Happy Thanksgiving in 2024!

Wanted to take this time to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving this year and share some of my favorite parts of this longstanding tradition!

Family

Thanksgiving is about family for me! Thanksgiving is actually one of the busiest travel weekends here in the U.S. as millions of people travel to be with family. That being said, I've actually cracked the cheat code on traveling and discovered that Thanksgiving morning traffic is actually rather light on the interstate, as I lived in multiple states over the years.

Volunteer Spirit

Many individuals chose to volunteer at their local food kitchens or even donate to those in need. I've actually did this on a couple of occasions in the past and it's been a very rewarding experience, making it a time for giving to others less fortunate.

Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in downtown New York City has been a tradition since 1924. However, it didn't start being televised until 1952 on NBC. But in my house, it was really on as background noise, while the cooking was going on in the kitchen, and extended family was visiting.

Football

Thanksgiving Day football games started in 1876 and was actually a college football game between Yale and Princeton. The NFL game didn't become a fixture until 1920. And you can bet at least TWO of those teams will be the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions. The Cowboys have been playing since 1966 while the Lions have been playing a game every Thanksgiving since 1934 (with the exception of WWII).

I can understand the popularity having the Cowboys play every Thanksgiving - they're one of the most popular franchises. But the Detroit Lions have been terrible for years and haven't won an NFL championship since 1958. But fortunately, they've turned things around in the past season and they just might make their first Super Bowl appearance!

Turkey

The Turkey actually became the official meat of Thanksgiving thanks to Sarah Josepha Hale, a 19th century writer who wrote an 1827 novel called "Northwood" where she describes a roast turkey as part of the traditional meal. Though I do know many people who tend to change things up and replace the turkey with either chicken, ham, Turkey wings, or do a completely different dinner like Barbecue or Italian.

Stuffing or Dressing?

I grew up in New York and "Stuffing" is the term that I heard my mother and other adults use around the holiday to describe the mixture that's actually stuffed inside the turkey when it's cooked. But as I lived in different regions, I discovered that "Dressing" is the same mixture, but it's cooked OUTSIDE the turkey, usually in a separate baking dish. Now, when I was little, I always thought that extra stuffing that was cooked outside the turkey was STILL called stuffing.

Also, while the word "dressing" became popular in Victorian times during the holidays, "stuffing" was actually thought to be 'crude' and vulgar! But either way - that's a Thanksgiving dish I must have - whatever you call it!

Pumpkin Pie or Sweet Potato?

While pumpkin pie is the classic desert for Thanksgiving with its smooth spiced filling, sweet potato pie is actually more common in the southern Unites States, bringing a different flavor with its creamy texture and a slight natural sweetness. And adding a little extra sugar in the mix doesn't hurt either.

Thanks for reading!
Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

Isaiah 😊