Thanksgiving traditions certainly have changed over the years, at least in my family. When I think back to the Thanksgivings of my childhood, a few memories still make me smile. Others make me wonder how we ever came up with some of our traditions in the first place!

I don’t remember much about Thanksgiving when I was a child, but my maternal grandmother lived with us, and I do remember her roasting a turkey with dressing. She always put the dressing inside the bird. That was just weird! (Note: It still is.) And I don’t even want to think about the giblet gravy, then or now.

One year, instead of pumpkin pie, Grandma made a sweet potato pie and didn’t tell us about the swap. When dessert came around, I took a big bite and must have made quite a face because everyone was looking at me like I was nuts.

I asked what she had done with the pumpkin pie. She just smiled and explained that it was sweet potato instead of pumpkin.

To this day, I don’t eat sweet potato pie!

As a baby boomer, I grew up in a household where we had everything we needed, but there wasn’t much left over for decorating and such. Thanksgiving was simple. Close family came to visit, the kids played together, and everyone enjoyed being together.

Memories of my Thanksgiving Traditions

Most of my Thanksgiving memories, however, come from after I married and had children of my own. We were better off financially than we had ever been, and I enjoyed decorating the front porch and dining room for Thanksgiving. Actually, to be more accurate, I decorated for Halloween and just carried everything over to Thanksgiving!

Pumpkins, hay bales, and all that wonderful fall stuff worked just fine for both holidays. We made the holidays fun, but as the years passed, the children grew up, married, and moved away. Thanksgiving gradually became more of a warm-up for Christmas.

With Black Friday specials and now Cyber Monday, it sometimes seems that the only Thanksgiving tradition left is eating!

Our family gatherings changed, too. Instead of having the children around, we began celebrating with long-time friends who were in much the same situation as we were. Empty nesters who preferred to stay home.

Several Thanksgiving dinners were provided by Cracker Barrel, with the cost divided among friends. None of us had the “want to” anymore to put in all that effort for one holiday meal.

And you know what? That was perfectly fine.

These days, our holidays are quieter. We’re usually the ones doing the traveling to visit family, allowing the younger generation to create traditions of their own. Hopefully, those are the memories their children will carry with them someday.

That’s what I want to share with you this Thanksgiving.

Make your own traditions. Keep the things from your past that bring you happiness, but don’t be afraid to create something entirely different.

After all, my kids were picky eaters, and would you believe our traditional Thanksgiving dinner was PIZZA!

Who says Thanksgiving traditions have to look the same in every household?

Whether you’re sitting down to a beautifully roasted turkey, enjoying dinner with friends, ordering takeout, or simply spending a quiet day at home, what matters most is appreciating the blessings in your life.

Thanksgiving is a time to count those blessings and remember The ONE who made it all possible.

Enjoy Thanksgiving Your Way and BE THANKFUL!

Now, I’d love to hear from you. Does your family have an unusual Thanksgiving tradition? Or perhaps a favorite memory that still makes you smile? Share it in the comments. I’d love to hear your story!

Happy Thanksgiving from Irene at Living the Good Life!