Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. and families around the country will be sitting down to a turkey dinner. Many of us will recreate treasured family recipes, such as my mom’s Portuguese stuffing recipe that, growing up, my family enjoyed every Thanksgiving.

And we introduce our family to new recipes, poring through magazines and websites.

But more than a time for feasting, this is a time when we count our blessings and give thanks. One good way to focus the holiday on gratitude is to set up a thankful tree–or even a thankful turkey. It serves as a vehicle for adults, and especially the grandkids, to think deeply about how fortunate they are and to express gratitude on Thanksgiving Day.

A Big Day for Cooking

Of course it’s a big day for cooking, as smells of pies baking and turkey roasting fill the house.

Thanksgiving is always celebrated at our house. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love to set the table with a harvest theme. This year, I’ll be incorporating our gilded pumpkins and gold-sprayed eucalyptus leaves.

Miss T will be cooking with me again as she has since she was ten. You can involve the grandkids in cooking holiday meals, starting with simple tasks, until they have the skillset and maturity to tackle more complex cooking projects. Cooking is fun and serves as a wonderful grandma-to-grandchild bonding time, when you do it together.

A Big Day-After for Leftovers

I happen to love leftovers. It’s a holiday from cooking for a few days following the big feast. In our house, the family comes over the day after Thanksgiving to eat the leftovers with us. It’s a second–and more relaxing–family get-together.

We’ll eat the leftovers just as they were served Thanksgiving day. After that, we’ll find ways to repurpose everything so we’re not eating the same thing, over and over. One ways to repurpose turkey is to make one of 12 terrific sandwiches. These sandwich ideas incorporate many flavors and international inspiration so you won’t tire of the turkey.

What to do with the carcass? My mom used to make turkey chowder, but my mother-in-law made jook, a delicious rice porridge.

Sharing with Others

This year, more than ever, it’s important to contribute to food banks and shelters to ensure everyone can enjoy a hearty Thanksgiving meal. Or, if you can, volunteer to cook and serve at a shelter.

And My Thanks to You

Thank you for visiting “Call Me Grandma!” this year. I appreciate everyone who has stopped by, read a blog post or two, and hopefully, found some information they could use. Happy Thanksgiving!

Next Week

We’ll be crafting tabletop snowmen. The grandkids will enjoy making these and you can use them for your holiday table centerpiece.

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