Thanksgivings in our Past

Thanksgiving Memories  
     By Danella -

Mom's Thanksgiving table - 2016

The traditions of Thanksgiving are as wide-ranging as the families that celebrate them. In my family, delicious food and a gigantic table surrounded by LOTS of family and friends were the requirements of the day. 

My first Thanksgiving - I'm the baby 1968 

Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the traditional meal that we had all grown accustomed too. We never lacked for the most amazing spread of delicious food that anyone could ever imagine. It was fit for a king!

My second Thanksgiving - Little curly haired kid in the highchair next to daddy -1969

The crowning jewel of our feast was always a huge vegetarian gluten turkey stuffed with mounds of bread stuffing.  

A big vegetarian gluten turkey

It seemed that we spent days and days making everything perfect for the special day. Dad constructed a massive table out of saw horses and plywood so that everyone could be seated at once and Mother helped us kids to beautify it with autumn leaves, pumpkins, acorns, fancy turkeys and special decorations. 

A big thanksgiving table

We each had a place-card so everyone would know where to sit. It was always fun to move them around until the last possible moment.

We always had a thankful box that we made so everyone could write down what they were most thankful for the past year.  As each card was read the most popular answer was “My Family”. 

Five generation photo - Thanksgiving 2009

Every once in a while we got a new addition to be extra thankful for when a spouse or a new baby was added to the clan.  I have had a few extra special thankful cards since I met Stephen!

Danella and Stephen

The Traditional Family Thanksgiving Menu when I was a kid...

Gluten Turkey Stuffed with Stuffing

Real Mashed Potatoes with  Turkey Gluten Broth Gravy

Candied Yams with Orange Juice & Pineapple Chunks

Green Peas with Margarine

White home-made Bread Buns

Fresh Green Salad

Olives & Fresh Veggie Tray

Cranberry Sauce

      Lots of Desserts!  -  Pumpkin Pies, Apple Pies, Lemon Meringue Pies, Berry Pies and a Layer Chocolate Cake

Thanksgiving Memories - By Steve

All the kids with Dad and Mom -
Kids - Stephen, Tim, Marilyn, Jim, & Robin 

 When I was but a wee lad Thanksgiving produced fond memories of grandma Mac’s house with the fragrance of squash dish and brownies baking together in the oven as we walked in the door. I knew we would be greeted by a candy red bowl of Jello topped with cool whip displayed on the festive table. The five kids would play a variety of games on the way, and the trip to the little farm in Merced, would go quickly.  I would also watch and absorb the sights of the valley as we traveled.

 

 Grandma would smile and warmly welcome us in and Grandpa Mac would say “Howdy do, how are you?” 

Grandpa and Grandma Mac with Clark B.

The food always tasted wonderful and smelled heavenly.  The Macys Thanksgiving day parade would be on TV and while we waited for the feast to be ready we would watch Bullwinkle and Sparky float by on the screen with Underdog in pursuit. 

 After awhile the meal was done and we would sit in a circle with 9 people, watching each other and carrying on as we devoured the cornbread muffins crusted with baked on sugar, the baked fry chik casserole, vegeburger loaf that I topped with applesauce. When I was braver I tried a bit of cranberry sauce, and of course the squash dish covered with crumbled saltines.

Grandma Mac's Famous Squash Dish

Thanksgiving food. Yum!

Mashed potatoes with butter

Traditional Grandma McCall Thanksgiving Menu

Vegetarian Burger Loaf

Squash Dish    Grandma Mac's Squash Dish

Candied Yams with Pineapple  Chunks 
                - Covered with toasted Marshmallows

Real Mashed Potatoes with  Brown Gravy

Corn Bead Muffins with Sugar on Top

Green Salad with Boiled Eggs on Top

Green  Beans

Waldorf  Salad

Deviled Eggs

Sweet and Sour Pickles /Relish

Cranberry Sauce

Raspberry Jell-O with Fruit Cocktail  topped with Cool Whip

         Dessert   --  Pumpkin Pie  & Lemon Meringue Pie

Our Little Family

Our family is growing up 

After we were married, we combined our traditions and came up with a menu that was pleasing to us both and added some favorites for the kids. 

Candied Yams with toasted Marshmallows

Our Combined Traditional Thanksgiving Menu 

Vegetarian Gluten Turkey Stuffed with Stuffing

Real Mashed Potatoes with Gluten Broth Gravy

Grandma Mac‘s Squash Dish

Candied Yams with Orange Juice, Pineapple Chunks & Marshmallows

Green Peas with Butter

White home-made Bread Buns

Fresh Green Salad with Boiled Eggs on Top

Cranberry Sauce slices

Deviled Eggs

Raspberry Jell-O with Fruit Cocktail-Topped with Cool Whip
Lemon Meringue Pie, Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie
Toffee Bars
White Moon Fudge

The very best part of every Thanksgiving is being with family. The food, the decorations and all the trimmings are there as a backdrop to surround the memories that we make on theses special days. It's always been about making memories... 

Our Family ~1996

Thanksgiving table at out house - 2016