What I loved this year the most about Thanksgiving was the fact that I didn't have to cook it...again.  Though I did bring several awesome (if I do say so myself), Weight Watchers friendly side dishes, I didn't have to serve a lot of people.  What a relief.  It's not like I don't do it all year long, between birthdays and barbecues and Easter/Passover, I'm all 'entertained' out.  In fact, we had such a good time at our friend's gathering that I already put in dibs to have it there again next year.  Our friends and family all drew straws to see who would be doing it next year.  I put in for our friends twice.  They had no idea.  I acted all bummed out when I didn't draw the short straw, "Darn it.  I lost again!"  That acting training comes in very handy.

by Rita Arens

My family is German. My grandmother always made holiday stollen, which is bread filled with raisins, jellied fruits, cinnamon and other spices. I hate it. I love the tradition, the idea behind it, but I can't stand this bread that makes my father's eyes light up like a kid in Willy Wonka's factory. Still, my mom videotaped them making stollen so the tradition wouldn't be lost after my parents and aunts and uncles go to the big stollen bakery in the sky.

I'm not the even hosting the family Thanksgiving Dinner this year but that doesn't mean I won't be busy preparing my 'dishes' to bring:  sweet potato pies; biscuit wreath; and two Spaghetti Squash Casseroles.  My Thanksgiving To Do List was ridiculously unrealistic.  As of this morning:  it had 23 separate tasks listed.  So, I had a big glass of wine and took a deep breath.  I got rid of 14 tasks now there's only 9 left to do before Thursday morning.  I got rid of the 'doing laundry' one, heck that's what perfume is for and the 'baking cookies' one too (hello Shop Rite).  Now that I can handle.  Do you overschedule and multi-task too much too?  Tell me about it.

by ginafur

So there you are at Grandma's on Thanksgiving Day, helping Aunt Jane prepare the meal. After all, you've done it for the past 15 years. Maybe it's going to Mama's for the 20th Thanksgiving Celebration of your 25 year old life. It's like being wrapped with a warm blanket of memories and good food. Tradition, it's just what we do.