“The last two holiday traditions I’ll ever give up,” I told my son, “are cooking a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving, and baking Christmas cookies.”

I made the comment as my son and I were talking on the phone, a few days before Thanksgiving, about our holiday plans. I had mentioned that we knew a lot of people who, instead of cooking a traditional turkey dinner, had “alternate plans.” Some were still going with a turkey dinner, but were purchasing either a ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat-up option from a restaurant or grocery store. Others were changing the menu altogether – steaks being the most popular choice.

My husband and I had actually discussed this, too, especially since it would be just the two of us this year. He often points out that a traditional turkey dinner is a lot of work, even – or especially – when it will be for just two people. But since I do most of that work, and it’s something I enjoy doing, we still went with the turkey dinner. We decided to simplify it a bit, though. In addition to cooking a smaller turkey, we skipped the cranberry sauce and desserts, and had just one side dish instead of several. (Mashed potatoes don’t count as a side dish, of course.)

We had a lovely Thanksgiving dinner, and leftovers that lasted through the weekend, plus a few containers of turkey in the freezer that we’ll bring out at some point in the future.

As I’ve been writing just now, it occurred to me that both of the holiday traditions I mentioned focus on food. I guess that’s not surprising, since many holiday traditions do. But I took a moment to reflect on why these two are so important to me.

Part of it is nostalgia. Growing up in a large extended family – and then marrying into another one – meant big family gatherings, especially during the holidays. I miss that now, and cooking a traditional Thanksgiving dinner brings back happy memories of them.

One of my favorite childhood holiday memories is of making Christmas cookies with my mom. Although it’s been a long time since I’ve made the rolled-out, cut-out cookies she always made, I always include snickerdoodles and cookie-press cookies, which were also staples of hers. Although the rest of my recipes are different than hers, I always feel a connection to my mom and my memories when I bake Christmas cookies every year.

Traditions change from time to time, for any number of reasons. Family dynamics, distance, health issues, convenience. The important thing is to keep – or create – the traditions that provide you with fond memories from years gone by. Or brand-new ones that will provide precious memories in the years to come.

Thanksgiving turkeys and Christmas cookies do that for me.

November 27, 2023
©Betty Liedtke, 2023

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