OK so...your Turkey Day...

[Bree19]

A few things I’ve always wanted to know here in darkest Africa about this holiday we don't celebrate:

Why does a turkey get pardoned?

Why only pardon one turkey?

If you have turkey on Thanksgiving, what do you prepare for Xmas?

What are the traditional side dishes mostly served with turkey?

Have I said the word turkey often enough?

Hugs

Bree

[CommunityAdmin]

Bree19 said:

A few things I’ve always wanted to know here in darkest Africa about this holiday we don't celebrate:

Why does a turkey get pardoned?

Why only pardon one turkey?

If you have turkey on Thanksgiving, what do you prepare for Xmas?

What are the traditional side dishes mostly served with turkey?

Have I said the word turkey often enough?

Hugs

Bree

These responses are not official

1. To help the pizza industry thrive and possibly to help Tofurkey too!
2. It would anger the turkey industry, farming industry, it's symbolic. Maybe an apology that the pilgrims might not have been so nice.
3. Depends. Some people don't like turkey. But Xmas ham might be common.  I don't like Turkey unless it is really juicy so I usually have ham as well on Thanksgiving.
4. There are lots. Sweet potatoes, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Green Bean casserole, Pumpkin Pie with Whipped cream on top to name a few.
5. Not yet.

[indingrl]

THANKS Bree for sharing mdat humor-love laughing-what is a turkey-a chicken on steriods! awe -i am here all day. AAHAHAHAHA-HAHAHAHA

[elvan]

Bree19‌ I am not sure when the turkey getting pardoned started or why it is only one turkey. When we lived in NY state, there was a HUGE turkey farm on a road that I drove on frequently....I would drive by and see all of the turkeys before Thanksgiving and then it was EMPTY afterwards.  It always made me feel sad.  I eat turkey on Thanksgiving, I don't eat it any other time.  I guess it is just a tradition. When I was growing up and we had HUGE family gatherings...they always served BOTH turkey AND ham.  The side dishes were mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, asparagus, cranberry sauce, stuffed celery, jello fruit salad...desserts were a choice between pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie, and pecan pie.  Once I started doing my OWN Thanksgiving dinners, I added sweet potatoes, never had them as a kid.  I did not cook a ham AND a turkey, I served a green bean dish with slivered almonds, also asparagus, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy,  jello fruit salad, stuffed celery (basically cream cheese and onion dip combined and put into celery sticks).  For dessert, there was either pumpkin pie or chocolate pie since neither my daughter or I like pumpkin pie.  Of course, there was LOTS of whipped cream.

For Christmas, I make lasagna...not sure why but we all like it so that's what I make along with warm garlic bread, a tossed salad, and homemade cream puffs for dessert.

We are going to my son and daughter in law's cafe for Thanksgiving and there will be turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, green beans, cranberry sauce, and the desserts will be pumpkin pie or a pecan/chocolate pie made with bourbon and served with generous toppings of whipped cream.

Not sure I answered all of your questions but I gave you the answers I HAVE.  Oh, the second turkey ends up getting pardoned too.

Hugs,

Ellen.

[Giulia]

1  because everybody needs to be pardoned at some point in their lives

2  because the others were bad and are eaten as punishment

3  Turkey.  The more turkey the merrier.  For some.  Personally I hate turkey and would prefer a nice steak

4  brussle sprouts (along with those mentioned above)

5  Gobble Gobble Gobble

Pardoning the Thanksgiving Turkey - White House Historical Association 

[marciem]

I love Turkey thighs... I wish they were ALL dark meat, which is juicy and tastes great.  I always manage to dry the breasts out.  I buy and ccok thighs year round when I can get them... mash taters and gravy to go with!

This year I am truly blessed... I don't have to put on a meal!!  YAAAY.   Early dinner at hubby's relatives, with Hubs as the main honoree (after the turkey of course), since about three weeks ago he saved the life of his 89 year old cousin/uncle/sumthin' close... who fell in the water (they were fishing at a lake, hubs wasn't watching him, he was bringing the truck to pull the boat) when nobody was watching, Hubs pulled him out of the water not breathing, and did CPR and he's doing very well thankyew!   .  Took EMT's 45 minutes to get there, so God was watching out for our relative and used hubs hands to work a miracle.  (he's never trained in CPR, only watched a lot of TV!)  Turned out he passed out because of a heart valve problem, which has now been fixed...another part of the miracle, he thought it was just old age. (he had gotten a clean bill of health the DAY BEFORE, from his internal med. doc.!!!  <<<color me shocked!>>>)

Then... later dinner at daughter and son-in-law's huge family gathering, with the main course lechon (roast suckling pig Filipino style) and lots of traditional filipino (thank goodness no balut... look it up ) and american side dishes including my famous shrimp salsa and pumpkin chiffon pie.

Lots and lots to be thankful for... including... SIX YEARS SMOKE FREE!!  Probably my one singular accomplishment and I'm still so proud and thankful every day.

[Giulia]

Amazing story.  Glad it had a happy ending marciem‌!

[Jennifer-Quit]

Very impressive story!

[kristen-9-7-15]

Wow! That had to be scary for your hubby! 

I dated a Filipino for years and I couldn’t stomach some of the dishes they ate! 

[marciem]

Lucky me, kristen-9.7.15‌!!  The *traditional filipino* foods they serve are lechon (kinda like the Kalua pork served at Hawaiian luaus, and cooked at a local filipino restaurant), lumpia, adobo chicken and pancit, all of which I love.  The rest of their meal is full-on traditional American T'giving cuisine, pot-luck style, so we get the best of all worlds