Creating Thanksgiving Traditions

By Kay Drew

Thanksgiving remains one of my favorite holidays. I know a large part of my fondness for this day is due to our parents always making it memorable. They embraced the spirit of the holiday through tradition and always reinforced the importance of faith, family, and friends.

Traditions have the power to create important memories in our life-especially for our children and grandchildren. Something as simple as saying grace together, helping prepare a family recipe, or crafting a small gift for guests can create happy moments they will cherish forever.

I remember waking up early every year to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, a tradition I still enjoy. During the early sixties, our father surprised us by walking through the door with our first colored television on Thanksgiving.

We ooh’d and ahh’d over all the massive balloons, floats, marching bands, and Broadway performances. I can also vividly recall the exquisite floral arrangements our mother created with the table setting for the Thanksgiving Day feast. She would gather greenery, fruit, and berries from our yard for her florals and then transform her foraged finds into exquisite southern eloquence. Saying grace, the offering of a simple blessing of thanks over a shared meal, was non-negotiable. It was a tradition that fused honor, respect, and faith with the ritual of returning home and saying thank you for this time together to break bread one more time. Perhaps in a world that seems so unpredictable, the action of planning and pausing to ensure that timeless traditions and gratitude continue is even more important. It is the continuance of this healthy social exercise where face to face, in person, we in express our thanks while also getting in touch with each other’s heart.

Your dining table should reflect these feelings. Consider this table your time to show your guests that they are loved and appreciated. There's not much better than using family recipes for roasting a juicy turkey or mixing up a dozen creamy deviled eggs and baking a delectable dessert. But not far from those tasty dishes rests the importance of creating personalized seating arrangements with comfortable chairs to encourage your guests to linger a bit longer around the table.

Quotes on Gratitude:

Do Good and Don’t Look Back. -Dutch Proverb

May the love that is in my heart be passed from mine to yours. -Traditional American Blessing

Eat your bread with joy, drink your wine with a merry heart. -Book of Ecclesiastes

Thou hast given me much. Give me one more thing-a grateful heart. -George Herbert

We are blessed who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be amused. -Anonymous

He prayeth best who loveth best; all things great and small. -Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Ah! There is nothing like staying home for real comfort. -Victoria Magazine

There is always something to be thankful for, no matter what the burden of our wants or the special subjects of our days may be. -Albert Barnes

Be present in all things, and thankful for all things. -Maya Angelou

Small cheer and a great welcome make a merry feast. -Shakespeare

Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what. -Ernest Hemingway

Forever on thanksgiving day, the heart will find the pathway home. -Wilbur D. Nesbit

Guests want to savor their food and enjoy the conversation, so remember to create low centerpieces that won’t interfere. The most memorable tables, from my perspective, are the ones with the most personality. By adding treasures from your home, you can easily add a spark of originality that will interest your guests. Each year I incorporate different elements of my mother and grandmother’s china to blend the old with the current. Think about how you can bring in some history whether it's a pop of color with the a passed down piece of china or using family linens with a monogram. That way, the table is built around tradition but also brings in newer, trendy elements. Set aside a craft day and make some centerpieces and other fun decor to use on Thanksgiving. If possible, save these decorations for Thanksgiving in the years to come. Each special piece will have a fun story or memory to go along with it. Additionally, guests always enjoy carrying home handmade favors so remember to add personalization and the date.

Take some time before enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner to pray and say grace, thanking God for the multitude of blessings surrounding us and making sure to remember others who may be going through hard times this year and during the holiday season. These traditions meant the world to me as a child and young adult, and still do. They taught me about the true meaning of Thanksgiving — gratitude. Gratitude for these moments and for family and friends.

The Thanksgiving table decorations, featured in the photos accompanying this article, were created from equal parts personal collection, forged natural materials, and locally sourced items. Below are the quotes used at each place setting and a source list. Items not listed are privately owned by the author.

WHERE TO SHOP & FIND:

• Greenery and flowers, trimmed locally and Kroger’s floral department, Clarksville, TN

• Kraft paper tags and satin ribbon, Michaels Crafts, Clarksville, TN

• Melissa and Doug Alphabet and Number stamp kit, Rural King, Clarksville, TN

• Chinoiserie pumpkin swizzle sticks and place mats, Couture Crush, Clarksville, TN

• Miscellaneous China and glassware pieces, personal collection and Pedigo Antiques

Kay Drew is a native Clarksvillian who lives Washington, D.C. with her husband Tom. She enjoys spending time in Clarksville, Tennessee where they have their vacation home. Sharing humor, creativity, and celebrating the magic of unexpected occasions (Instagram: @kdd_ drewdesign) are a few of her favorite things. Kay’s mantra, “Keep up your spirits, be positive, and continue lifelong learning by trying new things like recipes or arranging flowers. Serve and love your friends, family, and neighbors. It is good for the soul.”