It’s Thanksgiving week! We are back with a new Blink Blog highlighting some of our author’s favorite things and traditions. Keep reading below…

What are your Thanksgiving traditions?

Alison Gervais: Thanksgiving traditions include family time, an amazing dinner featuring turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, rolls, and cheeseball. Pumpkin pie is also a must. There are also certain years where my or my niece’s birthday land on Thanksgiving too, so sometimes we also have birthday cake and present opening.

Annie Sullivan: For Thanksgiving, I usually go over to my parent’s house in the morning, and my mom and I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Then, we spend all day cooking and baking. That night, we have all the family over and eat everything from turkey and mashed potatoes to green bean casserole and homemade rolls. It’s a wonderful day to just spend with my family and be grateful for each other.

Christina June: We alternate years at my parents’ house and my in-laws’ house.  There aren’t any specific traditions, other than the occasional whipped cream fight at the table and eating my sister-in-law’s rolls.

Lorie Langdon: I LOVE the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! I have to watch it every year, usually while I’m making Sweet Potato Casserole for our family get-together. We always have a huge Thanksgiving lunch with my husband’s family—there are 25 of us—then we have dessert at our house for my side of the family.

McCall Hoyle:  Spend time with family, do puzzles, play board games, watch the Macy’s Day Parade and a bit of football, hold hands and share what we’re thankful for, pray, and eat, eat, eat until we can’t eat any more.

Black Friday – Yes or No?

Alison Gervais: 

Annie Sullivan: I used to go with my parents as a kid, but I’ve stopped in more recent years. Although, I did go out last year to get this AMAZING Cinderella dollhouse that’s as tall as I am for my niece. Of course, then I had to build said dollhouse, but it was totally worth it because my niece loves it.

Christina June: I used to enjoy going, but it’s become too much of a circus.  My sisters-in-law usually go, so I comb through the ads and give them a list of things to look for.  I am, however, a big fan of Cyber Monday.

Jonathan Friesen: Horrors, no. I avoid stores at all cost, except for ALDI’S. I’m in love with ALDI’S

Lorie Langdon: If I go out on Black Friday, it’s with my Mom and we only go to a couple of stores, then go out to lunch and see a movie. It’s more about spending quality time together than shopping.

McCall Hoyle:  No—all caps, bold, forty-eight point font—no. I tried it. It did not make me thankful or fun to be around. I’ll gladly stay home with family and eat leftovers.

What is your favorite Thanksgiving dish?

Alison Gervais: My favorite Thanksgiving dish would have to be my family’s cheeseball. We only have it during the holidays, which is fortunate for my cousin, who hates it.

Annie Sullivan: I think the turkey is my favorite part. My dad always makes an amazing turkey that just makes it feel like Thanksgiving.

Christina June: Pumpkin pie, of course.

Jonathan Friesen: This is not fair. Whatever is on that plate mixes together, and I don’t really taste individual stuff. It’s all just plump goodness.

Lorie Langdon: I adore all kinds of pie! Pecan, apple, pumpkin…bring it on!!

McCall Hoyle:  My mother-in-law’s pumpkin crisp, which has caused more than one family disagreement about who gets the leftovers.