Bama, treasure those times with your family. As my children have grown and moved away, traditions are in constant flux.

My favorite thing when the kids were young, was to have a picnic dinner on the floor in front of the Christmas tree after we decorated it.

here's the thing... I have always hated the rituals of thanksgiving. I can be thankful... but the whole stuff yourself with food till your sick is not my idea of celebration. I have less than fond memories of my fat aunt Harriette napping all afternoon on our couch, and our TV tuned to football games that no one in our household ever watched... and the mess of all those pots and pans

It only got worse when I became the woman of the house, cooking a huge meal that everyone just ate like any other meal... no thankyous or that was good...

So this year, I am creating my own family tradition... no turkey, no big meal... The girls and I made cookies all day, 4 different recipes. It was a huge success, they were both fully involved with measuring and mixing. Next year I expect that they will both have new recipes to try for cookie day! Now we can be thankful for this time together instead of me cooking alone all day to create more food than anyone can eat!

NT, I am so admiring you right now! Not that I dont usually, just that I like your idea of chucking the routine of Thanksgiving. I totally agree with you about the cooking all day and then sleeping half of the afternoon complaining about how much you ate and how much is left over. That's what we do at the in-laws and I hate it.
This year, we made rounds of some friends houses until about 2:00 and then went to the in-laws. We ate and left right about the time the games started getting louder and louder. It's crazy how loud that dang tv gets! The kids aren't into it either. They get ignored by most everyone all day cause they're staring at the tube. They had a blast this year! I plan to do it again next year too! Glad to know someone else is bucking the "traditional" and making their own traditions.

Deb-love the idea of the picnic, mind if I use it?

And Bama-we make pots of fudge on the stove and box them up to give away by the pound! It takes awhile to cook it, but it's the best fudge around town and we have a blast making it! The people my hubby works with beg for it every year and now I get my DS in on the cooking.

hey Sunshine? would you be willing to share that recipe between friends? lol

Yep, my DH is a fudge FOOL! I'd lke to have that recipe too!

I'm having trouble letting go of some traditions as my teen-aged son grows up. We always decorated the tree together and this year he didn't want to help . . . he wasn't even here for Thanksgiving - he was at his girlfriend's house.

I have no family left other than DH and children so I'm feeling out of sorts this Holiday Season. Last year it was easier because my dad had just passed away and the upheaval was just part of what we dealt with. This year it's too quiet and too lonely to be the Holidays.

It's the Hershey's recipe except I don't use near as much sugar. I also use peanut butter and I make it in a cast iron skillet. It's a tradition and it just seems to cook better.

2/3 cup hershey cocoa-do not use the dark chocolate

1/8 tsp. salt
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups milk

1 tsp vanilla
1/2 stick butter
a serving spoon size "blop" of peanut butter (optional)

Butter up a small tray or a 8x8 pan. Do not use oil or spray 'cause it makes it taste funny. Can also put wax paper in the 8x8 pan. Mix up the dry stuff in the pan. Then add the milk. Keep it on medium heat and you have to stir it until it comes to a full rolling boil. I use a whisk to mix it well and then use a wooden spoon.

Cook it until it reaches the soft ball stage. Put a small amount into cold water and test if it becomes a small ball it's done. I think that's also like 223 degrees on a candy thermometer. You will see it will boil down dramatically and start to crust on the edges of the pan.

Remove from heat and add the vanilla and butter but don't stir it yet. Let it cool for about 15 minutes. To about 180 degrees on the candy thermometer. Then start whipping the heck out of it! You want to take the shine out of it. Then I add the peanut butter and keep whipping.

It will probably start to get fairly thick but still be pourable. Pour in the pan and stick it in the fridge. Give it anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to set up. Cut it after about 30 minutes. If you cut it later be sure to use a wet knife so it will cut through ok.

This recipe is very difficult to get it right. Once you get the feel for what you're doing it becomes real easy to get it to set up. I've been making this for about twenty five years now (gosh, didn't know it had been so long) and I just in the last ten years felt like I could make it almost perfect every time.

It is the BEST homemade fudge ever!!

I'm with you wench, but this started so many years ago for me, I've more or less accepted it and just enjoy the quiet day.I told Shawn that he HAD to spend time with me on Christmas day, but other than that, it was up to him. Very little family and I don't see them.Parents have been gone for several years and since Jason's death,I guess it sucked out anything we had left. I try to do stuff for Shawn, but he is less than interested.

Shawn was in Georgia for Thanksgiving and he's talking about going back for Easter!

I like your idea NT maybe next year if I'm off work I'll just make cookies all day!

Maria

Sunshine, ya got samples?? LOL!!

We do the Big Dinner, potluck style so nobody has to do ALL the cooking. Everyone meets at my mom and dad's, everyone who can come anyway. This year, that was EVERYBODY! It was wonderful! I have 27 family members, from my parents, to my siblings, to my nieces and nephews. I don't know when we had ALL been together last. Funny thing is, we all LIKE each other! We had the best time, played Catch Phrase for hours, and yes, we watched the Hogs beat...whoever it was they played that day, in triple overtime! I had to work Thanksgiving day AND Friday, four hours each day, and it was still the best T-day I can remember in a long time.

You're close enough bama that I could probably ship it without dire consequences. When I get cooking I'll send ya' some. Email me an address.

I wanna be part of Ronnie's family! Sounded wonderful. My DH and I spent the day together (we have no kids). I did make a Thanksgiving meal but it took no more effort than any other. I just had a FAB idea! Well, I hope you think so--how about NEXT YEAR we do a cookie exchange? Each of us makes ONE type of cookie and we do a swap so that everyone will have a mixture. Any interest?

LOL you ready for this? this is my family back in Ohio, the tall blonde is my Mom , Honie Lee. The others are her 3 sisters. The redhead is my sister and the young blonde is her daughter.

This is my childhood.. yes they're nuts

thought I'd share family with family!

Here is a link that might be useful: Turkeys in Ohio

Rose you read my mind! As soon as I saw Maria say she would bake too I thought the same thing. COOKIES SWAP!!!! LOL

I'm in!! COOKIES!!!

Sure I'm IN!! OK, new Thanksgiving tradition !!

Where in Ohio? NT Do they want to adopt an "older child?"
I see where you get your sense of humor!!

Maria

Ya think they're over "the squirts" yet? LOL!!!!

Hey, yeah, where in Ohio?
We lived in North Canton, (Jackson Township)for a year before moving to Tx.

My best friend lived in North Canton, she used to spend the summers at her sister's farm next to us. Little town called Hanoverton, south of Youngstown. Between Salem, Minerva and Lisbon...

Leave it to my idiot sister to mention diarreah!!!

What a great video, nicethyme!

This year I am SO thankful to have my son and his family for Christmas!!! He is just back from IRAQ...gone 19 months! Missed the birth of his baby...but we are all together this holiday season!

the tall good looking one in the last picture is my hubby! We were very excited to get to be there for the homecoming. We missed it the first time...this was his 3rd tour!

Happy Holiday's to all!

Crystal

OMG, 3rd? I'm so glad you got him home safe and in time for Christmas.

Tell him I'm thankful for his service!

Crystal
I'm so glad your son is home safe. Please tell him I said
Thank you for all he has done.
Betsy

Thank you from me too!! And to his family.So glad he's back!!

Maria

Crystal, what a blessing for you to have your son home safely. I hope that is it for him. It's 3 times and you're out, isn't it? : ) Tel him we are grateful for his service.

NT, sorry you don't have good memories of the holidays. I had WONDERFUL family get togethers. And Ronnie we all liked each other too UNTIL one day - long story will save you.

I'm really in the transition state of learning to adjust to the holidays because for 30+ years, we would have Thanksgiving at my mom's and Christmas at mine with probably 20+ family members. Life presents us with all kinds of challenges but cookie making sounds good, NT. I might take that up next time. I'll have to be careful not to eat all of them myself.

Sunshine, by all means adopt our idea. We had these funky red tupperware plates that we used for our Christmas tree picnic. Hardly used them any other time of the year.
Thanks for the fudge recipe! My mom used to make the best fudge and I don't have her recipe so I'm anxious to try yours.

Crystal, your DH is a doll and your SON has my gratitude. I hope he can stay home and take care of his family now. My nephew is due back around Christmastime. His parents are elated!
It's true what they say: you can pick your friends but not your relatives! My siblings and I did not grow up to be friends or even closeknit. What a shame! But I have y'all as my family, so THANK YOU!

Crystal, soooo glad your son is home. Looks like yall will have a wonderful holiday season!!

I tried the fudge recipe tonight.. well kinda. I only had a small amount of cocoa powder..(just a Tablespoon)! I had to adjust all the other ingredients too. Do you know how hard it is to like 1/8th a recipe? LOL!
Cooked in my little cast iron skillet. Now I have about 1/4 cup of fudge!! When ya gotta have it, ya gotta have it!
Thanks for the recipe Sunshine!!

Oh livinlife!!!!!!!!!!!!
What great pics....and an unreal story!
I really can't imagine my hubby not being with me when we had our girls! I think those stories pull at my heart strings the most. They missed so much...and do we really
give these guys the homecoming, and recognition they deserve?
The guy I wish My DD would've married.....was in the Army.
They were 18....He was gone sooo long. She moved on............and it just killed me! He wrote me.....and asked for my hot tatters when he got home. He came here first........broke my heart.
They keep them too long! He wasn't my son..but it hurt
like he was.

So glad your son is home!!....Hope he's there to stay.

Hazie