Stories Collected While Living in France

French la Vie

Thanksgiving Tradition

               country dining room

A Thanksgiving tradition from back home…

My Mother prepares the Thanksgiving meal. Every year one of the traditional things that she makes (other than mashed potatoes and turkey,) are butter cookies that she cuts out with a red cookie cutter that is shaped like a turkey.

Setting the table she adds one of the turkey cut-out cookies to each of the plates.

My brother Marty (a grown man now….) traditionally sneaks into the dining room and bite off the heads to each of the turkey cookies. Crumbs and a headless, cookie cut-out, turkey are part of the tradition.

Thanksgiving began with my Mother moaning, "Marty!"

It is a tradition that I get a kick out of, and that I miss each year. What traditions do you have at Thanksgiving?

Photo: The dining room in my childhood home.

H A P P Y   T H A N K S G I V I N G !

Comments

50 responses to “Thanksgiving Tradition”

  1. Dorian

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving in “absentia”, Corey! You may be far away, but your American family and friends send a toast to you and yours.

    Reply
  2. AmandaMay

    Happy Thanksgiving to you – do you celebrate the day in France as well? When I loved in Canada we obstinantly celebrated American Thanksgiving as well as Canadian (they are different dates). Can one have too many days of feeling thankful? (or too many turkey dinners?!)

    Reply
  3. Scarlett

    I miss my mother’s banna pudding. She would make it in a mega huge mixing bowl, and everyone would fight over getting some. The goal was to GET some as invariably someone would get to the bowl too late.
    I miss my mom.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  4. Betty C.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you, Corey!

    Reply
  5. Shannon

    I’ve got to meet your brothers.
    I wonder if my own kids will create a sabotaging tradition someday. I’m sort of elated, yet afraid to anticipate it.
    Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  6. Elaine L.

    What a wonderful tradition! It sounds like you have a wonderful family!
    When I was young we always spent the holidays at my material grandmother’s. It was a HUGE affair with my mother’s 9 siblings and their children. We kids would have so much fun running and playing in my grandmother’s yard. She lived in a small white Victorian where my mother grew up.
    I count your blog as one of the things for which I am thankful.
    Corey, may you and your loved ones have a Blessed Thanksgiving!
    ~elaine~

    Reply
  7. nicol

    Our new tradition shall be to toast a Happy Thanksgiving to Corey far far away! xo N

    Reply
  8. le petit cabinet de curiosites

    Happy thanksgiving , Corey !!
    Do you make the turkeys cut-out cookies ,if so I want to see them

    Reply
  9. tinker

    Unfortunately, nothing as funny as your brother’s tradition…apart from giving thanks, and stuffing ourselves like turkeys, playing games while we groan, is our tradition.
    Hope you’re having a wonderful Thanksgiving, Corey.~xo

    Reply
  10. maria

    when i was a little girl, one of my sisters and i insisted on my mother waking us up at 5a.m., when she also got up, to put the turkey in the oven. i dont know why this fascinated us so much– sitting in the cold kitchen watching Mom clean and stuff a bird!!
    when i made my own birds for the holiday i wished one of my kids would do the same–but they would have none of it! obviously they were a lot smarter than i was…
    i still love the smell of turkey roasting early in the morning-it says Thanksgiving.
    Happy Thanksgiving to you in France–i hope you celebrate your American holiday with all your wonderful French touches!!
    -maria in new york

    Reply
  11. Jeanne

    How wonderful are these lovely traditions…….
    Thanks for sharing.
    Happy Thanksgiving!
    Love you
    Jeanne

    Reply
  12. Marie-Noëlle

    Has your brother got some French blood by any chance?
    Cutting heads off is historically French …
    Was Marie-Antoinette “une dinde” ???
    une dinde = 1- a turkey
    2- a stupid woman
    HAVE a NICE DAY !!!

    Reply
  13. tut-tut

    Have a great day, Corey! My memories are all inside now; they can’t be replayed in actuality anymore. We move forward to make new ones, don’ we?

    Reply
  14. Annabananabrain

    Oooooh, I love your blog and I love the turkey-biting brother story! You have been tagged for the Seven Things meme. Come visit me to find out the details!

    Reply
  15. Massilianana

    Happy Thanksgiving to you Corey ! I have never experienced a Thanksgiving dinner in my life and though I am a vegetarian too , I hope I will someday , it sounds so special , like some pre-Christmas party !
    Enjoy and have a nice meal !

    Reply
  16. Caty

    hahahahahaha! wonderful! Love Marty’s “tradition”!
    HAPPY THANKSGIVING my friend!
    wonderful child souvenirs!

    Reply
  17. Becca

    Happy Thanksgiving today, Corey! What would we do without the Marty’s in our lives? They keep things light and fun. Have a great day. (I’mm off to begin cooking).

    Reply
  18. cruststation

    What an adorable dining room and such wonderful memories, Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  19. Beverly

    Happy Thanksgiving Corey!
    You have a very funny brother!
    Our traditions aren’t as amusing, but every year the kids and I make the pumpkins pies. We eat at my mom and dad’s house, full of aunts, uncles and little cousins, but we always make the pies the night before thanksgiving…so we can have a piece for breakffast, of course!

    Reply
  20. blueVicar

    Happy Thanksgiving…from this side of the pond!
    Meilleurs voeux!!

    Reply
  21. Dawn

    Happy Thanksgiving to you, dear Cor-ay!

    Reply
  22. clarice

    Well we have two traditions, one is to never cook the same meal twice. Each year is a challenge to come up with a new menu. The second is when we set the table each plate has 3 corn kernels. Then we go around the table with a small basket and as you set each of you kernel in it, you say what you are thankful for. Cory I hope today is a blessed day for you. Enjoy something yummy and French for me. Love Clarice

    Reply
  23. Bejeweled

    The cookie tradition is too funny! And utterly priceless!
    Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

    Reply
  24. My Melange

    Well, traditionally my mother buys a 25 lb turkey, even though now it may only be 3 of us eating….and every side dish known to man. My Grandmother always had to have celery(which she pronounced- sul-ree)sticks on the table. And my mother would always overcook the bird!!! Thank goodness for gravy!!!! Happy Thanksgiving Corey!!!

    Reply
  25. kim

    No traditions as fun as your brother Marty’s. For us it was the usual stuff… lots of food — LOTS. and all the men in the living room watchiing football. And all the women doing the work.
    Happy TG from one expat to another. It’s strange to be away from home on this holiday.

    Reply
  26. shannon in oregon

    just eating and drinking with friends. my mom’s holiday potatoes. green beans with toasted, slivered almonds. the turkey, of course. shoo fly pie, apple crumb pie and cheese cake. everything homemade.
    i can’t wait to get to cooking today (made the pies yesterday).

    Reply
  27. Marilyn

    When we were all still in our 20’s and going home for Thanksgiving, the rule was that OUR Marty had to be last in line to fill his plate along the buffet…otherwise there wouldn’t be enough turkey for the rest of us! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving, Corey!

    Reply
  28. jen

    Marie Callender is doing the cooking for us today, as we’re bringing home a precious new granddaughter! Happy day of giving thanks to you and yours, Corey.

    Reply
  29. qualcosa di bello

    what a wonderful tradition!!! boys are so creative…
    i just cook & bake…now it is a combination of my momma’s & mom-in-law’s goodies~ all made with love!
    happy thanksgiving to you waaaaay over there! (shelley is in my prayers)

    Reply
  30. Betty @ She’s Sew Pretty

    This year my daughter is cooking dinner for us in her new house, so we will start a new tradition. If I were your mom I would make headless turkey cookies and wait for your brother’s reaction. LOL

    Reply
  31. Betty @ She’s Sew Pretty

    Corey, I forgot to wish you a wonderful day today!

    Reply
  32. martina

    Thanksgiving was always just Mom, Dad and their favorite only child (me). Now I fix turkey breast, yams and a salad for my fella and afterwards we try to walk the dogs. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family in France and America Corey!
    p.s. Love Marty’s tradition regarding Marie Antoinette turkey cookies.

    Reply
  33. meredith

    Happy Thanksgiving Corey! Boy do I miss the bread stuffing my mom made every year, it was the best.

    Reply
  34. sognatrice

    OK, your brother sounds pretty darn cool 😉
    Our Thanksgiving traditions pretty much revolve around the food–mom’s stuffing, baked beans, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, mmmm. I like all the side dishes way better than the bird 😉
    I’m going to do my own little dinner here on Sunday, but I’ll end up eating most of it myself since my Italian OH is so picky (as are most Italians about food as we know)…but I don’t mind as it’s more for me!

    Reply
  35. sognatrice

    Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

    Reply
  36. Paris Parfait

    Your brother is funny! In our house, he never would have gotten away with it. Then again, my mother wouldn’t have been baking cookies. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  37. marita

    no thanksgiving here in the netherlands.
    i worked all day just like every day.
    wishing you and your family in france and the us a marvelous holiday!!

    Reply
  38. maddie

    The photo of your childhood home makes me
    want to tiptoe in and make tea for myself:)
    It is so pretty and peaceful and welcoming:)
    Happy thanksgiving:)

    Reply
  39. Cre8Tiva

    we have a marty named matt…how funhappy thanksgiving my friend…rebecca

    Reply
  40. M erisi’s Vienna

    Oh, Marty!
    You had my giggling, so naughty and sweet at the same time. 🙂
    When our four kids were still little, I gave them a notebook, and they recorded whatever they felt important enough to pass down. Some of their notes are quite useful (how long it took Dad to barbeque the turkey in the Weber grill, for example), others were complaints about which kid did not do his or her share of the workload properly (in the complainants opinion), with the response of the wayward kid following en suite, some were outright funny, even naughty. All such sweet memories, when we leaf through the notes now, so far from our home then, but all together here in Vienna.
    Happy Thanksgiving, Corey, thank you for all the time and love you give so freely to us every day. I appreciate it very much.

    Reply
  41. Frieda

    Happy Thanksgiving:
    May god give you
    for every storm, a rainbow
    for every tear, a smile
    for every care, a promise
    And a blessing in each trial
    For every problem life sends
    A faithful friend to share
    for every sigh, a sweet song
    and answer for each prayer…

    Reply
  42. Carolyn

    Love it! how funny. I know htat cookie cutter your mom has. I have my mothers smae cutter and she cut the cranberry sance into turkeys for the table, I follow that traditon ach year though sometime I wonder what the heck I am taking time to do this for but I just seem to have to do it.

    Reply
  43. mary

    It surprised me this year, I didn’t expect it before next Thursday ! I can’t count properly up to 4 weeks any more, what a shame !

    Reply
  44. AnnieElf

    Happy Thanksgiving Corey. All of our traditions circle around the required foods – homemade cranberry sauce, yams and marshmellows, YAMS, and green bean casserole. If these things are missing, it just isn’t Thanksgiving.

    Reply
  45. tlchang

    What a funny tradition! 🙂 (My brother used to hide a small rubber alligator in ‘surprise’ places – like the bottom of your popcorn bowl. That always elicited quite a response).
    Our Thanksgiving traditions always revolved on gathering with as *many* family members and friends as you possibly could. And always trying out new variations on the menu. A thing we still continue. Of course there is always turkey and trimmings – but some are done differently nearly every year (this year was a maple syrup and spice brine for the bird).

    Reply
  46. susanna

    Happy Thanksgiving, Corey! Headless turkeys?! Your brother sounds like a hoot! Alot of fun – just like you. I hope that you are having a wonderful weekend in your part of the world.

    Reply
  47. judypatooote

    What a funny tradition….what a funny brother….we don’t really have any thanksgiving traditions, but Christmas when my kids were little we use to crack walnuts clean them out and put a 1$ in one, and the rest with 25 cents….seal them back up with a string and hang them in a door way… the number of kids that were at our Christmas is the number of nuts we hung….and they were hung at different lengths….the youngest would pick first, and so forth….that was when all the cousins would get together with my kids…. we would do it with my grandkids too….but now most don’t really care….whats a $ anyway….. love your picture, and hope your have a great week…..judy

    Reply
  48. Monica Magness

    i do miss the aromas that filled the house when my mother would bake her turkey overnight and compliment the table with the traditional stuffing, cranberry sauce and the like. This year I am visiting dh’s family, we actually held off our meal for this Sunday so that his father could be included… afterall, it is family that makes the meal so special right? Thanks to the military we’ve realized our appreciation for family, no matter what the date. Happy Thanksgiving! Ur blog makes it a real feast with Ur delish posts & treats around every corner…. ~Monica

    Reply
  49. tommie

    just catching up on the posts from when I was gone….this one really made me laugh……go marty….bite those heads off.

    Reply
  50. heather

    that’s so funny. i love the traditions that are silly, because they almost mean more especially when we keep doing them as grownups. we have all the traditional thanksgiving foods (with real stuffing, an important part), but my favorite tradition is listening to alice’s restaurant. and we usually watch a christmas movie to celebrate the start of the season.

    Reply

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