Give Thanks!

Here are more bloopers, touching moments and treasured holiday traditions from readers.

Old-Fashioned Tom
When I was young, my great-aunt had a wood-burning stove. She started cooking the turkey one day before Thanksgiving. The turkey always came out perfect and golden brown. I still remember the taste of the turkey that was roasted in that old wood stove. —Robert Hartley, Denver, Colorado

Thanksgiving Autographs
When I first moved to Virginia, all of my family and friends were in another state. I invited my new friends who didn’t have anywhere to go to my house for Thanksgiving dinner. We started with 7 and within 3 years, it grew to 36 people. I asked everyone to sign and put a notation on the tablecloth on the main table, which I later cross-stitched. Many of those folks are gone now, but each Thanksgiving we look at the tablecloth, and remember them and the fun and fellowship we had. —Jane Beard, Chester, Virginia

Long-Distance Grace
When my husband and I went to New Mexico for Thanksgiving, our youngest children had to stay in Indiana because of jobs. On Thanksgiving Day, they phoned me just about every hour for cooking instructions. The last call thrilled my heart. They had set the table with good china and called to ask me to say grace! God bless my children—and, yes, their meal turned out great. —Saundra Bramblett, Marion, Indiana

Apple Butter Bash
I’m from a family of 12—the Loudin Family in Elkins, West Virginia. On Thanksgiving, for over 30 years, we make 2 kettles of apple butter outside in copper kettles. It will make your mouth water.

To keep the apple butter from sticking, we put the copper pennies (new and dated with the current year) in the bottom of the kettle. So we have a nice collection of pennies.

We have 45 to 100 people for a complete Thanksgiving dinner with the works. It’s a great time, and we have over 200 pint jars of apple butter to divide up—usually 25 to 30 pint jars per family. —Judy Hedrick, Salem, Ohio

Blessings in Return
Two years ago, my family and I took part of our Thanksgiving dinner to a homebound lady from our church. I thought that my four boys would think that this was a dull way to spend the afternoon, but they really enjoyed visiting with her.

She seemed to love all of the food we brought, but I think that she enjoyed talking with my boys even more. When we talked about it afterwards, we realized that sharing our day with her made our Thanksgiving even better. Her smiles and laughter were such a blessing to us. She died a few months later, and I was glad to know that we had brightened her last Thanksgiving. And my family learned that the old saying is true: it is better to give than to receive. —Allana Sanders, East Machias, Maine

Whose Dessert is Best?
My family Thanksgiving is the biggest event ever. Up to 50 of us gather at my house for a day of food, laughter and love. The highlight of the day is our annual Johnston Bake-Off, a tradition since 1965. In the 60’s our family, much smaller then, used to gather at my mom’s for a big Thanksgiving dinner and lots of desserts, supplied by the gals in the family—me, my 2 sisters and my 2 sisters-in law. My brother, Ed, used to eat a big dinner and then insist upon having a small serving of each dessert. He would then say, “All of them were good, but XXX’s was the best.”

In 1965, Ed began awarding a blue ribbon and a rolled up piece of paper tied with a ribbon for second place. I got the blue ribbon for my lemon meringue pie and won with it for several other years until and the family said I couldn’t enter it anymore!

Ed has now turned over the reins of judge to my son, Gene, and each year the number of desserts has increased as grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces all submit an entry. You should see all of the furor on my porch as everyone readies their entries, all trying to make sure that the presentation is up to par. Memories, memories, memories! —Doris Russell, Fallston, Maryland

Morning-to-Night Feast
When I was a child and my grandmother was still alive, our Italian family’s Thanksgiving started at about 11 a.m. Antipasti was the first course, then the “gravy meat”—meatballs, sausage, rolled pork skin, etc. and lasagna (like none you will ever have at a restaurant). At this point we usually took a rest.

And then came the main course—the turkey and sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, stuffing and a big salad. After all of this, there was still time later, of course, for espresso, Italian coffee soda and the Italian pastries/cakes. Chestnuts, figs and other fruit were also served. Fennel was always available to assist in our digestion. It was not until 8 p.m. that we finally rolled off of the table. I will never forget those days and the love that was shared among all of us. —Louis Simorelli, Miami, Florida

G.I.s Welcomed
My dad was in the Air Force when I was growing up, and we spent most of our time overseas. Every year, my parents invited any of the G.I.s who worked for my dad to Thanksgiving dinner. We never knew how many would show up, but we always had enough good food. Some of my best memories are of sharing Thanksgiving with friends that didn’t or couldn’t go home and chose to share the holiday with us. My mom still hears from some of those young men. —Mitzi Hager, Dallas, Texas

Thankfulness Tree
Since Thanksgiving is a time to “give thanks,” we make a thankfulness tree for our centerpiece. Our son finds a nice branch, suitable in size for a table, and we “plant” it into a container using florist’s foam and moss. We cut out autumn-colored, construction paper leaves and hole-punch them and use cotton string to hang them from the branches.  Before we hang the leaves, we each write something we’re thankful for. It makes nice table decoration and serves as a starter for our holiday conversation. —Lisa Doty, Topeka, Kansas