Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. The cozy feeling of cooking all day, listening to Christmas music, dancing in the kitchen, and eating AMAZING food with my favorite people is simply the best! Nothing beats that!
As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions!
My Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions
Cooking all day!
Growing up, my Mom always had me help cook. Honestly, sometimes it was almost the entire meal! I baked pies, helped make the turkey, peeled potatoes, baked yams, and made delicious stuffing. Some of my favorite memories are singing to our favorite Christmas songs (specifically the Jewel CD!) in the kitchen.
We always had to taste check everything (of course!) so usually by dinner I was so full that I didn’t even eat that much! But the entire day was so happy and cozy that I didn’t mind at all. It was wonderful.
Spending Time with Family
I’m so lucky to have family that I love. Usually we lived far away from extended family, so our Thanksgiving would be small, intimate gatherings with just siblings and parents. Other years, we were with our sweet grandparents who always made it so special! As a kid, I loved having fun with my brothers & sisters.
Serving Others
Since we often lived far from extended family during the holidays, we would often invite friends or local missionaries from our church for Thanksgiving dinner. It always made it more special to share a cozy Thanksgiving with someone who needed it. One of my favorite years, we made a turkey dinner and left it on the doorstop of a family in need. I loved hiding in the car and watching their surprise & happiness when they opened the door! (That sounds creepy, but it was really cool, haha).
Saying Thanks
I love reflecting on what I have to be grateful for. Life is SO busy, and we see ads and people online every day who can influence us to feel bad about ourselves. It’s so powerful to take time to really appreciate what I have, and remember what’s most important.
I can’t wait to share Thanksgiving with my family this year! What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? Wishing you the happiest holiday!
