Thanksgiving Traditions: Family Gatherings, Canned Cranberry Sauce, and The Turkey Pardon By Connie Vines

 

Once again, it's that stressful yet joyous time of the year. A time we paw through the mountain of frozen turkeys at the local market, praying the one we select will thaw before Thanksgiving Eve. 

Each year, Americans in the United States celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.

The preparation of the turkey varies from family to family, state to state, and from traditional to new and improved. And then there is a time-honored tradition that I can't explain or truly understand. 

The Turkey Pardon

Each year at Thanksgiving, the president receives a gift of two live turkeys. At a White House ceremony, the president "pardons" the National Thanksgiving Turkeys so they live on a farm.

Fortunately, for the young children and miffed mothers, it takes place several days before the "families' turkey" roasts in the oven.

The Meal

Since my childhood was nomadic, my menu is a combo of southern cooking, cornbread dressing (I do not stuff the bird), collard-green with diced bacon, sweet potato pie, and mashed potatoes. However, my mother's family was Czech. In other years, I made potato dumplings topped with sour kraut, date snack, and my favorite cookies. Kolaches. It is not the yeast roll type in the southern states, but the buttery/creamy cookies you see in Chicago, IL. 

And a can of cranberry sauce...

The WishBone

We can delve into this tradition at another time. 

Let's focus, instead, on the can of cranberry sauce.

I was never a fan of canned cranberry sauce. Everyone is familiar with the Jelly-like creation, which slides, giggles, and slides off your plate when cut. 

The History: Marcus Urann, a Massachusetts farmer and lawyer, created the first canned cranberry sauce in 1912. It appeared on the market in 1941, allowing the product to be sold year-round.

As a child, it appeared on the dinner table every holiday. I vowed to banish it from the world when I became an adult.

Well, I'm sure you can guess what happened...

I married. My husband, from Louisiana, loved fried catfish and preferred canned cranberry sauce to my homemade version (which was delicious, by the way). We compromised. He never asked me to prepare or eat catfish. (It tasted like muddy water, even after I soaked it in buttermilk.) And I never complained about his canned cranberry sauce.

Of course, our sons loved the canned cranberry sauce but agreed with me about the catfish.

FUN FACTS:

🦃A ripe cranberry will bounce.

🦃All turkeys and chickens have wishbones.

🦃Canadians celebrate their own Thanksgiving every October.

🦃Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863.

🦃The first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1929.

  

I hope you enjoyed my post. 

Holiday shopping time and Black Friday Events with huge markdowns begin the day after Thanksgiving here in the US.

BWL is having a can't-be-beat sale on all of their EBooks!

From now until Christmas Day (at midnight), the Elves will be busy delivering your purchase. 🧝 🦌🎅🎄

Happy Reading and Happy Holidays,

XOXO

Connie

(the link is below the photo)

Holiday Book Sale!!

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