Janice Bangs and family after a hearty Thanksgiving meal.
November is here, which means the leaves are falling, the temperatures are dropping, and we're preparing for one of America's favorite competitive sports: Thanksgiving dinner. The rules are simple. Eat too much, insist you're finished, and somehow find room for dessert.
Some of my fondest childhood memories are wrapped up in Thanksgiving dinners. I don't necessarily remember the football games or watching the Macy's Parade, but I certainly remember the endless food. Oh, the food!
Both of my parents were immigrants, my mother from Germany and my father from Russia, so our Thanksgiving celebrations had a sprinkle of European influence. My parents quickly learned that all you really needed to celebrate the holiday they hadn't grown up with was a cornucopia of traditional ingredients: family, fellowship, and enough homemade dishes to feed a small village. My aunt and uncle usually joined us too, and dinner was always a proper affair, with a beautifully set table and everyone gathered together for the occasion.
My mother made an excellent turkey, but it was the aroma of her German stuffing that I truly looked forward to every year. For me, the turkey was just there to give the stuffing something to sit next to! And my Baba made a special vegetable dish that was always a delight. I can barely recall what I had for dinner last Tuesday, but I can easily remember how delicious those Thanksgiving dishes were. Funny how certain meals stay with you all these years!
After dinner, my dad and uncle would settle in for a game of chess, which was pretty much their idea of a perfect afternoon. I'm not sure who usually won, but I suspect the real competition was seeing who could stay awake the longest after that enormous meal. The rest of us enjoyed each other’s company while waiting until we had enough room for dessert.
Looking back, I realize that some of my favorite family memories weren't just about what was served at the table, but what was shared around it. Mealtimes often turned into storytimes, filled with familiar tales, family anecdotes, and the occasional story that got better with every retelling!
What makes family gatherings meaningful often comes down to the little traditions we create, and they don't have to be elaborate or expensive. Sometimes, it's as simple as making the same dishes every Thanksgiving or pulling out decorations that have been in the family for decades.
Of course, as we grow older and have families of our own, traditions evolve. We borrow a few from childhood, create some new ones, and occasionally discover that the way Mom did something was actually pretty clever after all!
I've thought about traditions a lot this year as I've traveled around sharing Mama Duck's Lost Duckling with children and their grown-ups. One of the nicest parts of my first year as an author has been watching parents and grandparents enjoy the story with their little ones. It reminds me of how the simplest things, like reading a favorite book together, can become treasured family memories. And let's be honest, if you have a young child in your life, you know that sometimes "favorite book" means reading the exact same story for the seventeenth time. Apparently, the magic doesn't wear off for the kiddos (even if it occasionally does for the reader)!
I certainly have a lot to be thankful for this year. The wonderful readers I've met at every event, the bookstores and libraries that have hosted me, and especially the families who have made space for Mama Duck on their bookshelves. 2026 has been nothing short of an adventure, and I'm genuinely grateful to everyone who has been part of it.
So, whether you're hosting a houseful of relatives, volunteering, turkey trotting, or enjoying a cozy Friendsgiving at home, I hope your celebration includes some delicious food, some hearty laughs, zero turkey drama, and nobody fighting over the last piece of pie. Most of all, I hope you make a few memories and traditions worth carrying forward. And remember, there's always room for dessert!
Wishing you a safe, restful, and wonderful harvest season!
With Gratitude Always,
Janice
The grown-ups enjoying a toast after the Thanksgiving meal.
