What was your Thanksgiving Tradition?

[info]

Now that Thanksgiving is almost here, I was wondering - did you all spend the day at home? These days it seems there is a lot of "houseskipping" - drinks at one house, dinner at another, dessert at yet another. I don't remember that since we all lived pretty close together. Did any of spend the day in more than one place?

[marie-elena (ferracano) r]

HELLO OLD & NEW FRIENDS.
IT'S BEEN A VERY LONG TIME. HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING WELL? AS SOME OF YOU ALREADY KNOW. I LIVED AT 1543 BEACH AVE. THE PAINO'S WERE NOT ONLY MY LANDLORDS, BUT OUR ADOPTED AUNT & UNCLE. SO EVERY THANKSGIVING, MY MOM COOKED FOR HER SISTER & BROTHER'S FAMILIES. THE WEDNESDAY BEFORE, MY MOM WOULD OPEN THE "FOLDING TABLE" AND MAKE 15-30 PUMPKIN PIES. MY UNCLE "THE CHIEF" WORKED FOR THE A & P, SO DURING THE YEAR WE SAVED ALL THE TINS FROM ALL THE APPLE & CHERRY PIES HE BROUGHT HOME TO US. THEN MOM WOULD TAKE OUT THE LARGE STOCK POT & POUR THE MIXTURE OF PUMPKIN FILLING INTO EACH PIE SHELL. DOWNSTAIRS HAD WONDERFUL SMELLS COMING FROM AUNT MARGIE'S TOO. THEN THERE WAS THE MAKING OF THE STUFFING. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MATCH MOM'S WAY OF MAKING IT. BUT AM NOT SURE IF I HAVE IT DOWN PAT. AUNT MARGE, WHO LIVED DOWNSTAIRS. ALWAYS COOKED FOR HER HER SISTER JOAN & HER GOWN CHILDREN, WITH ANY OF AUNT MARGE'S KIDS THAT WEREN'T GOING TO AN IN-LAW FOR THE HOLIDAY. SO THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING WAS THE "PAINO-FERRACANO" SHARE THE FOOD DAY. WE STARTED TO EAT AROUND 1 & ATE IN SHIFTS TIL ABOUT 11P.M. WHEN THE NEWS CAME ON & I WENT UP TO BED TO SLEEP. KEEP IN MIND, MY AUNT MARGE HAD A HUGE DINING ROOM TABLE & ALSO HAD A BUFFET TABLE BEHIND US WITH OTHER GOODIES. I ALWAYS LOVED THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING MORE THAN THE ACTUAL "TURKEY DAY". I ALSO LOVED NEW YEAR'S EVE AT THEIR HOME TOO. THE CHIEF WILL BE GONE 20 YRS & MY AUNT MARGIE 18 YRS. BUT IF I CLOSE MY EYES I SWEAR I CAN STILL HEAR HIM ASKING FOR DESSERT. WHICH HE ALWAYS SHARED WITH EITHER ME AND OR HIS GRANDKIDS. THAT WAS OUR TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING. NOW I MAKE THE TURKEY EVERY YEAR. BECAUSE MY HUSBAND'S BIRTHDAY IS AROUND THAT WEEK. I TRY TO FOLLOW SOME TRADITIONS & HOPE THAT MY BOYS, WILL REMEMBER THEM WITH FOND MEMORIES, LIKE THE ONES I HAVE. I AM HAPPY TO SAY I HAVE A FEW EXTRA FRIENDS FROM THIS SITE , THAT I AM THANKFUL FOR THIS HOLIDAY, AS WELL AS THE OLD & DEAR ONES.. HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL. MARIE-ELENA

[info]

We usually had a pretty small gathering, with immediate family and a few relatives who lived in Parkchester. I do know that we always had a fresh turkey from the butcher, always at least 20 lbs. Could you buy a frozen turkey from the supermarket back in the '60s?

[nick drewes]

Marie- Elena, I remember those days as well. Your mother was a great cook. I also remember your mother and Mrs. P always saying take something home. It was the same way Christmas Eve at Mrs.P's. A lot of food and good friends.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, and all of your family. May some day we all can get together.

[Lydia58]

We always spent Thanksgiving at my grandmother's. She lived in West Farms on Lebanon St. She was a truly great cook. She made this feast, perfect in every way, fed over 20 people, in this little tiny kitchen, with an oven that had to be over 40 years old. My family went to the Macy's Day parade every Thanksgiving morning & then headed back to the Bronx for dinner. Never went anywhere else. I remember the first thanksgiving I was married, we were going to spend it at my husband's sister's house. My grandmother wouldn't have it. Thank God, because that was my grandmother's last Thanksgiving and at least my husband got to eat there at least one. Good thing, because he's the only one who could figure out how to cook her turnips. Of course she never used a recipe. We have Thanksgiving at my house now (my husband does the cooking). And I still try to get to the parade, but not every year.