Sandy, Count me as one of those "teary eyed" people too. Can get choked up at any little kindness or concern! Often even get that way at church services--especially the really moving ones. I love your new tradition. And it is so good for all of us to focus on the good things in our lives. Goodness knows we certainly hear more bad stuff than we need to. I'll go look for your other thread now. Luvs

Wish I could say I have holiday traditions, but that's not the way with my family. We never were what you could say 'close' and or 'traditional', us kids were pretty much on our own from the time we could walk. But I do have some fall traditions that I have made for myself. Maybe that counts in this thread. One of my favorite fall traditions is fried green tomatoes. I know in the south you can buy green tomatoes year round, but it seems to be a northern thing, especially with northern males, that no tomatoe shall be picked unripe until there is absolutely no chance it will ripen. These past couple weeks I have been stuffing myself on fried green tomatoes, I want to get sick of them now because I know that I won't have them again for another year. If anyone is interested I do have recipes for green tomatoe pickles, I just never learned how to can so can't use the recipes, but have them because I collect cookbooks and read them like novels, lol. Another fall tradition is the collection of black walnuts. I only have one tree, but since me and the squirrels are the only ones eating them, that is more than enough in most years. Right now I have them laying in my driveway, it is easier to get the husk off after running over them a few weeks with the cars. But please, only do this on a blacktop driveway, they will stain concret something aweful, it will never come out, don't want anyone coming after me when black walnuts stain their driveway, lol. Soon I will be cracking them, drying the meats and then it's black walnut cake and cookies. Most of which I freeze and eat in bits and pieces since black walnuts is an aquired taste, I know very few people who love it as much as I do. Another fall favorite is the ornimental chard I put in just because I think it's pretty, namely bright lights. Just before it's about done for the season, I cook it the old fashion southern way, wilt it in bacon grease (all southern cooks have a container of bacon grease in their fridge) and add some vinegar. I also have some flowering quince that actually produce fruit from time to time. It is too bitter to eat as is, but simmer it in some sugar water, kind of candy it, and it is a tasty toast spread. And in years I am able to garden, I grow my own pumpkins and use them to make real pumpkin pie. Do you know that most canned pumpkin you buy in the stores is not real pumpkin? It's mostly squash because that makes a prettier color. My real pumpkin pies may be lighter in color and have more texture than what most are use to, not all like it, but there are some who beg me to make them a real pumpkin pie, don't want anything else once they taste mine. Oh yea, and there are the late ripening apples that I have learned to appriciate, namely Mutsu, makes about the best apple pies. Again, anyone who wants about the best apple pie recipe you could find, ask, has a special twist to it. Dang, got myself in a baking mood, might have to take advantage of all the cheap pumpkins around and make a pie or two or three or four, no problem getting rid of them, lol.

Weeeeeeeell......we used to go jogging in The Garden Of The Gods while the turkey baked. Back when it was 60f and the sun was out. Lots of neighbors did the same. We ALL stopped to chat and catch up. Today, with climate change, it's 16.5F, 11" of snow, blizzard conditions. The herds of elk usually migrate over to our yards. Another storm is expected Friday.

Yes, my stress level went way down when I started viewing Thanksgiving as just "time off work" and the gathering as whatever it was or I wanted it to be, not what society markets it as. And my meals became way more fun. If it's just hubs and Dad and I, keep it as simple as possible, a roast bird, mashed potatoes, plain ol' dressing and salad and whatever vegetable I'm in the mood for and looks good at the store. We actually like the frozen mixed vegetables, kind of covers all bases. I like cranberry sauce but I wait until after the holiday to buy cranberries fresh, the price goes way down, so I'm likely to serve an old canned sauce on the actual day of. Tastes just like mine anyway and can be doctored. Hubs makes pumpkin cheesecake. Bam, done. Very occasionally, if we have guests over and I'm still cooking before dinner, I might serve an appetizer like guacamole or spinach artichoke dip and I don't feel guilty about buying it pre-made in the store if I have the money. I don't even bother making mulled wine like I used to, just buy it already made which you can get now. Cider for the tea totalers. I've had the big fancy Thanksgivings with all kinds of dishes and appetizers and all day partying over food, and frankly they just leave me mostly with indigestion. One exception is cherry cranberry crumble I made one year, that has both fresh and dried berries and cherries. It is fab and worth the trouble making. I don't make it for Thanksgiving though, because hubs insists on the cheesecake and one dessert is enough. Again, i used to do two plus cookies, but who needs all that sweet stuff and the left overs? Not us. I'd rather savor one nice dessert at a time. Double the topping if you're wanting something more traditional and aren't as concerned about the "low fat." That's how it manages the "light" moniker, by skimping on the topping. https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-cherry-crumble