Favorite family Thanksgiving traditions

TwitterMoms and Target have paired up and want to know "What three favorite family Thanksgiving traditions have you passed or will pass on to your children?"

Tradition 1

From both sides of our family we have learned that Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family. I grew up with everyone going to my grandparents or great-grandparents home for Thanksgiving.   Sure everyone would be happy for a little while and then start fighting but they were together doing it. My husband's family also wants the family all together at Thanksgiving.  Since being married, we've chosen to spend our time with my husband's family for Thanksgiving.  His family (parents and brothers) would travel and spend it with us or we would travel and spend it with them.  I don't think that we have been apart in the past 17 years.

Tradition 2

Besides family being the number one reason to be together at Thanksgiving, the other important reason is Giving Thanks to God for what we have been given over the past year.  This is the time before we eat that we would sing one of Grandma's favorite hymns when she was with us.  Over the years it now has become a time when Dad, in his old sentimental age always says a very, very, long prayer.  Sometimes, well no, most of the time, we randomly make noises to get him to stop rambling because the food is getting cold.  Poor guy he tries to lead his family on the straight and narrow way but he has realized over the years that he is only one person and out numbered by many.

Tradition 3

Now I know that our family is a typical American family.  We have certain foods that gets made only for Thanksgiving.  Our current meal traditions must include:

*Grandma B's Punch, stuffing which is called Potato Dressing, and White Turkey cut-out cookies

*My traditional New Orleans Fried Turkey, Militon Casserole and Sweet Potatoe Praline Casserole

*Nana's Chocolate, pecan, pumpkin, lemon and ruhbarb pies

*Mashed potatoes, homemade orange cranberry sauce, almond green beans, veggie tray, rolls and butter shaped as a turkey. (the poor turkey butter gets decapitated)

*Yummy wines

Those are the 3 main traditions that have been passed down to my 3 daughters.  It will be so fun to see what traditions they keep and what they add to the list as they grow and mature. 

What are your top three family Thanksgiving Traditions? Go enter at TwitterMoms. Here are the prizes:

Prizes
• 15 winners will be randomly selected from all qualified entries to win a $50 Target Gift Card redeemable at any Target store or online at Target.com. A listing of Target stores can be found here: http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/state_listing.jsp.

Have fun and get creative! Describe your favorite Thanksgiving memories and traditions that you have passed or will pass on to your children. The Sweepstakes officially ends November 20, 2009 at midnight PST. The winners will be contacted on or about December 1, 2009.

Eligibility
No purchase required to enter. You must be a legal resident of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, have a personal blog and be a registered user of the www.twittermoms.com and www.twitter.com websites to enter and at least 18 years of age or older at time of entry. See official rules to enter!