This is a partnered post with Butterball.
Growing up, I remember my mom waking up early Thanksgiving morning to start the day-long process of making Thanksgiving dinner. From homemade stuffing to sweet potato casserole to a juicy, golden Butterball turkey, Thanksgiving was always a day I looked forward to. When it came to buying a turkey, I’ve always gone for the Butterball turkey. Part of it is because it’s the turkey of choice my mom made when I was growing up, but the other part is because Butterball turkeys are amazing! They are juicy and full of flavor and I am definitely looking forward to our Butterball Turkey this Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving has always been a special time of year for me. Not only because it’s a day filled with lots of food, family and friends, but also because it was around the time my oldest son was born and when my husband proposed to me. It literally is one of my favorite times of year (other than Christmas of course).
This year, I’m looking forward to having a Thanksgiving dinner with all 6 of our kids in addition to playing Christmas music (yes!!!), watching movies and playing games together. Check out these flashback Thanksgiving pictures of our family over the years!
Throwbacks to Thanksgiving
The Star of Thanksgiving Dinner
We all know that Thanksgiving is filled with yummy dishes, but the star of Thanksgiving Dinner is without doubt the turkey. We like to do it right and present our Thanksgiving dinners with a Butterball turkey! We’ve cooked our turkeys in the oven, in a countertop roaster (the meat literally fell off the bone) and even smoked it in our smoker bbq! All ways you do it, the Butterball turkey is the best!
I remember the first time I cooked a turkey, I was so nervous! I was worried my turkey would turn out like the turkey on National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (ya know, when it deflated). I’ve never had that issue with my Butterball Turkeys! If you do have questions and need help cooking your turkey, simply call the Turkey Talk-Line or check out Butterball‘s other helps.
How is Butterball Providing Help to Thanksgiving Cooks This Year?
The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line has evolved how they help cooks and this year they are able to provide expert advice in many ways:
- Text Help (844-877-3456): Send the Turkey Talk-Line a text! Holiday cooking text help will be available starting Nov. 1, with extended hours starting the week of Thanksgiving.
- Facebook and Twitter: Help is available through the Butterball Facebook and Twitter pages with tips, special savings and more.
- Pinterest: Find Thanksgiving recipe inspiration for your holiday celebration on the Butterball Pinterest page.
- Instagram: Follow Butterball on Instagram to get a behind-the-scenes look, recipe development for our Thanksgiving meal and more.
- Live Chats: Engage with turkey experts through Live Chats on Butterball.com during November and December and receive real-time suggestions and advice.
- Butterball App: Download the free Butterball Cookbook Plus™ app on your Apple or Android device to get recipe ideas and cooking advice at your fingertips.
- Email: Contact the Talk-Line via email by visiting Butterball.com.
- 1-800-BUTTERBALL (1-800-288-8372): Turkey Talk-Line experts will be available this season starting November 1, 2017, through December 24, 2017, to answer questions and assist all Thanksgiving cooks.
Turkey Emoji Anyone?
In other exciting news, Butterball recently launched a campaign to make a Thanksgiving Turkey emoji a reality! Did you know that every other major holiday has an emoji except for Thanksgiving? This is intended to spur excitement for the holiday season among media and consumers by encouraging them to sign the petition on Change.org. I signed the petition. Did you?
Finally…Butterball’s First-Ever Consumer Survey
The last topic in new and exciting Butterball news is the first-ever consumer survey. Butterball conducted its first-ever consumer survey this year for a pulse on Thanksgiving preppers’ expectations and realities when it comes to one of the most important meals of the year. The survey found:
- Two-thirds of Americans rank Thanksgiving as one of their favorite holidays.
- Two-thirds of Americans like to incorporate new traditions into their celebrations…many of which include cooking up new and different recipes for loved ones to enjoy.
- Out of all things Thanksgiving preparers cook up, they’re most proud of the turkey. And 88 percent prep it the old-school way: in an oven.
- 84 percent feel excited about preparing the meal, and 74 percent of Americans don’t expect Thanksgiving to be perfect.
- It’s the turkey! Despite the overall positivity around the holiday, first-time millennial preparers are still feeling the pressure. Eight in 10 first-time cooks worry about cooking the turkey correctly. This number drops among experienced preparers, but still 43% worry about getting it right.
GIVEAWAY
2 lucky winners will each receive a $20 check (courtesy of Butterball) to use towards their Thanksgiving grocery purchase!!!
Are you ready for Thanksgiving?
What dishes do you like to include with your meal?
[wl_faceted_search]
Last year I met my niece for the first time on Thanksgiving! She was born on November 22 last year.
Thanks giving isuch a special time of the year I always used to cook a butter ball turkey, with all the fixings, but now that I’ve gotten older that job belongs to my daughter in law. And each year that bird comes out amazing, no matter who’s doing it
A special memory I have was as a kid my grandma would always come over every year and we would watch the parade together than we would feast. Unfortunately she’s no longer with us but those are memories I’ll have that will last a lifetime.
My most special memory from thanksgiving was when i was 16 and my dad was deployed overseas and surprised us all by making the trip home for 3 days to spend the holiday with us. we hadnt seen him in almost 9 months.
I remember Thanksgiving at my grandparents. The walls were bulging with relatives. We always ate in shifts – men first, kids next and the women last.
Growing up, my Mom had 16 siblings (most had spouses and kids) and during Thanksgiving she would cook two turkeys and basically we’d have a open house all day. We’d have Aunts, Uncles, cousins and friends coming in and out all day. Everyone would bring side dishes or deserts. I really loved those days and miss having a house full of guests during the Holidays. Some really great memories.
IT’s always a special memory for us on Thanksgiving so much family around kids laughing and fighting lol the best part is we all bake together and cook together talking about the memories of our Thanksgivings when we were young, mom’s special handmade rolls, dad’s special turkey he would get up in the wee hours of the morning to smoke the turkey on the grill.
We always crack fresh nuts while cooking.
My favorite Thanksgiving memory is going to my grandmother’s house and all my aunts, uncles and cousins were there along with my great grandparents.
This was a long time ago!
Cooking Thanksgiving dinner and desserts with my grandparents and decorating the whole house.
Turkey is always #1, I can’t wait for Tday
As a child it was always my favorite time because the entire family would be there and it was always so good to see the family members I rarely ever saw.
I have a large extended family and every Thanksgiving we would all go to my grandparents farm. We easily had had 70 people there for Thanksgiving dinner. So much fun.
My favorite Thanksgiving memories are of my family visiting my aunt’s house for Thanksgiving. My grandparents, all my aunts, uncles and cousins were there and it was so much fun. It’s hard to get everyone together at the same time, but Thanksgiving is that wonderful day when everyone makes the effort to be there to celebrate and enjoy time together as a family.
There was a year that my Grandfather helped me eat something like 17 pieces of my Grandmothers cherry cheese pie over a 3 day period at Thanksgiving 🙂
I always enjoyed being together with family for big Thanksgiving dinners.
I remember getting up early and watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade with my mother and then the house would quickly fill up with our huge family!
cooking my first Thanksgiving
My mom has always done Thanksgiving but she’s in poor health so I get to do it. Should be interesting.
A few years ago, we were lucky enough to have all my siblings, their spouses and most of the kids together for Thanksgiving dinner with my dad. It was very special because I normally spend Thanksgiving with my husband’s family.
I remember the first time I cooked a Thanksgiving turkey – upside down!
I remember my mom preparing a feast every Thanksgiving.
My special Thanksgiving memory is from 3 years ago – the entire family got together and had a wonderful time cooking, eating and laughing together. Several weeks later, my grandma died. This Thanksgiving was special because it was the last time everyone was together and and wonderful, joyous memories were made.
Special memory….fami l y gathered in the kitchen, everyone lending a hand. Sitting around the dining room table after eating and listening to the elders remenisce.
As a child, I can remember having huge Thanksgiving dinners with so much extended family coming to our house! It was always an exciting and fun time for me!
I remember Thanksgiving with my grandparents and how the entire family would show up.
I remember all the homemade cream pies with real meringue of every flavor… no one bakes like grandma.
My fondest vivid memory is that my Grandma always had turkey salt and pepper shakers on the table!
Thanksgivings at my grandparents’ house was always special. We have lots of cousins, so we always had a great time with them. The food was beyond great, with homemade kielbasa, turkey, roast beef, potatoes, and pie and cake for dessert.
I remember having large dinners with our Polish neighbors since none of us had family around here in the US.
The best Thanksgiving memory is spending it with my grandparents.
One of the best memories is my first Thanksgiving married to my husband. His Grandmother cooked and EVERYONE was there. It was special because I had lost my own Grandparents years ago, and the family welcomed me with open arms. I got new Grandparents that year!
The year my sister made her first turkey and forgot to take out the baggie of innards before cooking it.
I remember Thanksgiving with our dad,when I was young he would go duck hunting to get us duck for dinner.
One year we actually went to the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular on Thanksgiving. It started to snow a little when the show was over and we were walking to the train to return home.
I remember when the dog ate all the bread that was sitting out for stuffing!
Every year before me and my family eat our thanksgiving dinner we go around the room and take turns saying what we are thankful for.
I remember the first year my husband and I went to each other’s family Thanksgiving. It meant we were officially a couple!
my favorite memory of Thanksgiving is when my grandmother was alive and the spread of food she made for everyone was so awesome she is really missed
Our daughter, Katie was born on Thanksgiving Day. It was truly a day of thanks.
Making pecan pies, pumpkin pies, cherry pies in multiples of 3 each. Also an apple pie and vanilla 2 layer cake for desserts.
i cooked my first turkey with the insides still inside,,my dad found them when he was carving the turkey,,he said Sister i believe you forgot one step,,,,lol,,i was so embarrassed,,but he grinned and said oh well it may just make it taste better and ate it anyway,,lol
we suprised my grandparents driving back to the East coast for Thanksgiving
A special memory was when my sister came from Overseas to have Thanksgiving with us. I haven’t seen her in quite some time!
After a nice family meal, I always go hunting with my dad – those times alone with him are very special
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday of the year- HANDS DOWN! I am obsessed with it! <3 And I do love me some butterball as well. I always try to create memorable moments on Thanksgiving – which is not very hard to do!
https://redheadmom.com/2017/11/keep-warm-holiday-season-heat-holders/#comment-773696
comment here
BTW I follow as @tannawings on instagram and Tan’na Wings on youtube.
having thanksgiving with my grandmom, who i miss so much i lost her on 11.5.16 to breast cancer. every thanksgiving with her was the best and biggest, everyone would show <3
My favorite memory is when I was able to get enough food to make dinner for my parents, my inlaws and friends who didn’t have family to go to or couldn’t afford to make their own dinner for their family
when we did a potluck dinner for the holidays.
Every Thanksgiving that I was able to share with my Grandparents before they past.
My special memory is making individual chocolate pies and fried pies with my Granny. She was simply amazing and I miss her terribly. Thank you
My Mother felt it was so important to have the “stuffed” turkey and yet, on the table for lunch. So she would get up super early (usually with a houseful of company) to get the turkey ready to cook. I was probably 10 before she decided that baked stuffing was delicious and having more time to relax by not stuffing the bird became the best thing next to a dishwasher!
When my parents came to visit me overseas my fist holiday away from home.
We go around each year and say what we are thankful for from the past 12 months. LOVE THIS TRADITION
My best memories from childhood are of Thanksgiving dinner prep, shelling pecans, making dough, baking cookies and desserts, and then having huge family gettogethers for our Thanksgiving meal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzjRGOvgNA0
comment on youtube
(Tan’na Wings)
One time I tried to make cheesecake from scratch for Thanksgiving. When I was mixing the batter, it ended up all over the walls and myself. Needless to say, I had to clean up and we didn’t have cheesecake! Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
I can remember a time I cooked the bag in the turkey, Im sure we have all done it..everything was fine though 😉
My favorite Thanksgiving memory is a funny one 😀 When my PaPa was taking the turkey out of the oven and the disposable tin pan spilled out and we almost started a full blown grease fire. I know it could have turned out to be a lot worse than funny but we still laugh about the turkey almost going up in flames. This year I’m extra thankful because I’m starting a family of my own. I just found out i’m expecting <3
i remember my first thanksgiving with my husband. we had the best time even though we were broke and had a tiny apartment. we were just happy to be together.
My daughter and mom would always make special place settings.
Having fun debates over who got to pull the wishbone each year.
My best memories of Thanksgiving is going to my uncle’s house and getting to watch the Macy’s Day parade while everyone was cooking.
Getting engaged on Thanksgiving! Such a magical moment.
having bets at my aunt and uncles house about how late the one set of cousins would be
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving are from when I was a kid and all of my aunts, uncles and cousins hadn’t yet scattered all over the US. We always got together at my grandparent’s.
my memory is sitting at the kids table in my twenties and i was so tall i had to crouch in the seat
Saying what we are thankful for every year.
I can’t say that I have any memory that really stands out from the rest. Thanksgiving has always been a time that we all just get together and enjoy each others company.
Every Thanksgiving is a wonderful memory of having the family together for a good meal watching sports and the parades.
Mom’s and Grandma’s stuffing is a magnificent memory!
I love spending time with family cooking dishes together that we share on Thanksgiving. We also always enjoy the football games on that day.
Family around the table and eating talking and I am sitting there choking in shock, cant talk….trying to get my throat clear. Realizing that they don’t know. And by the grace of the Lord I didnt die. I was about 5 -7 yrs old.
I have one, where I had Thanksgiving at my house, and we made a ham. 🙂
My Grandparents would come visit us on Thanksgiving and my Grandpa would make his special stuffing, he was so proud of it and it had to be perfect or it would bother him.
My favorite thanksgiving memories are from when my grandpa and great grandma were still here. We had such a wonderful time!
Having the family get togethers was always great
My favorite memory is our entire family getting together for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Every year is special especially last year with my grand childs first Thanksgiving. We are so thankful.
It would be my daughters 1st Thanksgiving. It was a special day.
My special memories all revolve around family dinners. Christmases were spent apart; but Thanksgivings were always spent with the aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc.
Splitting the wishbone with a beloved family member
My special Thanksgiving memory is on Thanksgiving Day my doorbell rang. It was a pretty sad day until then but when I opened up the door on the other side was my husband. He had been granted a week leave from his tour in Afghanistan and decided to surprise me. All of a sudden it was the best day of my life!
special memory was surprise guests for Thanksgiving family from Italy. Much laughter, smiles and good food.
I remember as a child coming home from the hospital (after one of my many surgeries ) it was the day of thanksgiving. We picked update my grandparents and went home. It was extra special with them there.
My best Thanksgiving memory is the year my sister told us she was pregnant at the dinner table. That was thirty years ago and I have a wonderful nephew.
One of my cousins (this was years ago, and she would NOT be happy to remember this) hosted Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. Everything was going well until it was discovered that she had not removed the giblet package from inside the bird. Although she was embarrassed (especially since her mother was an excellent cook!), the family took it in stride, and definitely enjoyed the meal anyway.
Going to my grand mothers every years was such a special time for as a child. Once she passed that day could not be duplicated.
We always had Thanksgiving at my grandmother’s. Including the greats.
I remember our family thanksgivings used to be large and eventful. We now have less people due to people passing away, others growing up and moving away, and people doing other things with significant others.
Just spending time with my family
I’ll never forget growing up going to my grandma’s house with the big family dinners. There was a kids table and an adults table, I’ll never forget those memories.
A few years ago I hosted and my aunt and uncle came down along with momma and my sister. It was great.
I had a sister who passed when she was 59 from cancer. Her last Thanksgiving with us is a special memory. This year, my other sister is here to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with us because her husband just passed. That makes this year special. I know it will be filled with memories.
i don’t have just one special memory but every Thanksgiving I was able to spend with my grandma was special.
Going to grandma’s, crowding the whole family around a table packed with delicious food.
My first Thanksgiving as a wife, we hosted dinner at our house. I cooked everything, which was not like me, I’m usually on pie duty. It all turned out delicious and everyone had a great time.
My favorite memory was having thanksgiving at the mess hall when my dad was in the army.
One of my favorite memories was the first Thanksgiving with my nephew.
My favorite memory of Thanksgiving is when we would go pick our butterball for Thanksgiving, once we selected the one we wanted to purchase, my step dad would bowl the turkey straight down the grocery aisle. He never cared about the looks from anyone, it was a great time! I looked forward to it. And now, I’ve begun doing this with my kids, so far they love it too!
I remember we got snow one Thanksgiving. We had a blast outside playing football and jumping all over the yard.
We’ve always went to my grandparents, the women always serve the men first. Then we would all eat together and spend time together for the whole day. We lost our grandpa this past August. So I treasure all the thanksgiving memories we have had.
It was the year after my mom had passed. I was feeling down and was not sure how to make holidays special for my daughter. My aunt came to stay for Thanksgiving. We stayed up late the night before watching movies and playing games. And the next day we were joined by friends and family and since then, we’ve kept the tradition.
My special memory of Thanksgiving was my first one after returning from Vietnam and how good the turkey tasted.
I cook like we’re having a major crowd, even though it’s only 3 of us now. Hey, if I play my side dishes right, I might not have to cook again until Christmas! (Just kidding, but thankfully, we DO like leftovers…)
Every year is a great memory of the whole family being together for dinner and to play games. We always have a great time. I do miss my grandparents being there though.
When my sister was a toddler, she was notorious for reaching out for food on the table. She ruined many cakes or dishes just by reaching across and putting her hands in them. There is a photo of us as kids and I’m hold her hands away from the turkey on thanksgiving. My mom always delegated me to hold my sister’s hands away from the table.
I miss all my grandmother’s fresh food
I have so many fond memories of Thanksgivings with my parents growing up. Alas they are no longer with us as well as a lot of family members and friends.
Many fond memories of Thanksgiving dinners with family members who are no longer with us. We were a military family and often had young men as guests who were far from home.
When I first met my future wife, that Thanksgiving I went with her and her family to the beach, and they still had a traditional Thanksgiving meal in the condo! But this is just one memory of many.
My favorite memory of celebrating my Thanksgiving holiday is being with my family including aunts, uncles and cousins by having some Turkey.
spending my first Thanksgiving with my significant other
I get-together with my grandchildren on Thanksgiving for a cool and tasty time of being grateful for everything we have.
I visit with my nieces and nephews for our marvelous Thanksgiving dinner and watch a great Thanksgiving day parade.
My nieces and nephews with the entire family have a fabulous and thoughtful Thanksgiving meal together.
My grandchildren come over for the day to celebrate an amazing Thanksgiving meal, and we relax and tell stories.
My grandchildren stay ove for a huge and wonderful Thanksgiving meal.and count our blessings together.
Getting up in the morning, my children and I help set up things for our awesome Thanksgiving dinner and get-together.