Your Thanksgiving Tradition

by Orielle Heilicher, Tastemaker in Residence

Thanksgiving is upon us. The time of year for pumpkin pie, stuffing, turkey, and honey glazed Brussels sprouts. With winter, also comes holiday fever. Christmas songs are slowly making their way into radio stations across the country and the snow makes you want to cuddle up with a blanket next to a fire with hot cocoa in hand. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas just as much as the next Jew, but we must not get ahead of ourselves and we must first focus on Thanksgiving. 

Thanksgiving is most importantly about food, then it’s about family… just kidding, reverse those two. The food is definitely a highlight, but being surrounded by family and friends is always the icing on top of the cake (or whipped cream on the top of the pumpkin pie).

Every year my family celebrates Thanksgiving at my Aunt’s house. She is an electric lady with a laugh that is contagious beyond belief. She makes her home welcome to all those who do not have a home on Thanksgiving. Friends who don’t have family and even people she had just met are always welcome at the Thanksgiving table. Her generous spirit embodies the values of Thanksgiving, spreading joy and taking care of those who do not have the wild and crazy big family that we do. 

Thanksgiving brings friends and family together through the act of eating and cooking. If you ever visit our Thanksgiving, the beginning is filled with rushing cousins opening and closing the oven, my mom throwing together a salad, aunts, and uncles coming in and out of the garage door to bring pies and classic sides. It is nothing but hectic, but it is tradition. Everyone chips in, bringing his or her special dish on Thanksgiving, contributing to the massive spread of food on the Thanksgiving buffet. 

This environment brings about a team effort that is not paralleled on other holidays. Thanksgiving is meant to be a holiday of giving and thankfulness for the people around you. In my experience, Thanksgiving has been a highlight. It makes me feel welcomed home after a long semester at school and invites me to start my own classic side or dessert. It is time for me to make my mark on Thanksgiving dinner, sharing in the generosity. 

This year starts a tradition that I must stick to. So I turn to the power of the Internet and my own brain to find what dish will be my signature. I am thinking either pie or Brussels sprouts, who knows, I’ll have to start experimenting. 

So, with all this in mind and in your heart, what will you bring for Thanksgiving dinner? What will be your tradition and classic? The sharing, generosity, and spirit of Thanksgiving begin with you.