In honour of American Thanksgiving, let’s share some of our favourite bookish things. And let’s chat holiday traditions and FOOD too. (I have so many questions!) Plus, there will be a GIVEAWAY because we’re all so thankful for Baker Book House and all they do to promote quality Christian Fiction and make it easily accessible to us all. More details about that at the end of this post.
CANADIAN VERSUS AMERICAN THANKS GIVING
I’m surprised by some of the differences between our two countries’ celebrations. Canada’s Thanksgiving is always the second Monday in October. We’ve been celebrating since 1879 but it became an official holiday in 1957 with this heartwarming proclamation: “A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ā to be observed on the second Monday in October.”
American Thanksgiving began a little bit earlier — 1863 — and, of course, is linked way back to the Pilgrims’ harvest festival in 1621, so actually, you kinda have a couple of centuries jump on us. But the fourth Thursday of November? How does that make any sense? Why not make it Friday or Monday so everyone can have a long weekend?
And y’all are football crazy! (disclaimer: I’m getting my US cultural facts from all the fiction I’ve read.) But, seriously, football seems to be the main event on Thanksgiving day…and I’m thinking it’s a major league important game? Canadians are — surprise — hockey mad and the NHL season starts in early October so if anyone is watching a game on Thanksgiving weekend, it’ll be hockey!
- Another interesting difference between our two countries is that right after Thanksgiving, Canadians decorate for Halloween while Americans go into full Christmas mode. š
- And the food! The basics are the same, turkey or ham with veggies and green bean casserole seems to be a universal love/hate side dish…BUT… speaking of sides, do you actually have baked macaroni and cheese as a side too? Up here that’s the main course and I’ve never seen it paired with meat in the same meal as well…unless you have a vegetarian in your midst that you’re catering to.
- Now onto to pies. I have questions. First, in Canada I’d say by far the favourite is apple pie for our Thanksgiving dinner, though we have pumpkin pie too. I LOVE pumpkin pie, but most people I know aren’t a fan, hence the apple pie. Or any other kind of fruit pie.
- What we don’t have is sweet potato pie! We have yummy sweet potatoes as a side veggie (divine with a maple syrup glaze) but in a dessert?! Nope. I don’t think anyone up here has even thought of it and, honestly, I think it sounds kinda gross. So, if you’ve had sweet potato pie, what does it taste like?
- And I’ve never seen a pecan pie. I’m thinking that’s a mostly Southern dish? We have butter tarts here, and sometimes you can get them with pecans, but that’s the closest I can think of to pecan pie. Maybe because pecans are so expensive up here since we can’t grow them ourselves? Definitely not a part of a our Canadian harvest.
- Then there’s chocolate pie. I have never seen one of these either. Since it sounds divine (hello, chocolate!) I thought I’d give making one a try but it turned into one very expensive inedible mess, so, I’m on the fence about chocolate in a pie. I think I’d prefer cake. But if you’re a fan, tell me why.
Now onto the Bookish Things I’m Thankful For!
Book I’m most thankful for this year:
This is an impossibly cruel question to ask an avid reader so I’m not going to answer it, other than to say — ALL OF THEM!!!! Bwahahahaha!
Author I’m most thankful for this year:
Argh — I hate having to single any one author out. I will say that for my Cozy Mystery reading, Donna Andrews is someone I’m so thankful for. I have been reading and re-reading her Meg Langslow series (36 books and counting) since 2020. She’s created characters who have become my friends and Caerphilly is where I want to live, if only it existed. Meg and company have seen me through some tough times and they always lift my spirits.
For Christian Fiction.…there are just so many that I don’t dare single one author out. How about I go with the last time I felt such an anticipatory thrill when I discovered a new-to-me book by a fave author that I ordered it immediately. That would be Pepper Basham and the book was The Christmas Clue to Finding You.
Booktuber I’m thankful for this year: Again, there are so many I enjoy watching who highlight Christian Fiction. But, I’ll pick Lou at Christian Faith and Fiction. She lives in the UK and gives really insightful reviews, plus, she’s started rating faith content — 1 – 3 stars, which is really, really helpful. And, while she’s a regular contributor to the booktube community, you won’t be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of videos releasing, so great for a newbie to the book world on Youtube. Oh, and at the beginning of each month she does a pretty thorough update of Christian Fiction releasing that month. https://www.youtube.com/@ChristianFaithAndFiction
New author I’m thankful I ‘met’ this year: Gah….it’s always so hard to stick to just one so I’ll go by genre.
- Gracie Ruth Mitchell for Clean Contemporary Romance
- Jackie Layton for Christian Fiction Cozy Mystery
- Laura Thomas for Christian Fiction Romantic Suspense (and she’s a Canadian!)
- Pat Simmons for Christian Fiction Contemporary Romance
- Juneau Black for Cozy Mystery
- Tricia Mingerink for Fantasy
- Miranda D. Nelson for Historical Romance
2024 Debut author I’m thankful for: Hmmm….I’ll say Angela Carlisle. Her debut, Secondary Target is incredible and she’s an exciting new voice in Romantic Suspense. Can’t wait to see what she releases next.
And let’s not forget about notebooks! Squeall!! I need them for keeping tracking of giveaways, goals, stats, scheduled blog posts, upcoming releases, books I want to read, authors I want to check out…the list goes on forever. This is my recent haul courtesy of the Dollorama’s stationary aisle. All brand new, pristine pages ready to be filled to brimming with bookish wonders. I can’t wait!
AND NOW IT’S TIME FOR THE GIVEAWAY!
Just leave a comment (or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca) about one of the bookish things you are thankful for and Iāll put your name in my Random Wheel of Names Generator and you could win aĀ $10.00 e-gift cardĀ for Baker Book House. They have fantastic deals, including free shipping and discounts for new releases as well as used books.Ā
Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday November 30 2024.
Kav's Best Reads 
I’ve heard of people having mac ‘n cheese as a side dish, but I’ve never seen it personally. As I understand it, it is absolutely in addition to the turkey (and often has meat in it).
We make a sweet potato casserole thing. It’s sweet potatoes with a caramel syrup on top and pecans, if I remember correctly? I’m not a fan of the stringy texture of sweet potatoes, so I usually skip it most years. I’ve heard lots of people make sweet potato pie either just like pumpkin pie or add marshmallows and other junk to it. Again, I’ve never had a sweet potato pie, so that’s just what I’ve heard.
Book things I’m grateful for:
Amazing writing friends who encourage me.
Authors who entrust me with ARC copies.
Book friends who I can talk books with!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Wait…meat in the macaroni and cheese?! I am gobsmacked! Love your bookish thankful list, Courtney. Good luck!
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I’m american and this whole turkey, stuffing, potato’s and pie thing DID not exist in 1621. Lucky if they had fish or deer to eat and no desert. I don’t know who came up with the fourth thursday in November, someone in the government of course. Always grateful for new books. The whole chocolate pie is too expensive now. French silk is a chocolate pie and is to die for.
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Okay, I had to google French silk chocolate pie and it does look yummy. Nothing like what I tried to make! And yes, cocoa and baking chocolate is crazy expensive now! And you raise an interesting point — I wonder when turkey became the traditional Thanksgiving meal for both our countries. Good luck, Kim!
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PBS station here has some really good shows about all different kinds of stuff and one of them was how the heck did turkey become the main meal on thanksgiving. They didn’t have an answer but did say fish or deer and corn meal was the options back then if they had enough of it to eat. And of course Thanksgiving for either country wouldn’t of happened in October or November as it was too cold to sit outdoors or even if the settler and natives sat down and ate a meal.
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That’s so interesting, Kim. I wonder, if at some point turkeys just became plentiful at this time of year? Maybe their migration patterns or something? So they were the obvious choice? If only we had a time machine to go back and check it out first hand. š
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Hi Kay you have a lot. Of questions to answer First you wanted to know what a sweet potato pie tastes like, I think it tastes like a sweeter version of pumpkin pie.
Iāve had chocolate pie its very rich, canāt eat too much.
my favorite is pecan pie its very rich too is very sweet but its yummy š
I had no idea that Halloween š was after Thanksgiving fun.
I will have to come back and post about your bookish questions.
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Bwahahaha, I have an inquiring mind. š Now I’m trying to imagine a sweeter pumping pie. I might have to try making my own sweet potato pie but it just sounds so wrong. lol Good luck, Nora!
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I guess I should live in Canada, because Iād rather watch hockey than football any day! French silk pie is the best chocolate pie!
Iām thankful for all the fun places and adventures books take me on!
manderley23 at gmail dot com
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Yay for hockey over football. š Now I really need to find a French silk pie, or try to make one. It does sound (and look) amazing. I’m thankful for fictional adventures and traveling too. Good luck, Kimmy!
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The final Thursday of November was Thanksgiving in the United States until 1939 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt solidified it as the fourth Thursday, hoping to increase retail sales during the Great Depression. Thus, the beginning of Black Friday I suppose. š As to why on a Thursday to start with, I could find no statement as to why. In modern times, I would say so folks could have a four-day weekend making it possible to travel to have Thanksgiving with loved ones since lots of businesses give Friday off as well. (Probably thinking most would call in sick any ways.)
This household isnāt into sports much at all. Maybe if nothing else is on, but then we usually find something besides the TV to do.
It must be nice to not have the two major holidays so close together. However, since they are close together it helps with big families where they can split up who goes where when and no one feels left out. I have friends who go to the husbandās side for one holiday and the wifeās the other one. Then the next year they switch it up. Makes for peace in the family and with in-laws that want to spend time with them ā especially the grands.
Americans are glutton for protein because mac ānā cheese is considered a side dish here. However, we personally never bake ours. That just seems to dry it out. We cook ours from scratch (no box stuff for us) on top of the stove in a pot. It means keeping an eye on it and stirring often after the cheese is added, but oooooh so good and gooey delicious.
While green bean casserole is a standard in some households, we jack it up a bit with our own version of the green bean casserole. Hereās the recipe.
Green Bean & Shoepeg Corn Casserole
Ingredients
1 can French style green beans – drained
1 can White shoepeg whole kernel corn – drained
1 can Cream of celery soup
1 Ā½ cup Grated cheddar cheese
Ā½ cup Sour cream
Ā½ cup Onion – chopped
1 can Water chestnuts, chopped finely
For Topping:
1 roll Ritz crackers, crumbled
1 stick Butter ā melted
Directions
Place the green beans into casserole dish.
Top with the shoepeg corn.
Mix all other ingredients except for the toppings. Pour on top of the corn layer.
Mix the cracker crumbs and melted butter together and the top the casserole with the mixture,
Bake uncovered for 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
We love pies for sure! Our favorites are pecan, apple, coconut cream and pumpkin. You will notice pumpkin is written last ā so not necessarily on our holiday table. Mom made a Praline Pumpkin Pie that was to die for. Hubbyās favorite is the pecan pie, but he wants double the gooey filling made into a deep-dish pie plate with the standard amount of nuts. Pecans and walnuts are in abundance in our state. When we lived in California in the 60ās, pecans were shipped in and were expensive. Thatās when Mom started making English walnut pies. Now black walnuts are much stronger and in my opinion not good in pies. Think a praline layers between the crust and the pumpkin for a little hidden yumminess. Sweet potato pie is a standard in the south. I fix it exactly like the pumpkin and itās very similar in taste to the pumpkin as well. We probably started fixing it into pies because of their abundance this time of year here. Chocolate pies (any type of cream pies for the matter) are another great favorite for us. For years, I made birthday pies for everyone. I think I could make one in my sleep. LOL As you can tell, we are all into sweets in the United States.
As for the favorite books and authors, like you thatās impossible to list. Thankful for authorās whose books I know Iām going to love, high recommendations from those I highly trust to stir me in the right direction and doing my own research, I can honestly say that I have not read a book this year that I didnāt love reading and can highly recommend. For me thatās the only way to pick up a book ā to know something about it to start with or make sure I research it to know what is past the back cover. If itās a Christian read, I love all genre except sci-fi and fantasy. I will say that the ones that stick out the most are the ones that deeply touch my heart when Iām reading it. Love my cozies and romantic suspense that keep me turning pages, but occasionally I want a book that makes me stop and think while tugging deeply on my heart for the characters. I donāt read them near as often as the other forms because they leave me gut-wrenched. I think if you read them often or exclusively you would harden up and they wouldnāt affect you like they should. But boy are they good for a slow-down, suck it up, feel in your heart read on occasion.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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Thanks for your Thanksgiving history — Black Friday is another thing we never used to have here in Canada but it’s caught on since online shopping as become so popular. I guess retailers were afraid Canadians would look online for bargains instead of shopping locally, so we’re benefiting from your Black Friday tradition.
Shhhh, don’t spread this around but I’m not into hockey at all. I’d rather be reading. I just don’t admit that in public up here. Bwahahaha!
Yes, I enjoy having two months between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We also get Boxing Day (December 26) as a stat holiday so a lot of families celebrate Christmas twice — one side of the family on the 25th and then all over again on the 26th. Though now stores can open on Boxing Day — that’s our version of Black Friday.
That receipt sounds delish. Thanks for writing it all out. I’m going to make that — or a dairy free variation of it — for Christmas dinner. Sounds yummy and I’m never adventurous with my veggie side dishes other than making glazed carrots. Though I’ve never heard of shoepeg corn. We have peaches and cream corn which is sweeter so maybe that would make a good substitute.
Love all your bookish thankfulness. Amen to it all…except I do enjoy a bit of fantasy now and then. Good luck, Kay!
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Figure whole kernel corn would be better than cream style for this recipe. Shoepeg is a white corn that has little kernels. It also has a bit more snap to the kernel giving the dish texture. It’s kind of like green beans and french style green beans – same fish different kettle so to speak.
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Okay, so pecan pie is a favorite. And Sweet potato pie honestly reminds me a bit like pumpkin pie. And yes, baked mac and cheese is totally a side but my kids would make it the main course, lol. Things I’m thankful for bookish wise… the Book community! I randomly decided in June to open a fb for my reading since I was reading a lot. I made some friends there an lots of authors connections. But then in August I opened up my Instagram and almost everyday I’m chatting with authors and other book lovers and what a blessing it is. I’m super thankful for the authors that reach out and send me books. Or randomly message and ask if I want to read any of their backlist. To me, it’s so special. I’ve read 290ish books this year, so it’s hard to single out authors. I did recently grab the whole collection of Rachel Fordhams books. I loved The Letter Tree and Beyond Ivy Walls and now I own all her books. I stumbled up Love Inspired books back in January and I’ve been obsessed ever since. And I recently started collecting Proper Romance books and Covenant Communications books. I have been in the Regency mode and they’ve been perfect for that. All in all, I’m thankful for books. I didn’t really have this as a big part of my life.. until this year. And I’m thankful for YOU. You’ve sent me a few great books over the year and it’s always a surprise and a blessing to win. So thank you!
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Yes, I love this online bookish community. So many great readers and authors who are generous with their time. And sharing book recommendations. I have no one in my ‘real life’ who reads Christian Fiction or much fiction at all (I don’t know how they survive!) so I love sharing about books and learning about books here and on instagram.
You’re yet another person recommending The Letter Tree by Rachel Fordham so I guess I should listen and finally read the book. I have it saved on hoopla to read some day. Guess that will be in a week when I get my December credits. And yes, Covenant Communications and Proper Romance are wonderful bookish discoveries to be thankful for. Their Christmas anthologies are wonderful! Good luck, Blessed Mommy!
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We often do both turkey (usually a smoked breast) and ham for Thanksgiving. After that it’s basically carb overload! Homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, often a sweet potato casserole or green bean casserole, and pie for dessert (apple and pumpkin usually)
My husband is a big football fan but the rest of the family not so much. If a favorite team is playing, I will sometimes watch. Of course in the morning you have the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade on TV, and then the National dog show.
I am thankful for the wide variety of excellent Christian fiction readily available!
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We get some coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and I love watching it. And dog show, you say? Totally in for that! Hooray for Christian Fiction, makes me thankful every day. Good luck, Patty!
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What a great topic, Thanksgiving and book thankfulness combined! You pretty much laid out the difference between the meals, I have made mac/cheese on Thanksgiving before but mainly at the grandkids request. It’s not on my traditional Thanksgiving meal list. I like a corn pudding for Thanksgiving and do mac/cheese at Christmas. The 2 favorites my family insist on this time of year.
Book thankfulness…I love the bookish friends I’ve made along the way, this blog and you Kav at the top of the list. Conversations with Kav is right up my alley as I have no one in my life who reads as much fiction as I do.
Also, some of the Bestreaders here, Jackie being one of them. I emailed her out of nowhere to share an ecopy of a book she wanted to read in Dec 2016 and we have been fast friends ever since, sharing books with each other. We usually email weekly and share about books we’re reading and our families too. I love having a bookish pen pal!
Off to church I go, happy reading Sunday! š
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I’m getting a culinary education today. I have never heard of corn pudding either. I had to google it. Thinking it’s a savoury dish and not a dessert pudding, right? I think I might have to try making it for my Christmas dinner as well — a kind of American Thanksgiving homage. š
Yay — so glad you are enjoying these Sunday conversations. I’m like you, no kindred reading spirit in my offline life so I love talking about books with other like-minded readers! Love that you and Jackie connected through your love of books and that you are able to share ebooks — that is so cool!
Hope you had a lovely time at church. We are between pastors so we have someone new every week almost. Makes life interesting and I’m impressed with the depth and talent among our elders who are stepping in off and on. Still, it will be nice to have a minister again for continuity and to feel settled. Good luck, Tracey!
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Yes corn pudding is a regular side dish, not a dessert although it’s good enough to be eaten as one. I went to dig out my corn pudding recipe, which is totally decadent, but then I remembered you were a vegetarian. My recipe calls for both eggs and whipping cream, baked in a water bath to keep the cream from curdling, so I don’t think this one is for you. There are 100’s of recipes online, I hope you are able to find a dairy free one.
On ebooks, sadly amazon got chintzy and did away with being able to lend an ebook one time, like that aren’t already making enough profit, but we shared a lot of books before that happened. Then we got to where we would exchange LI/LIS through the mail, back when with media mail you could mail 6 books for $3! Now we both prefer ebooks, easier to see.
And lastly, thank you so much for my Fall Reader’s Choice book win from September, The Queen’s Cook. Once again Tessa Afshar wrote a fantastic story and I’m already looking forward to the next in the series out next year. It’s so fun to win books, talk books and look forward to books with likeminded bookish friends!
I hope the Pastor search goes well and you have someone in place permanently soon.
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Well, I do eat eggs — no dairy though. I use coconut milk and I believe there are even vegan creams now — cashew or coconut so I’ll experiment. Since I’m going to make it just for me, I’m not worried about messing it up. I’ll check some of my fave vegan websites too. Stay tuned.
Boo hiss Amazon. I still haven’t sorted out my issues with them. Glad you could share ebooks for awhile at least.
Eeeep — so glad you enjoyed your book. Can’t believe you read it so fast but then I know she’s a fave author of yours. Happy Reading, Tracey!
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Well, I didn’t actually read it that fast. I started it Tuesday night and finished it last night, so 5 days working my way around family stuff and a birthday party for my grandson on Sat. It is on the longish side at 385 pages. She really weaves an intricate tale, so so good!
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Good Morning everyone. Hope you all have a blessed Sunday.
Kav have you ever heard of substituting pumpkin with squash for pie. We’ve done it a few times and no it’s not the same but a close one, anyway to me.
I’m thankful for so many things in the book arena of life that I’m not sure I could single out what I love best. Maybe I could sum it up best this way. I love being able to travel through time to a world that I wasn’t a part of many years ago and also through stories, go to places I’ll never be able to go to. I also love reading how authors weave into their stories the testing of faith many of their characters go through and how they come to the realization that it their faith that will carry them through all their trails. I love how the authors write of things we often struggle with at times as well and give us insight into how we too can grow in our own faith. I love the “reading world” and am thankful also for people like you, Kav and all you make available for us.
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I love the way you phrased that, Becky. I feel the same way about the books I read and the faith component is so important too. So a special thankfulness for authors who had those inspirational threads to their stories.
And no, I’ve never heard of substituting squash for pumpkin…I guess it makes sense in a weird way, but I think I’ll stick with pumpkin pie all the same. Bwahahaha! Good luck, Becky!
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I just told hubby that it had to have been a man who set the date for Thanksgiving so close to Christmas bc it’s really rough on the women. Hubby has lotsa siblings so we have a huge dinner w/ nieces, nephews, kids, gkids of siblings, etc, so everyone brings their specialty. They like me to bring crockpot mac & cheese which develops a crusty layer of cheese on top like it does in the oven, but way more cheesy & moist. And mashed potatoes & gravy are a must. And in the South we also have potato salad. Yep, carb overload! Plenty of desserts including pumpkin & sweet potato pies, cheesecake, pecan pie, you name it! Sweet potato pie is similar to pumpkin pie except orange colored & sweeter. I think pumpkin pie has more nutmeg & ginger & both are served with whipped cream. Hubby’s fave football team plays every Thanksgiving so you’re right about football! BTW my niece who’s hosting this yr lives outta town & I won’t be able to go so hubs is bringing me a plate. It’s ok, though, I have books!!!
I’m so thankful for every author . . . this year especially. They’ve helped take my mind off chronic nerve pain & work so hard at their craft. A special shout-out to Julie Klassen who sends me her latest book every year just because. I’m not even on her street team. New authors I’m thankful for in 2024 who have stayed true to the genre Christian fiction & brought me hrs of enjoyment are Latisha Sexton, Rhonda McKnight, Robin Jones Gunn (new to me), Creston Mapes, Tara Johnson, Holly Varni, Rebekah Millet, & many others!
And as Tracey mentioned I especially appreciate you, Kav! I love coming here, reading your reviews, & enjoying all the scrumptious book talk! It’s a place where we fellow bibliophiles can all gather, be ourselves, & talk books to our heart’s content! Thank you, Kav. ā¤
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dianalflowers at aol dot com
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I think I’ve googled more recipes today than book titles! Crockpot Mac and cheese? Who knew?! Sounds yummy and now I’m having a craving! We only have potato salad in the summer months here. It’s served at picnics and barbecues mostly. I guess, since your temps are so much warmer it’s always barbecue season in your neck of the woods! Definitely a fan of cream with my pie — might even like sweet potato pie that way. š
Ah, sorry you’re not up to going to your family Thanksgiving dinner. Hooray for books who are the best company! I’m actually spending Christmas Day on my own this year — we’re celebrating on the 26th and I’m actually kinda giddy at the thought, which is so strange since I’m alone a lot of the time. But never on Christmas. So I’m planning my TBR and I’m going to get a Christmas puzzle and I’m carefully planning out my menu. I’m having all kinds of fun!
Love your thankful author list. I keep hearing about Latisha Sexton now so I need to add her to must read list.
I’m so grateful for the fellowship on this blog too. The best kind of readers stop by all the time! š Good luck, Diane!
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Ooh, we need to do a bestreads blog cookbook with Tracey’s corn pudding, crockpot mac & cheese, Kay’s green bean casserole, chocolate silk pies, squash pies (?), pecan & sweet potato pies, etc, and call it Kav’s Bookish Cooks Cookbook! How corny is that title? . . . pardon the pun. š
Thanks, Kav. I’ll miss not going, but there’s always next year! And like you, I’ve kinda got my day planned out. A thankful, peaceful day spent with a good book & a Christmas movie! Plus kids & gkids will spend Christmas Eve over here sooo . . . I know you’re going to enjoy your “different” Christmas day. Variety is the spice of life & sometimes it’s good to break up the routine a little! Even if it is involuntary, it can still be a very good thing!!
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I LOVE that idea! I can add my vegetarian cranberry stuffing. I’m going to make a mini feast with these recipes (except for the sweet potato pie, that scares me.) for my solitary Christmas dinner. It’s going to be fun!
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Yum!! I love cranberry sauce with my turkey & cranberry stuffing sounds delish!! Hubby brought me a plate from Thanksgiving dinner they had after church last Sun & I didn’t know if it was pumpkin or sweet potato pie he brought me. You really can’t tell with whipped cream on top, altho it looked a little orange-er than pumpkin so I figured it was sweet potato pie. The taste is pretty close. But I still prefer pumpkin pie bc my mom made homemade ones that were sooo good.
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I am very thankful for Kav plus the fun and helpful group of readers who participate on this blog! Baker Book House is a plus in many ways. I started ordering from them several years ago, including for gifts.
Thanksgiving on Thursday. I think back in the 1860’s Civil War era they had no clue about great 3-day weekends in the next century <smile>! Based on my genealogical and historical research, people during that time period were just struggling to exist and certainly most regular working-class folks were dealing with the added issue of the war. It was more the underlying cultural or spiritual feeling of giving thanks, not necessarily the broader more commercialized scope it is now. The holiday was annually proclaimed by every president after Lincoln, and the date chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November. After a joint resolution ofĀ Congress in 1941, Franklin Roosevelt issued a proclamation in 1942 designating the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
As televised sports became more widely available and popular, the NFL football schedule successfully promoted nationally televised major league games on Thanksgiving afternoon. I suppose, even if someone isn’t a huge fan of football, it is a good excuse to crash on the couch, become involved in the comradery of the moment, or semi-doze after stuffing oneself on food! I was fortunate to be able to attend one of those games about thirty years ago. Prices, in proportion, were much, much less then, plus I worked for a company whose location was very close to the stadium. So, we parked there in my employee parking area and just walked. It was fun and a unique experience.
We always had sweet potato pie and pecan pie, with pecans coming from some of our trees. Sweet potato pie is somewhat similar to pumpkin in regard to the texture and seasonings, but it is just a personal preference choice. My family is from the South, so those were some of our favorite long time family recipes. We have never had macaroni and cheese on Thanksgiving. Dressing, chicken or turkey, mashed potatoes, fruit salad, and rolls.
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Thanks, CC! š Good point about folks not worrying about their three day weekends back in the 1800s. And interesting that the official designation of the fourth Thursday in November came during the Second World War. Wonder if it was for a morale boost?
The prices for sports games are astronomical these days. Even our minor league baseball games are hundreds of dollars for a family to attend. So tough for cash strapped folks and kids in particular.
Eeeepp — I can’t believe you had your own pecan trees in your backyard! No wonder it’s such a popular pie in the south!.I just checked a recipe online and I’m pretty sure our butter tarts are similar to your pie, if we added pecans that is. Good luck, CC!
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That’s so interesting that we’re similar on some things and so different on others. I definitely think with the pecans it’s a matter of location, since our southern states do grow a lot of them. For us, the meat tends to be the main dish, so yeah we have sides like green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, and mac ‘n’ cheese, and dinner rolls. The chocolate pie is also almost always creamy, like a no-bake cheesecake kind of thing. Unless it’s chessbars, if the person wants to get a little fancy and try something new. I know in my stepdad’s family Thanksgivings they also use Thanksgiving as a ‘testing ground’ for new food ideas, so they bring a new dish they are excited for and see what everyone thinks and if it’s worth making again, or seeing what suggestions they get to make it better next time, or if they should even make it a next time. š¤£ It really depends on what it is. It’s often the desserts, but is sometimes side dishes they are experimenting with as well. It’s a good time for the younger women and new wives to test out their cooking skills as well, alongside some of the older and more experienced cooks in the family.
For bookish things, I’m so thankful for all the amazing books that I was able to read and enjoy this year. For the authors I met, the connections made. For the chance to get back into blogging and me a bit more active on my bookstagram after a long break. And just for all the amazing things God has taught me though out this journey. All the glory and thanks really goes to Him, without Whom none of it would have been possible.
bookslesstravelled(at)gmail(dot)com
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Oh, I’ve also always been told that our president Abraham Lincoln was the one to make Thanksgiving an official holiday and that it should be in the fourth Thursday in November.
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By the time pecans make their way up here they are crazy expensive. The idea of making a whole pie with them is unbelievable – it would cost so much. Probably as much as the turkey. Bwahahah! I love the way you describe the way family members contribute dishes and test out recipes. That makes the whole Thanksgiving experiences more…I dunno, cozy? Just love that image. I’m beginning to think I was born into a very boring family. š And I had to google chess bars. Never heard of them either.
Oohhh, just found you on Instagram. Love your thankful list! Good luck!, Stephanie
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I live in east Tennessee, so the middle of the eastern half of the country, and the price on nuts (almonds, pecans, etc.) have all gone up significantly in the last year or two! So, while we do still get them at times, it’s only as a special treat, and definitely not something we can afford to keep on hand all the time anymore. Meat prices have gone up too.
Yeah, it can be cozy, sometimes it’s a bit chaotic though, lol! My family didn’t used to do that, but my step-dad’s family has always been different. They also seem to be a lot bigger on traditions and family gatherings that I ever remember my mom’s side being? I didn’t see as many of my relatives on my mom’s side growing up though, so that might just be that I missed so many of those events, I’m not really sure, haha.
Oh, thank you! š
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I appreciate you, Kav, and the fun times we have here on your blog! And I love being Tracey’s book pal. So many on this blog are fun to know. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
jacsmi75 at gmail dot com
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Thank you, Jackie! Happy Thanksgiving. Good luck!
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To me, Thanksgiving is about spending time with family and friends. I couldn’t care less about the football games.š
Usually, my family eats turkey and ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, rolls, sweet potato casserole, and many desserts. My dad loves pumpkin pie, and my mom loves pecan pie. I’m not a big pie eater, but cookies? Yes, please! This year I’m in charge of baking chocolate cookiesāŗļø
I’m thankful for all the books I’ve read this year and all the authors who have spend time and energy crafting the stories. Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes and The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold are just two of the many.
eclitton at gmail dot com
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A reader after my own heart! Who cares about football when you can visit with family…or characters in a good book?! Y’all are making me hungry with all your comfort food lists. And chocolate cookies? Funny, we don’t do cookies until Christmas and then we have an overabundance of them. Why don’t we spread out all that cookie-liciousness between Thanksgiving and Christmas? I have no idea. Our favourite is chocolate thumbprint cookies with kisses in the centre. Yum.
I just got a copy of Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes from the library yesterday! Great to know you loved it. Good luck, Elizabeth!
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Lol I agree. I think sweet potato pie sounds kinda nasty. Lol Pecan pie is definitely a southern thing. Peach pie or apple pie is my favorite . I’m making apple pie and lemon meringue pie this year. I’m not big into sports but I know college football is on rn because my mom watches it lol.
Things I am thankful for this year is
my husband
Book friends
my friends
family
Thanks Kav! Happy Late Thanksgiving !
sarahdar0801ATgmailDOTcom
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Oh, peach pie! But that’s an August/September treat otherwise I’d have to make it with canned peaches and it’s just not the same. I have a recipe that can be frozen, but I didn’t do that this year. š¦ Sigh, now I’m craving peach pie.
College football isn’t a huge thing here. Neither is high school. We have it, but it’s not the huge social thing that’s portrayed in books I’ve read sets in the states. We reserve that kind of passion for our hockey. š Which leads me to wonder why our high schools don’t have hockey teams? Universities/colleges do.
Lovely thankful list, Sarah. You have your priorities straight. Good luck!
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Kav, I don’t have time this evening to go into detail, but you must continue your quest for chocolate pie! š
Since I’m time pressed, let me just say I’m thankful for books (!) and authors (!) and you and your blog š
My biggest book-related thankfulness is for my Christmas devotional book that will be coming out next year from B&H Publishing (Lifeway)! Am so thrilled at the prospect of sharing it with everyone. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
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Oops, I was so excited I forgot to leave my email address for the giveaway š
ckbarker at gmail dot com
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Bwahaha! I’ll take that under advisement. I’ll just make sure that it’s not a pie I’ve made! Oh, wow, Cheryl, how exciting that you are having a Christmas devotional published next year! I’ll be looking out for that. Good luck!
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The bookish thing I’m thankful for is my book club. I always enjoy getting together every month to discuss the selected book and also others we’ve read.
It’s been awhile since I’ve eaten sweet potato pie but my mom used to make it. Best I can remember, it tasted pretty similar to pumpkin pie since the same spices are used. I like pumpkin pie, especially with whipped cream on top.
There are variations of chocolate pie. One is chocolate chess pie, which is baked. Tamera Alexander has a recipe on her website. Another version is pretty much chocolate pudding in a pie shell. Both taste good!
pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com
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Sigh — I love that you have a book club. I tried one at the library earlier this year but the books were just not to my taste — very sensational, full of graphic details and language or just plain booooorrriinnng, so I didn’t last long. I have joined a group at church — just four of us but it’s non-fiction. Right now we’re reading Hearing God by Dallas Willard. I’m not a huge non-fiction reader but I’m getting a lot out of the discussion we have.
Wow, Tamera Alexander has a wonderful website — lots of extras and that chess pie does look yummy…and simple to make. I might get brave and give it a try. Thanks, Pam. Good luck!
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Our book club reads Christian fiction and once in awhile a Christian non-fiction or classic. We’re a small group of women from my church plus one from another church. There are so many genres represented now in CF so it makes it easy to have a variety without all the graphic stuff we don’t want in books.
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Oh, no, I was writing my post and was in the middle of it ~ closed to answer a text from my daughter and now it is in never, neverland somewhere unbeknownst to me!
I have been so enjoying reading everyoneās posts. I like next day leftovers ~ cold sliced turkey sandwiches and cold pumpkin pie slices! I had not known of the mac ān cheese custom until my newest son-in-law introduced it to me. I ate mashed potatoes and giblet gravy before. I like cranberry berries with orange over canned solid. I have had sweet potato pie but like the sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallow glaze topped with pecans more. I like glazed carrots you mentioned. As for books that have stayed with me ~ that would be Lonnie and Gideon in Joanne Bischofās Cadence of Grace series written 2012-13. Reading on from all our friends here! Kathleen
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Argh — I hate when that happens. I always copy what I’m writing before I hit send just in case. I agree, next day leftovers are the best. So easy and yet you have the pleasure of a really good meal without the fuss. I love the combo of orange and cranberry too and we can all use the extra vitamin C in the winter. Okay, never heard of marshmallows on sweet potatoes before! That’s an interesting switch. We tend to glaze with maple syrup up here. Or honey.
I haven’t read early Joanne Bischof and, woohoo, by library has the Cadence of Grace series so I’ll be adding those books to my TBR next year. Thanks, Kathleen. They must be good if you still remember them ten years later. Good luck!
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I’m thankful for authors who continue to self-publish when they’re no longer with a publisher (Melissa Tagg, Becky Wade, and Kristi Ann Hunter to name a few), and for the books that I can read over and over and enjoy every time! I just finished rereading Regina Jennings’s Joplin series, putting it at three times for each book. If anything, they be might be improving with each reread.
I’m not sure where some supposed American traditions started–my family never watches football on Thanksgiving. The guys in my family usually go out pheasant hunting after eating (which is mainly an excuse to walk off the meal, as I can only remember them shooting one pheasant in 30+ years). I’d never heard of serving macaroni and cheese as part of the Thanksgiving meal. I assume sweet potato pie is a southern thing, since I’ve never seen it up here in Minnesota (though I would guess it’s pretty similar to pumpkin, since I sub one for the other often enough). My family typically sticks to apple, pumpkin/squash, pecan, and cherry pie for Thanksgiving, unless Grandma is feeling creative. Pecans are very expensive here too, but pecan pie is a wonderful treat.
rdalquist AT gmail DOT com
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Yes — that’s a great bookish thankful point — indie authors.I love re-reading favourite books as well. So comforting.
Hmmm, hunting pheasant after the meal seems a bit counterproductive. Shouldn’t they be hunting for the meal? š Thanksgiving walks are traditional here as well. Urban or country, whole family groups stroll through neighbourhoods. In the city we crowd on the streets since there’s not much traffic anyway. Good luck, Rachael!
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In my opinion, sweet potato pie just tastes like pumpkin pie, lol.
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Duly noted…though I think just knowing it was sweet potato and not pumpkin would put my tastebuds on spidey alert. lol Good luck, Elly!
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I can remember not having macaroni & cheese for Thanksgiving (itās an entrĆ©e at our house too). However I do remember the first time my Aunt made mac & cheese for the holiday. Nobody said anything, but there was a lot of wide eyed stares, and whispered conversations later!š It was delicious, but not something we made for Thanksgiving up until that point. Growing up in the south pecan pie is typically loved, but we only have a couple people in our family that like it. (not including me) Therefore itās not usually served at our Thanksgiving table. I guess I just havenāt acquired the the taste for it yet, because to me itās like you took a bottle of corn syrup and added sugar to it, then mixed pecans on the top. Much too sweet!š¤Ŗ
I donāt recall ever trying a sweet potato pie, but most of my friends that have tend to prefer it to pumpkin.š
As far as books go, Iām thankful for all the authors that write in the Christian fiction genre, and the talent God gave them!šš
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Yay for the auntie breaking tradition! I looked at some recipes for pecan pie and the corn syrup through me. Up until then, I was thinking it was like our butter tarts, but they definitely don’t have corn syrup in them.
I agree — so thankful For Christian fiction authors who use their God given talents to glorify Him. Good luck, Sabrina!.
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While macaroni and cheese isnāt a staple dish at our Thanksgiving dinner every year, we have had it as a side in the past. š We always have an apple pie and a pumpkin pie (Itās just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie!), and since my dad loves cherries, we usually have a cherry pie, too. I donāt remember ever eating a sweet potato pie, but my mom said my aunt made one one year, and that we all loved it. I probably thought it was pumpkin since the pies look about the same. We do however always have sweet potato soufflĆ©! Itās delicious and we top it with a crumble topping and marshmallows. Yum! Pecan pies are very normal here in the south š theyāre very sweet since itās mostly sugar š¤Ŗ and it seems like you either love them or hate them! I donāt care much for football, but when we would have Thanksgiving at my cousins house growing up we would āplayā in their backyard after eating. š
Iām thankful for the Christian Fiction genre as a whole! Honestly, Iād have a hard time reading any books without it!
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Okay, I had to google recipes for Sweet Potato SoufflĆ©. I think I’ll have to add it to my Christmas dinner menu too. It looks scrumptious. I think just about every contemporary romance I’ve read set during Thanksgiving features a family playing football either before or after the meal so I kinda though that was just what everybody did in the state. š And I agree, I would be lost without Christian Fiction. These authors and their books are such a blessing to us all. Good luck, Bridget!
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I love celebrating Thanksgiving here in the US! Getting together with family, celebrating all that we have to be thankful for, feasting on all that luscious food, and then playing games and watching a movie makes the day super special! Our family has a Thanksgiving journal that we do. We pass the book around and everyone writes something in it that theyāre thankful for that year. Itās a wonderful tradition, and fun to look back and see all the memories of the past! For me, I am so thankful for all the Christian authors who pour their hearts into writing stories for our reading pleasure! And Iām REALLY thankful for your blog, Kav! All of your reviews are a wealth of information, and the giveaways that you do are such a blessing! Thank you!! ā¤ļø
Happy Thanksgiving! š¦š
Alison Boss nj(dot)bossman(at)gmail(dot)com
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Oh, I love that Thanksgiving journal tradition! I’ve heard of people gathered around the table, each taking a turn to share what they are thankful for but an actual journal with all that gratitude written down will be priceless for generations to come. Thanks for your kind words, Alison. I love this bookish community. Good luck!…and Happy Thanksgiving!
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Sweet potato pie is amazing but sadly I wonāt be baking it this year. My mom made a great chocolate pie. No one in my family likes green bean casserole but they love honeyed carrots. We arenāt big football fans so we always played Phase Ten after dinner. Blessings my friend. leliamae5r(at)aol(dot)com
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Okay, I really need to stick my nose out of a book now and again – I had to look up Phase Ten — never heard of it before. Love the idea of games after dinner. We’ve never done that in our family. I’ll need to start some new traditions, I think. Good luck, Lucy!
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I have no idea why we eat turkey, which I love it unless itās commercially smoked (yuck!), but thatās what my MIL has to have. I do make the sweet potato soufflĆ© because marshmallows are kind of gross, especially in sweet potatoes. The cornbread dressing is a must and is always good! I make homemade cranberry sauce which has some orange marmalade in the recipe. Only a couple of us eat that but I still make it. No mac & cheese (too every day), no green bean casserole (yuck), and probably no pie (which Iām not wild about anyway) because my FIL is bad diabetic. Also, no football, no one likes it! Are we not unusual?
Iām grateful for authors Jaime Jo Wright, Natalie Walters, Nancy Mehl, Mary Alford, Abigail Wilson, Rachel Fordham, Pepper Basham, Elizabeth Goddardā¦..and I could go on and on! I appreciate Kav and Reading is My Superpower bloggers that keep us tuned in to the world of Christian fiction.
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Now I’ve read about cornbread dressing in my fiction but never heard of it made here at all. Must be a very Southern thing. Our Thanksgiving dinners are more based from Births cuisine…which is ironic since they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. š Ohhhh, cranberry sauce with orange marmalade sounds delish! I just googled recipes and found what looks to be a good one. Easy peasy too and you can freeze it. I’m going to have fun making new-to-me recipes this year!
Love your thankfulness list! Good luck, Perrianne!
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Cornbread dressing is VERY southern, other folks make it with bread (a travesty!). I am not familiar with your Births cuisine. It sounds interesting. I e-mailed you the cranberry recipe, I didnāt want to clog up your feed with it here. I can send you the cornbread dressing recipe. Itās SO GOOD!
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Bwahahaha — auto correct — British cuisine! Lots of English, Irish and Scottish fare. Thanks for the recipe. I’m gonna try it out and see what I think.
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I’m spending Thanksgiving dog/house sitting for a dear friend. I’m thankful for my relationship with Christ, my family and friends.
I’m also thankful for authors that write Christian fiction.
psalm103and138atgmaildotcom
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Happy dog sitting. I’ll be doing that in a couple of weeks. Nothing like the pitter patter of tiny paws to lighten your day. š Good luck, Caryl!
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I’m so thankful that I discovered “Christian fiction” so many years ago! I used to read the regular Harlequin romances but wasn’t appreciating the content, especially when I dedicated my life to Christ. I wanted the romance but not the worlds definition in fiction….so the first author I discovered (via my library) in the CF category was Beverly Lewis. I devoured her “Heritage of Lancaster” series & then found other books by her. I was HOOKED! My second author was Lauraine Snelling and her “Red River of the North” series. I couldn’t get enough after that.
I don’t remember when I discovered the Love Inspired books (Steeple Hill), but since they were published by Harlequin I knew I was in for a treat. I found so many authors & troupes in each book….I especially loved the Historical line. And from historical I discovered Julie Klassen and that awakened my love of all things Regency!
Well fast forward to today….and I have SO many authors that I follow and SO many troupes I love…I can’t even count how many books I’ve read over the years š I’m so grateful for all the CF writers who write the kind of books that not only entertain, but more importantly, feed my soul! The faith thread in CF is what I absolutely love and look for.
So all that to say, I’m grateful for the kind of books that keep me glued to the pages, anticipating the happily-ever-after, and remind me of how God guides my life & loves me in spite of all my human faults. And of course, all the fictional friends I make in the characters. What more can a reader ask for? š
Happy thanksgiving to all my American friends! My two favorite dishes are the homemade stuffing (dressing) & the pumpkin pie with LOTS of Cool Whip…lol!
Fun topic Kav!!
teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
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Ok, I have no idea why that font came up when I typed…lol!! Hopefully you can read it Kav š
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Happy Thanksgiving, Trixi! I loved reading about your Christian Fiction reading journey. Mine is similar: loved romance but not the content I was finding and it just seemed to be getting more and more graphic. I went back to reading YA which worked for a time, but then it started having content I wasn’t a fan of too. Then someone in passing mentioned ‘Christian Fiction’ and I was intrigued. Haven’t looked back since. That bit where you talked about how fiction reminds you of how God guides you and loves you resonated with me too. Amen! Brings such depth to a story — both fictional and in my real life! Good luck, Trixi!
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Hmmmmm….. let’s see……
Hockey over football any day, anytime, anywhere. GO, OILERS!
What is the deal with the sweet potato dish with marshmallows, raisins, etc.? I don’t make Mac and cheese either. Just not something I care for. I do make a mean slow cooker stuffing though!! It’s soookk good!! Sometimes I take the leftovers from the turkey dinner and I’ll layer turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, stuffing, and gravy.
BOOKS! I’m so thankful for the many new and new-to-me authors that I keep discovering. It was over 70 last year. This year I’ll likely be at around 45-50 by year’s end. One that I want to highlight is debut CF novelist, Ann Swindell. Christmas in the Castle Library is just everything. It’s book one of a series. She’s also written some Christian non-fiction. Kav, if you have not read it, I GUARANTEE that you will love it. I’ve been recommending it like a mad woman!
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Bwahaha, spoken like a true Canadian! I don’t get mixing marshmallows with sweet potatoes either. Stuffing is always better the next day – even the vegan kind I make. So yummy.
I’m thankful for new to me authors as well and this past couple of months I’ve read a lot thanks to everyone’s recommendations. So grateful for that. Eeeeppppp — I have Ann Swindell’s Christmas in the Castle Library on order from Indigo. It’s supposed to come into my local store but it seems like it’s taking forever. I keep hearing so many great things about it. Probably my most anticipated end of the year read for me now. Good luck, Tammy!
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