Our Favorite Family Traditions
Thanksgiving With The Howards
“Holidays are a special time for our family. Our love of good food, family fun and games are moments quite treasured. We keep the food pretty traditional—the mac ‘n cheese being the biggest hit with the kiddos of course, with about six cheeses included in the recipe. The adult favorite is our family’s oyster dressing recipe loaded with peppers, onions, mushrooms and spicy sausage. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Family Twister tournaments have become a crowd-pleaser. There is nothing more fun than to watch both young and old contort themselves for the chance to be named champion while listening to the heavenly sounds of laughter fill the room. We are truly blessed to share this time together.” – Jaha Howard, D.D.S, A+ Pediatric Dentistry of Atlanta
Stewart Family Holiday Memories & Traditions
“Thanksgiving is about spending precious time with family, and the holiday wouldn’t be complete without the traditional Thanksgiving delicacies. I especially enjoy my mother-in-law’s homemade stuffing, and made-from-scratch apple and pumpkin pies. One of my favorite childhood memories was going around the Thanksgiving dinner table and telling about what we were thankful for. We still carry on this tradition today, and I cherish the memories that are being created for my children.” – Julie Stewart, co-owner, Orangetheory Fitness, Smyrna
Spainhour Thanksgiving Traditions
“We are blessed to have most of our family living close to us. So, with everyone only a stone’s throw away, Thanksgiving ends up being like a big party. Often, we travel to different relatives’ houses for every meal. There is always fantastic food, kids playing and at least someone (child or adult) taking a nap. After lunch, we enjoy a walk around the neighborhood and collect fall-time treasures that have captivated our children’s attention. When we return, they spread the leaves, nuts and seeds out like a big autumn collage and sort them by shape and color to learn about the changing season. Thanksgiving, to me, is about spending time with and giving thanks for the people that are most important to you and cherishing the little things in life, like sorting leaves with your little ones.” – Lizzy Spainhour of Smyrna, homeschool mother of three, freelance editor, Vinings Lifestyle reader