This week we had the yearly chance to fill up on turkey, potatoes, dressing, cooked vegetables, cranberries, pumpkin pie, and at least one or two other favorites.

It was Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, a day when everyone is encouraged to gather with family or friends for a huge dinner.

The meaning of Thanksgiving is summed up in the first words of the Prayer of Thanksgiving. The first phrase is “we gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing.”

It’s a time to thank the Lord for all of the gifts he has given us. They usually include a bountiful harvest, from which we get all the food we enjoy on the holiday.

Families often develop their personal Thanksgiving traditions. Mine was no exception. We had at least several things that were annual parts of the celebration.

My grandmother on my mother’s side, Blanche Spanton of Minneota, used to cook both mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. She had the best recipe for dressing in the world, one that’s been handed down to new generations.

My step great grandfather, Charlie Schmidt who used to farm in Vallers Township, always enjoyed the neck of the turkey.

Both of my grandmothers (Blanche and also Alma Muchlinski of Ivanhoe), used to make scalloped corn. On my dad’s side, we had a tradition for Tom and Jerry’s after dinner. The kids enjoyed only the batter.

I enjoyed extra helpings, especially turkey, dressing and scalloped corn. There was always plenty of food, always enough to take some turkey home for a sandwich the next day.

I remember later about 25 years ago when my sister cooked her first Thanksgiving dinner in Omaha. She had a crowd, since my brother in law is one of five children.

The turkey was so big that it earned the nickname Birdzilla. About halfway through the cooking process, Birdzilla overflowed the pan. Fortunately it only slightly delayed the dinner.

This year mom and I enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner at the Lockwood House hospice house in Marshall. It involved spending the holiday with my closest family member. My sister and her family plan to visit us on Saturday.

There’s something special about families eating dinner together. It’s important to take time for that at least once a week, time to enjoy a meal at the table rather than eating on the run.

I’m a fan of the television show Blue Bloods, which is currently in its final season. One of the things I liked best about the show was that it always had a Sunday dinner, where the family members sat down around the table and discussed what was going on in everyone’s life.

Thanksgiving Day takes the concept a step further. Many families decide to extend hospitality to single friends or neighbors, people who aren’t able to be with their families.

That’s a really good thing, something that gives me hope for the future direction of our country. It shows concern. It involves making sure that someone doesn’t have to spend the holiday alone.

Churches do a good job in many communities of keeping alive the Thanksgiving spirit. They make community dinners. Single people or couple without family around can go to them. Entire families can participate if they’d rather not cook.

The only thing more important than the food on Thanksgiving Day is the fellowship. It’s a special holiday, probably the most under-rated holiday we have.

In some ways it gets overshadowed by Christmas, but it never gets overshadowed completely. It’s all about spending time with people we care about. It’s a day to gather together.

— Jim Muchlinski is a longtime reporter and contributor to the Marshall Independent