Thanksgiving Reflections and Traditions from the BMB Team

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Ahh, Thanksgiving . . . a holiday we can look forward to for many different reasons. Whether the highlight of the day is family or friends, food or football (or the Christmas music and lights you have been waiting all year to enjoy!), Thanksgiving is a wonderful day to relax, reflect, and be intentional in cultivating a grateful heart. Here are some of the things that make this a special holiday for those of us on the Birmingham Moms Blog team. Happy Thanksgiving!


“It’s important to say out loud to the people you love how much they mean to you, and Thanksgiving is a wonderful opportunity to take the time to tell them that you love them and how grateful you are to have them in your life.” Cassidy C.

“Thanksgiving is meaningful because my kids get to bond with my brothers and their families. We take hikes, eat ridiculous amounts of food, and enjoy the down time.” Dori P.

“It’s a day for me to slow down and remember what’s important in life and all the blessings we’ve received. Sometimes our everyday life gets so busy, I forget to be thankful.” Stacey O.

“This will be my third Thanksgiving as a mom so we are still working on our own traditions. Right now, I’m enjoying getting to take my kids to see my family and show them what we do on Thanksgiving. We like to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, football, and just hang out together. We eat way too much food and desserts and then usually everyone takes a plate home for later. We keep it casual and focus on spending time together and watching all the little kids play.” Anna N.

“I have a very large family, and my precious grandmother and granddaddy have spent years creating traditions for us to pass down. Because of them, I truly cherish this day. It’s a nice change of pace to press pause and reflect on all the things I’m grateful for … not to mention it kicks off the holiday season! I’m ready for a good game of spades, backyard football (that I will never play), and the warm reminder of how blessed I am.” Lindsay D.

“We don’t have a ton of Thanksgiving traditions in our family, but honestly, that might be the best part! Thanksgiving ends up being a break from work and school, intentional time with family, and it comes without the hustle of gifts, decorations, and activities that other holidays “require”. For me, Thanksgiving escorts refreshingly low expectations and marks one of the most relaxing weeks of the year.” Molly W.

“Being from abroad, I didn’t know much about this holiday until I came to the U.S. (so no traditions). I like and appreciate Thanksgiving, though, especially because there aren’t any presents or expectations of gifts. It’s the company of family and friends and the food that make this holiday special, which are two of my favorite things in the world.” Tina R.

“My favorite family tradition is watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade while eating brunch! We always have my grandmother’s egg casserole, made from scratch cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit and, of course, mimosas!!” Carrie T.

“I have fond memories of my mom walking around the house in curlers on Thanksgiving mornings while the house smelled distinctively of turkey, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie. I love that as the matriarch of my own family now, I get to help create the atmosphere and the nostalgia my boys will one day enjoy. I love the relaxation Thanksgiving offers, and I’m trying to embrace it by going with a simple menu, allowing Costco to bake my pumpkin pie, and choosing not to worry if the meal doesn’t turn out perfectly.” Jenny Y.

“Thanksgiving has always been about fitting in as many visits with family as possible: first as a child going between two grandparents’ houses, then as a young mom trying to get my kids to their grandparents, and now as a mom of emerging adults trying to figure out where and when we can all be together. Truly, my favorite part of Thanksgiving is when, at the end of the day, we manage to all be together and we pop Christmas Vacation into the DVD player, recite every line together, and officially begin celebrating my favorite season of the year: Christmas.” Chris L.

“Thanksgiving has always been laid back in my family. As a kid I’d wake up to no alarm, cuddle up on the couch with my sisters, and we’d watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as my parents worked on the turkey. Later, we’d all pitch in and help with other parts of the meal. Sometimes Thanksgiving consisted of my HUGE extended family, and sometimes it was just my immediate family and grandparents. Now that I’m a mom, I hope that I can pass down the tradition of gratitude for family and friends who feel like family on this holiday.” Jessica M.

“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is my whole family watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and cooking the meal together, sampling as we go. There is always so much joy and laughter in the house.” Shana M.

We do Pie Day every year. It’s the best. All the women on my husband’s side get together the weekend before Thanksgiving and bake pies from scratch, listen to music, drink wine . . . then the men come that night and vote on the best pie. We all have so much fun. The little girls too. I have every pie “do-dad” you could ever want. It’s become an awesome tradition.” Haley I.

“Thanksgiving is absolutely one of my favorite holidays. My family always spends the day at my parents’ farm. My mom always cooks the most wonderful meal (with so much left over!) and I just get to bring bread and tea! We’ve started using paper plates so we don’t have to spend so much time cleaning up and can just enjoy our time together. We usually spend time outdoors and watching football before heading back home happy and full!” Leah E.

“I begin cooking and baking at the beginning of the week. We watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. We all sit around telling stories about our family over the years and laugh. Everyone gets one special dish request to be served on Thanksgiving. We talk about all of the blessings we have to Praise God for in our lives. They all take turns seeing if they can get me to let them cut a cake or pie early while their Dad sneaks into the dining room and cuts one of each for everyone. I know that it’s happening; however, the laughter and the stories they come up with to distract me is priceless. Plus, seeing my husband slip in and nod at them to go get their slices is beautiful.” SL S.

“We have an Advent Calendar of Thanksgiving that we add to throughout the month. The kids stuff the numbered autumn leaves with cards that share different “thankful” memories and we read them aloud on Thanksgiving. It is typically a reminder to me as a parent that children are most thankful for time spent together doing fun things, not store-bought gifts. Each day should be full of gratitude, but sometimes we are distracted. Thanksgiving is a perfect day to spend with family and remember all the blessings we have received.” Amber S.

“I love the inclusiveness of Thanksgiving. In addition to the special time of bonding and making memories with family, we have enjoyed sharing our Thanksgiving meal with a number of friends who were far away from their own families during the holiday or with international friends who had never been a part of a traditional American Thanksgiving celebration. I also really enjoy the special dishes that are unique to the Thanksgiving table — so many comfort foods! My husband is Chinese, and his turkey noodle soup has become a day-after-Thanksgiving tradition for our family. I look forward to it every year!” Betsy G.

What makes this holiday meaningful for you as a mom? Share in the comments below!