Rekindling a Thanksgiving Tradition: My Return to Turkey After 14 Years

Thanksgiving is more than a meal; it’s a tradition of gratitude and togetherness. Whether making a turkey or simply gathering with loved ones, it’s a reminder of what truly matters.

-Marcia

In 2009, I made a significant change in my lifestyle…I stopped eating meat and became more of a pescatarian. The decision wasn’t made lightly, but it felt right for me at the time. Since then, I’ve mostly stuck to fish like salmon while avoiding other types of meat entirely. Yet, as with many things in life, time brings about shifts in perspective, and last year I found myself rethinking my long-standing tradition of a meatless Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is, after all, a holiday steeped in tradition. It’s about gathering with loved ones, sharing a meal, and, yes, often centering that meal around beautifully roasted turkey. For more than a decade, I celebrated Thanksgiving with delicious dishes…just without the turkey center piece. And while that worked perfectly for me and my husband for years, something changed in the last year. I had an epiphany: life is too short not to celebrate fully, especially when it comes to special moments and holidays.

So, last year, for the first time since 2009, I decided it was time to make a turkey for Thanksgiving. My husband, though never a big meat eater himself, was delighted. The joy in his eyes was enough to reassure me that this decision was a good one.

This decision to bring turkey back to our Thanksgiving table reminded me of earlier memories…ones that seemed far removed after all these years. Before 2009, I was absolutely a meat eater, and it’s funny to look back now and recall that one of our early trips together as a couple was to Argentina. We traveled there solely for the experience of visiting a gaucho ranch, where the highlight of the day was the incredible beef empanadas we enjoyed. Back then, meat was not only part of our diet but part of our travel adventures too!

However, after all these years of abstaining from meat, I found myself looking forward to the experience of making a Thanksgiving turkey again. Last year, we ordered an organic turkey from a local natural food store, and the excitement of picking it up, prepping it, and cooking it filled me with a sense of tradition that I hadn’t fully realized I had missed.

This year, we’re doing it again. I’ve already placed our turkey order, and I’m thrilled to once again be planning a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, a vegetable dish, and, of course, pumpkin pie. There’s something comforting about knowing that I’m able to bring this tradition back to life, and I’m excited to share it with my husband and celebrate the holiday in is fullest form.

What about you? How are you planning to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Have your holiday traditions evolved over time, or have you returned to something you once left behind? I’d love to hear your stories and thoughts as we all prepare for this special time of year.