I’m being smart this year and asking for help and I wanted to find a way to get the young ones involved in my Thanksgiving prep.  My niece has been asking for years to help out , but I wanted to find creative ways to engage the children while they help me prepare. I found a great article on how I can get kids involved in Thanksgiving prep and I can’t wait to try out some of the more creative ideas such as delegating the place cards to my son, the family artist for something memorable that everyone can keep for years.

With that plan in place I move to the house itself and after a deep cleaning it is time to decorate.  Naturally, I cannot find where my decorations are at that I used last year, so it is back to square one.   First things first, I need to set the mood with the perfect wreath.  After spending all day Saturday scouring craft shows nothing was jumping out at me.  I looked online and of course there was my thanksgiving wreath waiting for me.  Just a matter of next day shipping and that crisis was averted.   Next on my list, my table just won’t be complete without the ideal centerpiece.  Of course, that was easy and I can simply leaf through a few great books for ideas to make my settings memorable.

Now onto the meal preparations itself.  Before I invest in a turkey, I wanted to explore my cooking options, and I know my family naturally expects my sweet potatoe casserole.  But how should I cook the turkey?  So many options.   Did you know an electric turkey fryer makes preparing a feast easier and tastier than ever?

I was all set to fry the turkey which is incredibly tasty but the family would rather I go more traditional in my preparations so I shall be roasting a 22 lb beauty.   I pulled out my platters, roasters and serving utensils for a quick cleaning  and polished the silver.  Just when I think I have a handle on the details, then I realize my turkey baster is missing.  Since the turkey is the center of the meal I must have a really good one to keep that bird as moist as can be.

I have my side dishes all planned out and my schedule set for rotating in the dishes that I am prepping the day before so that I can sit back and enjoy time with my family members.  Only thing left to do is dessert planning.  I found some great pumpkin pie recipes online, but I found it hard to find canned pumpkin at the store. After some online research, I learned there’s a national canned pumpkin shortage!  I know that baking is an option but a store bought pie  will save me hours of time and all I really need to do is to add personal touches to it such as homemade whipped cream.  The secret is to add either brandy or vanilla to the cream and it becomes a rich decadent delight.

So it appears as I read back over this that I have everything under control and it looks like this will be another year of friends, family, food and togetherness.   So from my home to yours, have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

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Historians have reported that while several wild game dishes were likely on the menu for the first Thanksgiving, the only two that are positively documented are venison and wild fowl, which might have included wild turkey, but likely would have been duck or goose.

White potatoes were originally from South America and sweet potatoes were grown in Spain and extremely expensive. Neither of these were part of the English or Native American diet in 1621, at the time of the first Thanksgiving meal.

While hard flint “Indian” corn was indeed a staple item for the native Indians and served at most meals, therefore likely was one of the original Thanksgiving foods, it was generally cooked and ground into the consistency of a porridge and served warm or cold.

Food historians conclude that a variety of both dried and fresh vegetables were available to the Pilgrims and Native American tribes at the time of the first Thanksgiving feast, hence the tradition of celebrating thanks for the bountiful harvest of Thanksgiving foods. The produce available would have included parsnips, collards, carrots, parsley, turnips, spinach, and cabbages, as well as sage, thyme, marjoram and onions which were primarily used for seasoning. Dried beans and wild blueberries may have also been on the harvest menu as well as cranberries, pumpkins, grapes and nuts.

Desserts and sweet sauces of any kind were simply not possible as part of the list of original Thanksgiving foods. The pilgrims did not have sugar or ovens for baking, so sweet cranberry sauces and pumpkin pies were out. Pumpkin and squash are native to North America, and were readily available to the first settlers, but food historians suggest that they were typically sliced and fried, rather than pureed into pie filling as we hold as tradtion. Apple pie was also not on the menu. Apples are not native to North America and did not arrive on the continent until roughly 1630.

As the transitional list of Thanksgiving foods evolves, it’s hard to say how we arrived at the menu commonly used today. Most families are still adding regional side dishes to the traditional menu and inserting the flair of their heritage as part of the blessings and observances of this important family holiday.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

This time tested favorite always appeals to children and brings the adults back to childhood times before the days of 24 hour Nickelodeon and Disney Channel cartoon, where the idea of watching Thanksgiving movies on tv at 8pm was a treat in itself. In this classic Charlie Brown gets pressured into hosting a “traditional” Thanksgiving meal for his friends. With his limited culinary knowledge and abilities, they all learn something about friendship, cooperation and the true meaning of thanksgiving.

Home for the Holidays (1995)

Home for the Holidays is one of several Thanksgiving movies where a typical dysfunctional family reconvenes for the Thanksgiving holiday. This one is a comedy starring Clair Danes and Robert Downey Jr, and is relaxing and amusing for the whole family.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

This classic John Candy / Steve Martin comedy centers around two travelers trying to get home for Thanksgiving, amid cancelled flights and obnoxious traveling companions.

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

The classic story of the post Thanksgiving season at Macy’s in New York, where the citizens are tested in their Christmas spirit and belief of whether the man hired as Santa Claus at Macy’s is the real thing. Wonderful, warm and enlightening, as always, and a must-have addition to the portfolio of Thanksgiving movies.

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Something about this movie makes it a holiday repeat classic. Although not centered at all around the Thanksgiving season, the setting of the movie and the repetitious lessons about greed and family and appreciation for what we have make it a must for family movie time.

Home Alone (1990)

Again, set in the holiday season, aside from silly antics, a comedic plot, and an extended family that seems too absent-minded to be believable, there is a sweet lesson to this film. Especially as the young boy befriends the neighborhood garbage picker who turns out to be just a pleasant, lonely old man who misses his family, this Thanksgiving movie pulls at the heart strings with the wisdom of a child’s simple statement that we should all be with our families, no matter what.

Some people look at this time to just sit back and enjoy the time that they have with family and friends but there are others that are worried about getting caught up on the family gossip. Then you have the hosts of the house that is trying to make sure that the dinner is doing well and is going to turn out perfect. It takes a lot of time and effort putting a family get-together planned and there are a few things you can do ahead of time this is why Thanksgiving is celebrated.

Washing the linens or even buying new linens should be done at least a couple days in advance so you have time to wash them and to make sure that they fit the table. The napkins need to be folder and a name card needs to be place at each place setting when Thanksgiving is celebrated.

Baking pies and cobblers the night before can help with keeping the oven free for the turkey which takes some time. This frees up some time to do some hosting on Thanksgiving which is being celebrated.

Cleaning several rooms each day a week before will keep the stress off your back so you can worry about the small things. You need to make sure that the bathroom is socked up because it is going to be the busiest place in the house other than the kitchen.

Buying your groceries a couple days early can get you the items that are needed for the harvest and also they are usually on price so make sure that you watch the sales in your local newspaper. Thanksgiving is not celebrated just by you but also the grocery stores.

The finally thing you need to worry about on Thanksgiving is what you are going to wear while wearing your apron. Thanksgiving is only celebrated once a year, look your best and enjoy your guests. So choose a nice wine to go with your meal.

The Turkey and other Meats
The turkey for most families is just a given item that is expected on the dinner table. You can also add a ham, chicken, fish and meatballs to the Thanksgiving dinner menu. Many people are partial to other meats so it’s always nice to have something else to offer them if they don’t care for Turkey.

Vegetable Side dishes
To go with the turkey you must also have several different vegetable side dishes. You can go with the traditional items and just have different vegetables to choose from or you can get a little more creative with a green bean casserole, carrots and cinnamon or a mixed vegetable. Make sure to have a few to choose from as some people are picky eaters.

The carbs
What Thanksgiving dinner menu would be complete without a load of the carbs we all love? Mashed potatoes are a must along with turkey stuffing and of course dinner rolls. To add a little something different to your mashed potatoes try making twice baked potatoes. To do this you mash the potatoes, place them in an over safe container, sprinkle cheese and bacon on top and bake it at 350 degrees until the cheese turns a nice golden brown. Serve it with sour cream and butter for more flavor.

The dessert
In many homes it’s not just the kids who are looking forward to Thanksgiving dessert. To please everyone’s taste make sure to have a little variety. You should have one fruit pie, a pumpkin pie and one cream pie along with cookies and brownies. This will ensure that there is something for everyone on your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

One last tip is to make sure you plan out your Thanksgiving dinner menu early so you can pass it around to family. If they see something you are not making that they would like to have they can then bring a dish to add to your amazing Thanksgiving dinner spread to make it even more amazing.

Pilgrims were known for their knowledge of making fabric for their drab clothing. There were wool carders, silk makers, hat makers, and boot maker. With all the different trades that were amongst the Pilgrim colonies. The Pilgrim costume had a purpose and it was made well. They worked together to get everyone ready for the weather changes by working together and making clothing to fit everyone within the colonies. The reason the colors were so dark and dab is because they were using the dye that were found in the area and that is how they got the dark heavy cloth for their trousers, coats and dresses. The Pilgrim costume is known for the big buckled shoes and the big buckle that is also on the front of the tall black hats.

There are things that we wear now that could be used for Pilgrim costume. Stockings, breeches, night shirts and shirts are some that can be found in the Untied States. There are also a few that can be found in England also such as the shoes, shirts, doublets, and nightgowns. The dab colors were used for the Thanksgiving feast so that everyone can blend together without worrying about being next to someone that has more money than the common person.

When it was not Thanksgiving time, the Pilgrim costume included shades of reds, greens, blues, and violets. This showed that they had importance in the colonies such as hat makers and seamstresses. The women had caps and slippers that had lace trim. The hat maker made beaver caps for women that wanted to be different from everyone else. The shoes and boots that have large buckles was an English trait that was brought out in the Pilgrim costume during the feast. Pilgrims were into making their clothes fit to proportion by taking measures constantly so they don’t make a mistake and they would have to start over. They did not have the resources to do that that is why it is so important.

In the history of Thanksgiving George Washington made it an official holiday in 1786 during Civil War. This was done when he became the first president of our beloved country. It was celebrated after a plentiful harvest and what a way to celebrate with family and friends.

During the mid-1800, there were many states that adopted observing Thanksgiving as a holiday. Sarah J. Hale, the poet was lobbying about making Thanksgiving as a holiday. Sarah J. Hale got Abraham Lincoln’s attention and this is where the history of Thanksgiving changes when he makes a Thanksgiving Proclamation. So during 1863 Thanksgiving became a holiday which will be the last Thursday of November.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt was looking for a way to help out the economy in the year 1939, 1940, and 1941 because of World War II. So he thought he would extend the holiday shopping an extra week. The history of Thanksgiving is included in that shopping time so you can get a jump start on your shopping for the Christmas holiday. So it starts from the third Thursday to the following Thursday in the month of November. Franklin D. Roosevelt had Congress vote on this particular topic in November in 1941 and it has been a shopping time for the holidays ever since that year and people make it family orientated because they are buying gifts for one another.

The history of Thanksgiving is time to spend with family and friends and enjoy what the land has produced for them from their harvest. The men and boys would wear their tall hats and buckled shows while the women and girls are wearing their bonnets and aprons over their dresses. They enjoy the time that they spend putting the feast together so they can share it with their local friends during the holiday. As the years go by the holiday has changed with all the aspects that have been added on with the decorative table clothes, candles, and other holiday décor. But it all leads to the same meaning of the holiday though enjoying the harvest with family and friends.

One Thanksgiving the kids can receive gifts for just being them. Guests enjoy seeing the kids happy and having a good time. Yes, there is a chance that it is something is going to make their parent or guardian made but it is the thought that counts. It could keep them busy until dinner depending on what it is. You could feel thankful that they will be out of the way so you can attend to the guest’s needs easier. Just remember that you need to touch base with them once in awhile they don’t feel left out.

You may have a couple of helpers in the kitchen to finish the final touches on the meal but sometimes that don’t last very long if they notice someone that they have not seen in years. This is why it is good to mingle with everyone when you are hosting. Thanksgiving for the kids can be fun because they get to see long lost cousins or even friends from school that have moved away.

If you have not already it would be a great time to get the extra accessories on the dining room table so that nothing is missed. Thanksgiving for the kids can be too stressful with all the special napkins and dinner ware but it can also be a learning experience so later on when another holiday comes they know how to act and exactly how it all works.

When everyone is sitting at the dining room table the turkey will be brought out to be carved by the head of the table. The kids will learn that on Thanksgiving they need to be thankful for something and they need to share it with others at the table when it is their turn. This is where you find out exactly how everyone feels about their lives.

Traditional Thanksgiving food is a wonderful thing to have knowledge about especially if you have the recipes to make it all. You can pass them down to the younger generations so they can teach their own kids about importance that our ancestors want them all to know about Thanksgiving. So make sure you have room for more recipes when your guests bring their dishes over which can include any of the following.

A Thanksgiving traditional dish is a vegetable tray to start the whole event off with so that you can keep their hungry under control while the turkey finishes cooking. It can be served with a fresh dill dip.

With all the vegetables available after harvest, green beans can be used in several dishes. This traditional Thanksgiving dish there is green beans, ham, onions and potatoes.

You may want to serve a cheese ball with cracker as an appetizer to keep the guests happy while they are enjoying football or hockey. There are various kinds of cheeses to choose from and make sure that the nut that is on the outside is one that no one is allergic to.

As the host you need to make sure that your guests are comfortable, so you may offer them a drink of some kind or if you have an open kitchen they can have access to a cooler full of a variety of drinks. This makes you look great in the guest’s eyes because you are helping them take care of a need.

A traditional favorite for Thanksgiving is deviled eggs. No matter where you go they are there as an appetizer.

A fresh green salad can also be a great starter when we are talking about a feast that last hours. It is traditional on Thanksgiving to feel so full that you are ready to take a nap.

You can enjoy your Thanksgiving with numerous appetizers or even starters but for a traditional dinner it is all about the turkey and mashed potatoes. The rest of the equation is easy. Make sure everyone is having a good time and that everyone is getting plenty to eat remember to include that famous pecan pie that grandma used to make.