Holiday traditions

I grew up in a home where we did the same thing every year for ALL holidays. I can tell you the menu from appetizers, sides, main dishes, and desserts without missing a single item. Don't get me wrong I would eat my way through every course and item (except the oyster stuffing and green bean casserole). I love food and you can't go wrong when you mix comfort food and a room full of cousins.

The "children" all had to sit in the kitchen and use the not so nice flatware, dishes, and glasses. As we would sit and eat we would joke with one another and frequently have belching contests. Sometimes these contests would be echoed by an uncle at the "adult" table. This would almost always be followed by a woman's voice saying to mind our manners, to which the general reply was giggles and more belching. I think if I were still in the Midwest with my family that the routine would be the same, even though most of my cousins have kids of their own and should be sitting at the "grown-up" table.

As I look back on our traditions I am pleased to say that the food really did bring us together. The food was a constant and still is, if I were to go home for Thanksgiving(or any other holiday) I would know exactly what to expect. The food and those moments around the table is what brought my extended family together and created a bond that exists to this day. We may have our own lives and families but due to our traditions no matter where we are we can call on one another for whatever we may need at that moment in our lives.

Here is wishing you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving and Holiday season. May your traditions bring you not only to the table but closer to one another!