Thanksgiving is very special to me – so wonderfully uncluttered…if you don’t count my kitchen while I’m in there cooking up a storm! (I’m a messy cook, but a good one…according to my husband and sons). I treasure the simplicity of what Thanksgiving stands for: thankful hearts, grateful hearts, family time, and delicious food. Thanksgiving isn’t ruined with commercialization by the media (only because marketing for Christmas begins in August and that is where their focus is). I love to celebrate one holiday at a time – and I want to savor Thanksgiving before I begin the countdown to Christmas.
I celebrated my birthday last Saturday (November 16) and it was a good one! While counting my blessings I decided to host a giveaway here on my blog! The gift is a wonderful book by Liz Curtis Higgs entitled “The Women of Christmas.” I’ve given copies to my mom, by dear friend Lanie and I have one for YOU too!
To enter the giveway, all you need to do is leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition or food. I will take comments through Thanksgiving Day. A winner will be randomly selected, and I will get your book in the mail right away! I want you to be able to savor this joyous time of year that we celebrate Emmanuel, God With Us. I’m so thankful He is with us every moment of every day. Another reason I love Thanksgiving: EVERY DAY is Thanksgiving when you live with a grateful heart and count your blessings and realize it’s all grace.
Let Every Heart Prepare Him Room,
Jan
PS: Make sure to leave your email in your post so I may get in touch with you if you WIN!
I love Thanksgiving. My favorite tradition is having everyone share what they are thankful for. This year, I am thankful to spend the day with my sister and her family. It will be the first time in over 20 years. Such a blessing!
Happy Thanksgiving to you.
I love Thanksgiving so much. My favorite tradition is when everyone shares what they are thankful for. This year is extra special, my sister and her family will be with us for the first time in 20 years. I could weep!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday, right behind Easter, for its focus on sharing with others. It’s often a time for expanding our family to include anyone we hear of who doesn’t have local family (we’ve never lived near family, either). Aside from the usual Thanksgiving dishes, our unique ones include yellow bean/pearl onion casserole and sticky rolls.
Joy to you and yours, Jan!
My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is everything! I take a cheesy onion casserole to one of my sis-in-law’s homes. We arrive, relax, eat and enjoy a few hours together. Thanksgiving is stress-free and pretty calm with 20 or so family members gathered around. We have so much to be thankful for: family nearby, the food, the tradition of gathering together. Amen.
My most favorite time of the year. There is no pressure for presents. Just sit back and be thankful for all the amazing blessings that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with. My favorite food is Jane Morton’s turkey dressing. It is the best ever. I just love spending time with family. This year we are blessed to have two Daughter-in-laws that have joined the family.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Jan! Gary used to be the Music Director at my mother/father-in-law’s church–Central Baptist in Athens, Ga! Also, my daughter-in-law is Mickey/Lynne Merritt’s daughter! Small world!!! Every year we spend Thanksgiving at my sister’s house in Conyers! Last October she fell and broke her hip–one week later she went to be with Jesus! So Thanksgiving is a little bittersweet for me. Her family and mine are trying to hold on to our tradition though. Last year we decorated gingerbread houses after ‘feasting’ and this year we plan to make a Christmas ornament. Doesn’t take the sadness away but helps us to keep on going! Hope you and Gary have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas!
The last few years we’ve gone to a local restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner. Funny thing is most years no one ordered the turkey dinner. This year we are having my mom, son and his wife over for a traditional turkey dinner. We all feel a need to be together at home this year. As far as the food? Lots of turkey and stuffing and gravy. {Oh my!} A little bit of cranberry sauce and more stuffing. And maybe one more spoonful of stuffing since I didn’t have any mashed potatoes. *wink*
We’ve gone out to a local restaurant the last few years. But, this year we’re having my mom, our son and his wife over to our house for a traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner. I’m really looking forward to time with family and yummy food. Turkey and stuffing and gravy {oh my!} and stuffing with a little cranberry sauce. Ok… so maybe just a little more stuffing (since I didn’t have any mashed potatoes).
I’ve lots to be thankful for this year. My health – my family’s health- our dad is here to celebrate another year with us .. my new grandson and my wonderful 2 sisters and mother. Our family is just wonderful. Full of love. Also God had helped my business survive another year in a tough economy. That makes me thankful that my employees are able to support their families. Love you Jan
My favorite part is after eating all of the traditional thanksgiving food…The family sits around the living room with a good Cup of coffee and homemade pie and we tell stories and laugh about our fun memories of each other….family is my favorite tradition!
My favorite Thanksgiving is 2010. My Aunt Disney and Uncle Willie hosted Thanksgiving at their house in Braselton Ga. My husband really wanted to go but I didn’t. I dragged my feet and he kept pushing me to go and to pack. We went & had a great time. I got to spend the whole day laughing with everyone but most of all my Dad! This was the last time I got to be with him. He died a few days later. God gave me that day and I thank him all the time. My husband also. It was also the last day to be with my Uncle Steve. He died the day after my Dads funeral. I hadn’t seen him in years. It was a great time & I can’t wait to see them all in heaven with my heavenly Father. You just never know someone’s last day on earth. I’m happy & sad on Thanksgiving but its for the family left behind to have fun and to love on each other. My children, my four grandchildren and my husband do just that for one another and for me! Happy Thanksgiving. Spend it like it is the last one!
Correction: My Aunt Diane, not Disney…LOL
Hello my sweet friend,
I, too, love Thanksgiving. It is my second favorite holiday next to Easter. We are not big on traditions in our family, I’m sorry to say. But we do all get together and eat lunch. When I was a girl my Dad’s family would all get together for Thanksgiving lunch and after it was all over, we would gather around the piano and sing the old hymns. I can still hear my grandmother and her sisters singing, When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder. Now, they are all celebrating with Jesus.
Sweet Jan, I adore you!!!!! I count you and your sweet friendship as one of my greatest gifts. SO thankful for you!
My favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas food – it’s actually my favorite food in the whole world, but I reign myself in and reserve is for the Holidays!!! – is a frozen cranberry dessert that my Grandma used to make. Through years of passed along recipes it had lost it’s name, so I named it Cranberry Yum when I was a kid. One year, about 3 or 4 days after Christmas we were getting ready for dinner and I was helping set the table. My grandma pulled it out of the freezer and handed it to me and I said “AGAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIINNNNN?” She thought I was upset about it, but my mommy explained that I was HAPPY to be having it again. At my house now, I am the only one who likes it. Yet, I still double the recipe so I have it in stock for a while. But, when it’s gone, I know I have to wait another year for it, so I stretch it out. It is probably the one food that I am that disciplined with!!!
My favorite tradition of Thanksgiving is everyone writing one blessing on our tablecloth. It’s a reminder to each of us the blessings that God has given and that He is our Provider. We reminisce of past blessings and it renews our memories and always leads to great conversation for us as well as our little ones coming up in the family. We are truly blessed.
First of all, your blog is such a blessing to me. Thank you for sharing your life with all of us!
Our small family celebrates Thanksgiving with all the food that my mother and grandmother (both deceased) cooked for us. I have their recipes and we have the same thing every year…Turkey, cornbread dressing, green beans, sweet potato casserole, corn, baked macaroni and cheese, frozen cranberry salad, and deviled eggs. Eating the foods that we ate while growing up brings back such wonderful memories for our family. Before we eat, though, we put Scrabble letters in a basket and we each draw one. We hold hands around the table and each person shares something we are thankful for that begins with that letter. Some of the things that the kids come up with are precious! Of course, we have our blessing next, thanking our Lord for all His many blessings to us. (Oh, and no Christmas decorations allowed in our home until after Thanksgiving. Like you, we try to focus on one holiday at a time.)
Happy Thanksgiving,
From one Georgia girl to another
P.S. : ) I added your blog to my blog roll!
I love Liz Curtis Higgs! I first heard her speak at a Women of Faith conference. Thank you for the opportunity to win her new book! I am enjoying your blog.
My favorite food for Thanksgiving are the turkey breasts my husband prepares on his grill. He smokes them all morning on Thanksgiving Day & truthfully, more than the actually turkey itself, I delight most in seeing the joy he takes in preparing them for us each year. He is a wonderful, loving & generous man. I am the most blessed wife I know! I am so thankful God gave him to me! 😀
1st Happy Belated Birthday! Thanksgiving Day is wonderful! My family & I hold hands at the dinner table & tell what we are thankful for. What a blessing to hear my grandsons now 20 & 17. God is good! My husband makes his homemade cheese cake pie. Yummy
God bless you & have a Blessed thanksgiving.
Loved Lizzie & Ann webcast yesterday. I am still basking in the love & Grace they brought through there words.
Your sister in Christ. Carol
Love thanksgiving. We all hold hands at the dinner table & before we eat we tell each other what we are thankful for. What a blessing it is to hear my grandsons now 17 & 20. I’m so blessed to have listened to the live webcast yesterday with Lizzie & Ann. I am still basking in the sweet love & Grace you both brought through your words. God Bless you! Have the best Blessed Thanksgiving ever!
Your sister in Christ. Carol
Tradition – I write something I’m thankful for every single day in November. It’s really how I live each day. Food – the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers! Dressing….turkey sandwiches with mayo and cranberry sauce. yum!
Happy Thanksgiving! My favorite tradition is eating my late grandmothers dressing..we always say you have to be raised on it to like it! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity..looking forward to this read’