hour gravy, sweet potato hash with apples, bacon and Frangelico, Mom's pumpkin pies, and good ole Pillsbury crescent rolls. I play with different stuffing recipes, other sides, and dessert. It used to feel like a massive production and stressful when we first started hosting, now it's fun, though I'll admit Thai or Indian take out is usually ordered by Saturday night!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

I moved to the west coast last year, and I'll be spending Thanksgiving with my roommate (we both have to work). She has graciously offered to forgo the turkey (obviously, with only two of us) and make vegetarian dishes. While I won't begrudge her whatever meat main dish she'd prefer to make, I'm going to enjoy vegetarian stuffing, salad, mashed potatoes, butternut squash soup, and pumpkin pie with her. It's really exactly what I wanted--a quiet, stress-free day to enjoy a meal with a good friend and quietly count my blessings.

Wishing you all a great Thanksgiving!

This year is very special to me, as I married my partner on June 28, and we are celebrating our first Thanksgiving as wife and wife! The bird is in the fridge, I'm making apple crisp tonight, and probably peeling the butternut squash tonight as well. Get stuff out of the way as best I can. I told her last night that I will NOT go to a grocery store the night before Thanksgiving, so I went last night. I think I spent 10 minutes in there, as I knew exactly what we needed!

WhackyWeasel, I'm just catching up on a week's worth of postings and had to tell you how much your story about the last person you saw touched my heart. What a sad but beautiful image you presented of your sight fading as you looked into your lovely wife's eyes and how you remember her as being so very beautiful. Your children are so fortunate to have you tell them this story and to have you demonstrate through your words and actions just what it is that is important, even though you no longer have sight. God bless you.

Lynne