Thanksgiving Day is a Happy Day!

I remember it as if it was yesterday – the Thanksgiving Musical at my children’s school. The kids come bounding onto the stage. They are fully arrayed in their Pilgrim and American Indian costumes. They are singing Thanksgiving Day is a happy day when we say thank you, Lord . . . 

And every time the word Thanksgiving has been uttered since then, that song replays itself in my head. T

There are also visions of crimson and golden leaves swirling slowly to the ground. The tantalizing smells of pumpkin pies are wafting from the oven. The decadent creamy, coffee-kissed taste of my famous mocha punch.

The recipe for Mocha Punch has already been posted here. You MUST make my mocha punch on Thanksgiving Day!  Really!

Yes, my Thanksgiving week is also filled with the hustle and bustle of grocery shopping, last-minute cleaning, and a timeline to get it all done.  

We have Thanksgiving Dinner at 6:00 pm sharp!  By then I’ve about decided that I no longer like to cook and I’m not cooking another thing as long as I live! 🙂

The Family Gathers

But then the family gathers around the food-laden table, with hands folded and heads bowed in thanks to God, who is so generous and full of mercy and grace.

I forget about the fatigue. Instead, I look into the eyes of my family – my husband, children, and grandchildren – and realize that, yes, I am smitten with cooking and entertaining and I do it with a full and loving heart – toward God and toward them.

Thanksgiving Day Is A Happy Day

So, as Thanksgiving Day approaches, I would like to wish you, my dear reader, a very, very happy Thanksgiving – from my house to yours – because Thanksgiving Day is a happy day when we say thank you, Lord!

So, I’ve included my favorite recipes that I make every Thanksgiving. Enjoy!

Just click on the links below to go straight to the recipe. 

You Will Love These Thanksgiving Day Dishes!

Mama’s Cornbread Dressing

This is the absolute best dressing in the world and it always reminds me of my mom. 

Giblet Gravy

My husband refuses to eat dressing without a big ladle full of Giblet Gravy. 

Deep-Fried Thanksgiving Day Turkey

This is the only way we cook our turkey. We’ve been frying our turkey for years and it’s so tender! 

Deep-Fried Turkey Rub

This is my mom’s rub recipe. The Thanksgiving turkey is coated in this rub before deep frying. 

Lightened Up Sweet Potato Casserole

I lightened up my mom’s sweet potato casserole and it’s perfect. 

My favorite holiday dessert is Dixie’s Pecan Pie Cobbler. It’s a winner! 

The Making of a Family Christmas Card (funny!)

Getting my big family together to take a Christmas card photo is a huge undertaking. You can read all about it when you click the above link. 

Special Note: This is one of the first articles I wrote when I started blogging in November of 2012. I updated it just a tad in November 2023. 

I love looking back at this post and seeing our old house. In 2020, we built a new house. You can read all about my new house over on my hobby blog, My Modern White Farmhouse.