I find it so interesting that Thanksgiving seems to be the 'major' holiday in the US while I would say that Christmas is tops in Canada. I have really enjoyed reading about your different menus and why they are special/traditional for your families.

As far as holiday menus are concerned, I suppose we have become non-traditionalists. (This may have something to do with trying to cook a 15 lb. turkey on Christmas day in Australia--when the temp outside was +100 and it was hotter inside!!) It can be anything from totally traditional to ordered in Chinese food. Hosts' choice. Makes for some interesting fare.

Enjoy your holiday!

In my family Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday. To us it is a day of appreciation and love of each other. I guess that sounds kind of sugary sweet but it is so special and just a time to enjoy being together. We don’t do a lot of gifting at Christmas anymore...just to the children so we discuss where we will be donating for less fortunate families. We adopt families and this is a discussion at our table. We have done this for several years and love how my grandchildren help shop for others. Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope your day is special and you are not spending it alone.

I can't get past tradition on Thanksgiving day. I'd really miss turkey, whole cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and the sweet potato recipe that I have made for the last 48 years. Fortunately, I only ever have to make the sweet potato recipe. The meal seems off somehow if there aren't those basics.

I always get invited to someone elses Thanksgiving meal. This year the pastor invited me to come to his daughter's home. She is expecting 22 adults and 23 children... all will be sitting with silver, china... the works! I'll be bringing my favorite Thanksgiving recipe.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes and Apples

3 baked, peeled, and sliced Sweet Potatoes (small to medium size)
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Butter
1 teaspoon Salt

Put alternate layers of potatoes and apples in an 8” x 8” x 2” (2 liter) Corelle Ware casserole dish. Dot each layer with butter and sprinkle with salt.

Topping

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour

In a mixing bowl combine the topping ingredients and mix well. Sprinkle over top of the casserole.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven until the apples are soft (about 45 minutes). Uncover and bake for about ten minutes longer.

Serves 6 to 8

Please share your recipe for the cranberry nut pie. I love cranberries and that sounds so good.

It was fun reading everyone's versions of the Thanksgiving menu! My mouth is watering! Our son and his family came ( they just live a few blocks away) and it was decided to have a soup and munchie day! That worked for me, although a small part of me kind of missed having/making the full meal, which until this year we have always done. Christmas will be our big meal holiday this year as our other son and family will join us at that time. So, we all enjoyed the casual day without all the work!

Oh my, there were 25 of us this year. Prime Rib, garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, scalloped corn, roasted brussel sprouts, tossed salad, deviled eggs, relishes, peach crisp, apple crisp and brownies and ice cream. Fresh vegetable beef soup the night before. This is our Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner. We open Christmas packages after dinner. This way the kids get to spend Christmas with their own children and their grandchildren. Makes life easy for us.

As a Canadian we had our Thanksgiving back in October.

I figure if I am cooking the meal I can change it up any way I like. Some things are not served here, no green bean casserole or yams/sweet spuds with marshmallows at my table.

I love stuffing and often switch it up by using different types of sausage meat and breads. One year I did chorizo and cornbread stuffing. But that is just if I am cooking a turkey. I have done lamb, prime rib and seafood casserole in the past.

If I am serving turkey there will be homemade cranberry sauce. I do not served canned cranberry sauce. I remember hearing a radio story about people who love the canned jellied cranberries and the stuff has to be pushed out of the tin, so the lines are visible on the jelly. Nope not at my house.

Desserts vary too. We have some family favourites, but I switch them up at will too. For Thanksgiving my son asked for Trifle, so we had trifle. My last visit he asked for a Yule Log, even though it was Remembrance Day weekend. I switched it up and made a chocolate peanut butter one. It was pretty good.

We have two holiday traditions that I love.

Fondue dinner on Christmas Eve. cheese fondue, beef broth and chocolate fondue. Yum.

Christmas Day we have a brunch of wife savers, sausages, fresh fruit salad and bacon. I rarely cook bacon and we love the treat of having it on Christmas Day.

My husband smoked a turkey this year at our son's home. They are vegetarian so he bought a small turkey. It was different. Tasted good but we both thought it didn't "taste" like Thanksgiving :)
My son smoked salmon for them. That was good too. My DIL made a marvelous stuffing. And we had lots of sides and I made a pumpkin pie.

I have eaten the same thing for Thanksgiving. Baked turkey, mashed potatoes W/canned milk, stick of margarine, salt and pepper, Turkey broth gravy,cornbread dressing w/ Italian sausage, walnuts, mushrooms,onions and celery, cooked in margarine. canned cranberry sauce, can't eat turkey without it. Canned or frozen corn w/margarine. Pumpkin pies (5), cheesecake,carrot cake, apple pie. Son in law made last three desserts, daughter had to work on baking day. Son in law deep fried a 14# and 9# turkeys. I don't eat it. Husband and me are not turkey eaters other than Thanksgiving and leftovers. I freeze leftovers to have in the summer. We had veggie tray w/dip, cheese and crackers. We have KFC with sides night before. Lots of food, grown Grandsons, girlfriends/wives, always a fun and good time. One girlfriend made her Grandma's recipe for bread rolls.

Rest of the year is for dieting.