we pretty much stay with the traditional turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing. But we have simplified everything. The turkey is no longer stuffed with a special dressing. We just make Stouffer's chicken (not turkey) dressing on the stove top because they all insist, they like that the best (OK with me, way easier). My mom used to make a ton of sides like three different vegetables, a raw vegetable tray, cranberry fluff salad, jello salad, at least three kinds of pies. Lots of different pickles, sweet, dill, beet, crabapple, and watermelon pickles. (all home canned) Would have a cheese plate and cold cut plate. Homemade dinner rolls (really good) sweet potatoes baked the day before and then sliced and caramelized in butter (took one person to do just this dish but definitely a favorite of everyone). Now, we maybe do two vegetables nuked in the microwave. We buy bakery rolls. We have increased the amount of the fresh vegetables as the kids love the carrot and celery sticks. Oh, and we added chicken wings as the kids also love those. No longer do we set the table with a linen tablecloth and take out the best dishes. We now just stack the plates and leave the food on the stove and counter, and everyone picks up a plate and dishes up their own. I do miss the way my mom used to do the dinner, but as I was the main chef's assistant and bottle washer in the days before dishwashers, I find even in my old age, I am not nearly as exhausted at the end of the day.
Last edited by sewingpup; 11-04-2022 at 09:31 AM.