Usually taking hours of preparation time the night before and the day of, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a master of culinary pleasure and the centerpiece of the holiday celebration for thanks.

Known more as a feast than a famine, most traditional Thanksgiving dinners are not complete without a turkey, according to Andrea Blaney, 20, a junior from South Jordan majoring in elementary education and music.

"You have to have a turkey," Blaney said. "And you have to have mashed potatoes and stuffing -otherwise it is not Thanksgiving."

Natalie Prince, 21, a senior from South Jordan majoring in marriage, family, and human development, said turkey is a significant part of the Thanksgiving tradition.

"One time I passed up the turkey, because I was on a chicken kick," Prince said. "Every one just turned and looked at me like I was crazy."

Mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, hot rolls, yams and cranberry sauce often are part of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, according to Prince.

"It's all the traditional stuff," Prince said. "We typically don't have anything that weird."

A few hours after engorging into a delicious meal, many families gather around the table one last time for dessert: pie.

Typically families, like the Blaneys enjoy a variety of pies, but always have pumpkin pie, because it is the traditional holiday pie, Blaney said.

"My grandma always insists on making pumpkin pie," Blaney said. "Sometimes without the crust. Because she is a health freak, she doesn't make it with sugar but honey. And in our family we make the filling with squash not pumpkin, because it is supposed to add flavor."

Other kinds of pies can be found on the table including banana cream, lemon meringue, cherry, pecan, coconut cream and apple pie.

Although for most families the simple turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes and gravy, many families always have those weird food traditions, Blaney said.

According to Blaney, her family always has pickled beats and applesauce on the table.

"My dad insists on pickled beets and applesauce on the table," Blaney said.

Blaney said she doesn't know why her dad insists on them, but it is traditional for him.

Prince said that her grandmother makes a cream cheese ball dip with crackers and jam.
Copyright Brigham Young University 22 Nov 2002