Thanksgiving: Food, Family, and a Good Power Nap

Everyone celebrates Thanksgiving a little differently. Some people host big gatherings with friends and family, some keep it small, and some families operate on a strict schedule dictated entirely by football kick-off times. But no matter how you celebrate, there’s one universal truth about Thanksgiving: it all revolves around the food.

Over the last few years, Thanksgiving at my house has been pretty mellow and honestly, I kind of love it. We usually have a late lunch that inevitably just blends straight into dinner. My parents come over, or we go to their house, the kitchen fills up with good smells, and the day moves at that perfect slow holiday pace.

Here’s my confession, though:
I’m not a turkey guy.
I know… bold stance for Thanksgiving. We’ll sometimes make one anyway because tradition is tradition, but you’ll usually find me hovering near the steak or prime rib instead. That’s my real Thanksgiving spirit right there.

We still keep most of the traditional sides—mashed potatoes, some kind of green vegetable that makes us all feel slightly healthier, and often a vegetarian main dish to round things out. And of course, dessert. Pie is basically a mandatory part of the day. Usually pies, plural.

Somewhere between lunch-dinner and dessert-dessert, we usually take the dogs for a walk around the neighborhood. It helps us feel like we earned the next plate of food… even if it’s really just an excuse to get outside before returning to the couch. After that: games, more food, and if I’m lucky, a well-timed power nap.

That’s our version of Thanksgiving—nothing fancy, just simple, relaxing, and full of good food and time with family.

What about you?
What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?
What dishes do you look forward to all year?

Let me know—I always love hearing how other people celebrate!