Thanksgiving Eve...are you cooking or traveling?

When I was growing up early on I remember traveling in the VW Bug in the kangaroo seat in the very back (and later the station wagon with a bed made up) for Thanksgiving. We'd alternate heading to my Hilton grandparents who lived in Bristol Tennessee (of Nascar fame) or my Reasor grandparents who lived on a farm near Big Stone Gap, Virginia. The grands were close enough we could travel back and forth between town or country over the long weekend. It was worth getting woken at the crack of dawn to make the nine hour trip from DC.  Traveling mercies if you are headed out on the road or to the airport.

See that space behind the window? We'd fight to travel in that pocket.

When we were older, we stayed home. Thanksgiving Eve was a chopping, prepping, cooking day. Entire bunches of celery gave their lives to season the stuffing. There was no such thing as mild onions and tears were shed while we chopped them. Strawberry jello salad was put together. So was green bean casserole.  I remember stuff being put out in the garage if it was cold enough and also sneaking out into the garage to get into the canisters of date nut pinwheels and fudge my Nanny had sent through the mail. Cooking mercies if you are trying to find a special ingredient at the grocery store or just get everything in the oven.

Mom loved to cook with her grandchildren.

We are doing both cooking and traveling this year.  I've already cooked a back-up turkey to use for casseroles after Thanksgiving so I just get to watch ManO cut up five pounds of carrots for his famous baked carrots. And then on Thursday we'll head over to my son's house for dinner with the grandkids, in laws, daughter and boyfriend and ManO's parents. With three grandkidlets, it will be crazy and fun.

Whether I'm in the car or in my kitchen chopping, Thanksgiving Eve gives me plenty of time to reflect on the past year with gratitude, ponder Thanksgivings past, and remember those who aren't at the table this year. I pray a good bit for those of my friends who face the first Thankgiving without a loved one at the table and pray for those who have been missing loved ones for quite a while.

So, is your Thanksgiving Eve spent cooking or traveling? Do you go the same place each year? Do you spend most of your time cooking the entire meal or just a special dish? Blessings no matter how you spend the day before Thanksgiving.