I don’t know about y’all, but I’m a fan of Thanksgiving. Everything about the holiday appeals to me. Cozy downtime spent surrounded by loved ones and good food? Yes, please!

Sitting around the dinner table, we all take a moment to acknowledge our blessings. We’re a little more gracious – even to the random relative who drives us crazy. Because at the heart of our meal is gratitude for one another.

Even better? It’s a holiday steeped in tradition. And y’all know me! I’m all about the traditions. I get giddy just thinking about what tomorrow will bring.

After Brandon and I married, we blended our family’s Thanksgiving traditions and added a few of our own. 22 years in, and our Thanksgiving plans are pretty much set in stone.

Here’s what our Thanksgiving looks like:

Our Thanksgiving Traditions

Decorating

Brandon loves Christmas – and that love for the holidays is infectious. I used to be the girl who put up the Christmas tree a day or two before Christmas and took it down the day after.

I am that girl no more.

These days, I decorate for Christmas in early November. Gifts are usually purchased, wrapped, and under the tree a week later. So Thanksgiving at my house is draped in plaid and bathed in the glow of twinkle lights.

Picking the Menu

After the Christmas decorations are up, we sit down together and pick out the menu. It doesn’t change much from year to year. Occasionally, we add or remove a dish depending on how many guests we expect.

Afterward, we pull down our family recipe book and make our shopping list. Brandon is in charge of the shopping.

Deep Cleaning

Mamaw always deep-cleaned the house before Thanksgiving. We carry on that tradition. The week leading up to Thanksgiving is spent polishing silver, washing baseboards, and dusting fans.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Brandon grew up watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Mama Clark. It’s become a beloved tradition in our own home. Every year, the parade plays on the TV in our den.

Football

After the parade ends, football begins. Brandon and football go hand in hand. So, the sound of cheering fills the house as we prepare dinner.

Cooking Together

When my family congregated at Mamaw and Papaw’s house for Thanksgiving, my aunts helped Mamaw in the kitchen. Laughter and delicious aromas wafted throughout the house.

Those memories stuck with me, so I started a similar tradition in our family. Every year, we all share the responsibility and laughs that come with preparing the meal together.

Ladies First

In my family, the women cooked and made everyone’s plates before making their own. It’s a pretty common Southern tradition. Both sides of my family served this way.

But at my house, we follow a tradition set by Brandon’s family. The food is served buffet style, and it’s always ladies first.

The Dishes

We eat Thanksgiving dinner on the Desert Rose china Brandon inherited from his grandma, Bert. The dishes are over 80 years old and have served four generations of Clarks.

The Kids’ Table

Brandon and I both grew up with the Thanksgiving kids’ table. Our house isn’t big enough for an extra table, so the kids eat at the dining room table, and the rest of us cop a squat wherever we can find a tabletop.

Breaking the Wishbone

When I was a kid, Mamaw always put aside the wishbone for us to break after dinner. It’s something I’d practically forgotten about over the years. We resurrected the tradition last year, and I plan on keeping it going well into the future.

Moscato D’Asti

Mama Clark brings a bottle of Moscato D’Asti to Thanksgiving every year. We pop it open at the end of dinner to unwind.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

After our guests have gone home, the rest of us put on pajamas and cuddle up in front of the TV to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The tradition marks the end of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas season for us.

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The day is never perfect. Without fail, one dish goes horribly wrong. And there’s always a last-minute dash to reheat food that went cold before serving.

Some years will be a total catastrophe. The oven will give out in the middle of cooking the turkey – or the stovetop will crack the night before.

Guests might cancel or bring along a friend. Someone always shows up sick, and at least one person will bring up politics. Undoubtedly, an attitude will appear before the evening is over.

Nothing will look like the photos plastered across Instagram, but it will taste good anyway. Seconds will be served, and guests will request leftovers.

At the end of the day, everyone will go home happy. Full as a tick. Thankful. 

That’s the whole point, and it’s part of the tradition.