Our Holiday Traditions

The holidays are a time to reflect, celebrate, and reset for the coming year. Here’s what our team said about how they like to spend their holidays.

Chris: We are not big on "Traditional" Thanksgiving feasts. One year, I grilled chicken and steaks on the grill. Another year we had pork. I would say our tradition is being untraditional.

Lea Ann: Yes, what he said!!  We have turkey or ham and all the sides every once in a while, but typically we go nontraditional.  We have done pork, chicken & steaks, lasagna, etc.  It's just us 4 plus my mom, so we kind of just do whatever sounds yummy!

Brandi: My brother insists on deep-frying two turkeys every Thanksgiving. They are delicious, but the amount of oil it takes is a little crazy and costs more than the turkeys. We also always have birthday cake and celebrate my niece’s birthday (11/25) at the same time.

Bindy: I would say the only actual tradition we have is to make sure there is more than one pumpkin pie because then there is one for me and one for everyone else!!

Our tradition is on Black Friday as I make cinnamon rolls in (memory of my sister) the way we did at my aunt's house as kids because that was always our favorite thing. Black Friday was our holiday - the hours we were guaranteed to have together with several stops of Starbucks.

Patricia: I am the only vegan in my family, but my kind, patient Mom makes sure I always have a few options at Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite thing that she makes is this Vegan Pumpkin pie, which is a hit for both vegans and non-vegans alike!

Jeremy: We have a huge thanksgiving lunch with my family and then a huge dinner with my wife’s family.  And then go home and try not to explode. Here is our recipe for cranberry sauce: 

16 oz cranberries (fresh or frozen)
2 cups water
1/2 to 3/4 sugar (could substitute monk fruit sweetener)
1 cinnamon stick
6 whole allspice
3 while cloves
1 piece whole mace
Place the cranberries, sugar, water, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan. Place allspice, cloves, and mace in a tea ball or tie up in a piece of cheese cloth and add to the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens. Serve warm. Super good.  

Megan: Every Christmas, our family comes together to continue the heartwarming tradition of baking cookies. We make sure everyone's favorite cookies are made and the kids get to decorate the sugar cookies. It is a full day of baking! We also take a trip with all the kids to the local Paine Art Museum to explore their magical nutcracker exhibit. We started this tradition with my grandmother, so it always brings back happy memories when we visit.

And there you have it! What traditions do you enjoy during this time of year?