Thanksgiving with the Mindfully Active Crew
Thanksgiving Day with the Mindfully Active Crew- Scroll through this week’s Thanksgiving blog to find out about the member’s of Mindfully Active’s favorite Thanksgiving food item and memory or tradition that they look forward to every year!
“I feel like Thanksgiving is one of the greatest days of the entire year. There is an anticipation for the day and all that it holds every time it comes around. There are specific foods many really only eat on this day, and maybe the few days after because, leftovers. It is the time where family and friends from all over get to gather together and share a meal. There is something sweet about many around you celebrating the day, the hustle and bustle of the grocery stores, and the ending of phone calls or goodbyes with, “Happy Thanksgiving”.
All of the foods, the concept of Christmas coming, the traditions, the cooking, baking, and family being all together makes this day great. It is an incredible reminder of Giving Thanks and the power found in gratitude. Gratitude is more than saying “thank you” for what you have, and it’s an entire perspective change. The word gratitude in Latin is grate, which means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Having gratitude is an active and thankful appreciation for what one has received whether that is tangible or intangible. A thankful heart is often a heart that is grateful, content, happy, joyful, and kind. Gratitude is an active and mindful awareness of what one has been given! ” - Candace
Amber
Favorite Thanksgiving Food:
“For the ‘first course’ of our thanksgiving meal, my great grandma always made Italian Wedding Soup with the most amazing little meatballs. My brother and I used to steal the little meatballs out of the soup as it was simmering and we would hide and eat them. We continued to do this even into our twenties. Not enough for anyone to notice, but enough to fill up on. my Nana would cook the soup, the turkey, the ham, stuffing, gravy, etc. and she was this tiny little 98 year old lady!”
“My favorite tradition is when we would sit down and say Grace before eating. I have several cousins, two of them being Grace and Lane who are siblings. When those two were little, my family would all say Grace together, and after, Lane asked (very sweetly) if we could all say ‘Lane’ since we always say Grace. Now, these guys are all grown up, and we will keep holding hands after saying Grace, and we all collectively say “Lane”! Poor guy, we’ll never let him live that down, it was too cute.”
“Our tradition we do every year is we make handmade tortellini soup. The week before Thanksgiving we all get together and make the handmade soup for the holiday.”
“Our family uses Thanksgiving as a time to spend time together. It’s Christmas Eve and the Seven Fishes at my mom’s house that has been the standing tradition my entire life. Thanksgiving is the day where we plan the upcoming holiday and Christmas Eve dinner.”
“My favorite part of the meal/day are the side dishes that honor our past relatives, like the ambrosia and coleslaw my mom makes that my grandparents always enjoyed. Doing that helps us feel like their spirit is with us during the holiday.”
Candace
Favorite Thanksgiving Food:
Green Bean Casserole- This is the only time of year my mom makes this and I love the crispy onions that are on top!
“My favorite tradition from Thanksgiving day is the walk that we would do after dinner time. Usually it is freezing cold outside, and you have to put on your winter jacket. Whoever wanted to join would gear up, and a huge group of us would walk around my aunt’s neighborhood and see all of the Christmas lights. My siblings, cousins, and I would run and sing through the streets as we tried to find the next house with their decorations up. To this day, as adults, there is a post-dinner Thanksgiving walk that is one of the sweetest parts of the day. Once the walk is over, it means that it’s pie and dessert time.”
Favorite Thanksgiving Food:
Pumpkin Pie
“We get together, eat, and watch football. Sometimes when we’re together we will play games like heads up, kahoot, or Yahtzee.”
“I remember going to my aunt and uncle’s restaurant in PA and getting my own serving when I was a kid and feeling so special. The tradition is a lazy day with football and naps.”
Check back next on Thursday next week at noon to learn about our next highlight in our Hidden Gems of South Jersey Series!
