This Charming New York Thanksgiving Ritual Deserves a Comeback

When I think back to Thanksgiving as a kid, I can almost taste it. My grandma’s candied yams were the kind of soft and sweet that melted the moment they hit your tongue and my grandpa’s gravy was famous in our family. He made it in quantities large enough to feed the neighborhood and it was so good that I absolutely used to sneak tastes straight out of the pot with my fingers when I thought nobody was watching. I still swear that gravy tasted even better when it was stolen.

When Family, Laughter and Simple Joys Defined Thanksgiving

Some memories come back like little snapshots. The sound of leaves crunching under my feet as I tore around my grandparents’ yard. The warmth of the wood stove on my face as I curled up for the kind of post feast nap that only a kid can truly enjoy.

Thanksgiving was one of the rare moments when my siblings and I got to graduate from the kids table to the big people table complete with the fancy dining room we were usually not allowed to enter. I can still hear the laughter and feel that sense of being wrapped up in family. There were no computers or phones tugging at our attention. It was just us, fully present, creating memories without even realizing how precious they were.

READ MORE: Experts Warn New Yorkers: Thanksgiving Weekend Is Deadly

How a Simple Gingerbread Craft Became Our Favorite Holiday Ritual

What stands out the most from those years is our gingerbread house tradition. I do not know who came up with the idea. It was either my mom or my grandma, but it was genius. While the grownups cooked, we built entire candy covered neighborhoods at the kitchen table. It always turned into an unspoken competition. Who could make the best house. Who could finish theirs without eating half their decorations. Who could keep the walls from collapsing when the frosting refused to cooperate. It kept us busy, it kept us happy and it helped the holiday feel like something magical that belonged to all of us.

How a Childhood Holiday Tradition Is Finding New Life This Year

This year our Thanksgiving will be small but meaningful. One of my husband’s friends will be joining us and I already cannot wait to pull out the gingerbread kits and introduce him to a tradition that shaped so many of my childhood holidays. There is something special about passing an old ritual forward and watching it take root in new memories.

A Kid Friendly Holiday Hack Every Parent Should Try

If you are looking for a way to keep kids happily occupied while you cook, let me gently nudge you toward this idea. Gingerbread houses work like a charm. They keep little hands busy, little mouths smiling and they turn waiting for dinner into something fun.

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Turn a Simple Amazon Delivery Into a Holiday Memory

Short on time. No energy to run to the store. You can order a gingerbread kit on Amazon and have it show up at your door as early as tomorrow. It might just become the tradition your kids remember most.