By Johnnie Seago
Taken from CallMom.co
Traditions are such an important part of family life. As children grow our family traditions morph into routines and schedules of “whose year is it to spend with mom?” Parents with adult children content themselves with this coveted time through traditions that everyone can count on…For example: Thanksgiving is our BIG holiday…allowing the other family members to claim another holiday.
Every year we have a HUGE Thanksgiving. As many of our family (and extended family) come to our home on the lake. A few years ago we outgrew the dining area and moved our dinner outside. The night before the feast mommies and kiddos make t-shirts (or this year it will be aprons!) for all the children with turkey hand-prints and the year in little handwriting. As we start the cooking the children play games and we talk and cook and enjoy being together crowded into a kitchen warm with laughter. We try to get everyone to make their “special” recipe…right down the the daughters. Everyone is a cook at Thanksgiving.
Since we have to move tables, chairs, and food outside it would be easy to use paper plates and disposable cups but that would NEVER DO! This is a feast and we use formal dress, formal tableware, and table manners. As we do the prep work my sister takes family group shots of each individual family. All families choose their family “color” so that the pictures can be used for Christmas cards and letters.
Before we eat we all sing hymns and offer prayers of thankfulness. Then the food is served and served and served! After clean up the guys play football and frisbee while the moms start scouring the papers for the annual Black Friday shopping spree. In the afternoon the mommies enjoy pedicures while babies nap. Thanksgiving actually last a whole weekend, since so many of our kids live out of town. In the true spirit of the season…we are so thankful God has allowed another year of loving, and living together…even when we are miles apart.
What are special additions to your Thanksgiving time?
Go to CallMom.co to tell your traditions.
