The Teams from MGMT3D and EBM Software Share Their Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions.
Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and tradition. Traditions have changed quite a bit over the years, and every family does things a little differently. Some travel. Some shop. Others camp out in front of the TV for a football game and a nap.
So, this year, for our Thanksgiving week blog, we decided to ask the employees here and at our sister company one simple question: “What is your favorite Thanksgiving tradition?”
Here’s what they had to say:
Simon Hoey-Burns, Senior Financial Analyst
“I’ve only experienced one Thanksgiving since moving to the U.S., but my wife’s family has their own traditions, which are becoming my own. Every year, everyone on her mom’s side of the family puts in an order for how many pies they need for their Thanksgiving meals, and of what flavor. A few days before Thanksgiving, they all go to one person’s house (usually the same house with a big kitchen) and everyone comes over and helps make all the pies together. You can then leave with the pies that you ordered.
All the kids will come and peel the apples, or help with some of those ‘manual labor’ tasks, and the parents will roll the pastry and manage the filings etc. It’s a cool way of bringing that side of the family together, and still letting them be with their own family members (or the other side of the family) for actual Thanksgiving.”
Dan Pesek, Manager
“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is the ‘Dan Pesek Famous Bowl.’ Long before KFC released their inferior product several years later, the Dan Pesek Famous Bowl has been a staple at Pesek Thanksgiving since the mid-90’s, mixing the 4 greatest flavors of Thanksgiving: Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Corn and A LOT of Gravy in one bowl of unhealthy goodness.”
Derek Lydon, Senior Financial Analyst
“Traditions have changed over the years, but always enjoy watching the extended family grow and evolve. Highlight from the high-school years was helping my parents host, and then having leftovers for 3-4 days after. Every lunch I would take a large plate: half mashed potatoes, half turkey; a big bowl of cranberries; 2+ pieces of pumpkin pie with whipped cream…it was the one week a year I was able to gain weight.”
Natalie Malitz, Associate
“Our family is small and spread out, so we often switch up who hosts, but my grandmother’s stuffing recipe is always on the table!”
Nick Kleppe, Social Media Coordinator
“One of my family traditions is playing cards at our Thanksgiving gatherings. We have a large family and a lot of card players, so we usually get in a couple games of euchre, Texas Hold ’Em and others after a nice large Thanksgiving meal. We also have a tradition of eating Apple Pie on Thanksgiving instead of Pumpkin, which may seem weird to other families.”
Pasan Perera, Manager – Financial Systems & Analytics
“We have a friend who hosts Thanksgiving every year. Everyone brings a dish to share. It is a fun gathering. Everyone has lots of food & drinks, laughs and good conversation. Then we always play cards to end the night.”
Gaurav Shroff, Data Scientist Manager
“IF a new Star Wars movie is coming out that year, we have a Star Wars movie marathon watching all of them in storyline chronological order over Thanksgiving weekend.”
Char Holmberg, Accounting Manager
“Some traditions have gone by the wayside in recent years as family members have passed away. There are a few, however, that we’ve kept. Coming from Scandinavian heritage, we have scalloped cream corn, pickled herring and baked oysters.
There are about 25 of us who gather together for the holiday. Before we sit down and eat too much, we always play darts and pool. There are some winners, and yes, some sore losers! Football is on every TV in the house, so there’s always lots of cheering and shouting.”
Emily Popp, Director of Organizational Effectiveness
“In my earliest memories of Thanksgiving, we went every year to my Great Grandparents’ place. It was a tradition started long before I was around. Everyone would be there; cousins and second cousins, uncles, aunts, and a handful of people who I must have been related to, but was unsure exactly how. Now, we’re somewhat nomadic on this holiday, leaving those early years to remain my lasting, cherished and vivid imprint of what is Thanksgiving Day to me.”
Jordan Daniel, Associate
“Two words: family and football!”
Kyle Swanson, Financial Analyst
“For Thanksgiving, my family will usually go down to Fayetteville, Arkansas – where my dad’s sister’s family lives. I always look forward to going down there and seeing my cousins (and the warm weather certainly doesn’t hurt).
Highlights of the trip include watching football, tailgating for an Arkansas Razorback football game, and just hanging out with the family. Our favorite tradition is having a turducken for our Thanksgiving meal. It all started one year when we heard John Madden talking about a turducken during the early football games on Thanksgiving which sparked the idea with my uncle. He’s been cooking up a turducken every year since and it’s something that everybody looks forward to.”
Andrew Buness, Senior Financial Analyst
“My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is visiting my Grandma’s house in Wisconsin, and spending time with family that comes in from around the area to enjoy a great meal. We all pack into my Grandma’s house and setup tables in the garage for the meal and there is great food followed by some delicious desserts. My extended family are huge Packers fans, so it’s always entertaining when the Packers play, and hopefully lose, on Thanksgiving.”
Jason Aune, Director
“My wife, 3 kids and I benefit from having both sides of our families in the Twin Cities. We go to my parents’ house in the early afternoon to have dinner #1. This is typically a classic Thanksgiving dinner and my mom makes everything but the drinks. It is also usually relatively low key, but there are now five grandchildren, so it is getting more chaotic every year.
From there, we go to my in-laws for dinner #2. My wife’s aunt and uncle host, and they typically get over forty people for dinner and socializing. This is a pot-luck, ‘stake your claim’ -type of meal where you’re fighting for personal space and tid-bits of the best dishes. Two Thanksgiving meals in one day, all the family a man can handle, and little NFL makes for a great day!”
Kevin Franck, VP of Application Development
“For me, Thanksgiving is all about Faith, Family and Black Friday shopping… not necessarily in that order. The typical schedule is church in the morning followed by an hour drive to Thanksgiving lunch with dozens of family members and all of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes. The gentlemen spend the afternoon watching football and playing cards. The ladies perfect their Black Friday shopping strategy.”
Andrew Sharot, Integration Specialist
“I have a massive family on my Mom’s side. They are pig farmers who have been on the same farm in Nerstrand, MN since they immigrated from Norway during the Homestead Act. As such ham is the main dish come Thanksgiving while Turkey is a side dish. Oh and of course, we root against The Cowboys.”
David Rodgers, Development Manager
“We cook the turkey differently each Thanksgiving. Around the world, they cook turkey differently in each country, we pick one and try something new each Thanksgiving.”
Aaron Grossman, Web Developer
“My parents live out of the country and my siblings are in other states, so typically thanksgiving is a time for my family to get together and see each other every year or so. The food and such generally aren’t important – what is important is that we get together in the same location.”
We want to extend a big ‘thank you’ to all of our clients and partners this Thanksgiving for another great year. May you have a happy and safe holiday weekend.
What’s your family’s Thanksgiving tradition? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know on LinkedIn, and join the conversation!