One aspect of the vintage business that I love so much is the sharing of history...personal and otherwise. I love finding old objects and wondering who owned them and what the story is behind them. I love it when our customers share their memories with us at shows and when we are able to remind them of a special time in their lives or of people they have loved. It is that personal connection to others and to the past that makes this business so rewarding.
Sisters Creed is a family business and we are, of course, all about family and traditions. As I have mentioned before we come from a family of antiquers and downright junkers. All of my grandparents have had such a loving respect for those who have gone before and the legacy they left behind and we are proud to be following in their footsteps.
Growing up we had a lot of family traditions...particularly around the holidays. We love to hear about other people's family traditions and have implemented many "good ideas" into our own family repertoires. This year all of the McClellans kids are going to be spread all over the place celebrating Thanksgiving. Some will be in Idaho, some in Washington, some in Utah, and some in Kansas City. So in the spirit of Thanksgiving and feeling close to those I love I thought I would do a little Thanksgiving Meme about the Sisters Creed family and our Thanksgiving traditions.
1. Where do you usually celebrate Thanksgiving?
As many of us that can usually gather at my Mom's house or we go to the lake to celebrate with extended family. Stacey loves to host at her house as well. My mom does Thanksgiving to the nines. It is elegant, beautiful, delicious, fun and festive.
2. Do you make stuffing or dressing? What kind?
We make dressing even though we still call it stuffing...but it isn't stuffed. My mom is well-known for making a delicious sourdough sage stuffing. Over the past several years though she has upped her game and improved on an already fantastic stuffing. A few years ago she added sausage and last year she added roasted chestnuts and completely out did herself. This is the new must-have stuffing. She still makes her original/vegetarian version too.
3. What side dishes are a must-have in your family?
We have a lot of must haves. We are very particular that all the traditional sides are accounted for...the one side dish that we HAVE to have are homemade noodles eaten on top of our mashed potatoes with gravy. This tradition comes from our West Virginian Great-Grandma and our Nana. I love this Southern twist. It is definitely a MUST-HAVE. We also MUST HAVE my mom's amazing gravy which we call "liquid gold"...and brussel spouts and killer mashed potatoes. Also, pumpkin pie and pecan pie are must-haves along with Tyler's grandmas's homemade rolls.
4. If/when you go to someone else’s house for the holiday, do you usually bring a dish? If so, what is it?
I (Kristin) always bring homemade pies. I usually bring two pecan pies and two cherry pies. We also usually bring Tyler's Grandma Kofford's Parker House Rolls...made by Tyler. He'll have to make a batch when we get home to eat with our leftovers too.
5.) What new recipes will you try this year?
We usually throw something new into the mix each year, but this year up at my Mom's house, we are going purely traditional. Stacey is hosting Thanksgiving for her husband's family and she is mixing it up with some new things. Can't wait to hear how it goes.
6.) Three best pies for Thanksgiving dessert?
That would be my pecan, my cherry and my mom's pumpkin pie. :)
7.) What time do you eat Thanksgiving dinner?
It is our family tradition to eat Thanksgiving dinner by candlelight. We usually gather in the afternoon for appetizers and drinks but we don't eat our big dinner until around 5 or 6pm. I absolutely love it that way. It makes if feel extra special somehow and it lets us enjoy the whole day together and all the festivities aren't over by 2pm with everyone in a food coma. :)
8.) Favorite leftover?
For me, it is Killer mashed potatoes and my mom's liquid gold gravy!! And...her pumpkin pie for breakfast the next day. I know my mom loves turkey sandwiches on Tyler's homemade rolls. As for Stacey... I think she likes pretty much the same things as me and my mom. (Correct me if I am wrong Stac.)
9.) Do you carve the turkey at the table or serve it on a platter?
We carve the turkey and serve it on a platter. We have to. We all love the crispy skin. The turkey is usually scalped of all of it's delicious skin right out of the oven and looks pretty homely by the time we are serving it.
10.) Formal table or Chinet?
Most definitely formal.
11.) After dinner do you go to the latest movie, watch football or take a turkey-induced snooze?
We usually talk, laugh, and play games and eat more food.
12.) Do you watch the Macey's Parade?
Yep...it is a great way to keep the kids occupied while we are cooking. Plus eating later in the day
allows us to watch while we are leisurely getting ready. But the
biggest excitement is the "Westminster Dog Show".WE LOVE THAT!!
13.) Christmas decorations up before or after?
We differ in this...sometimes my mom does have her tree up and some years she doesn't. I always put up our tree and decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving. I don't like to mix the two holidays!! I like Thanksgiving to have it's due. Stacey, I think, doesn't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving too.
14.) Black Friday shopping or sleeping in?
We aren't into Black Friday. (I personally loathe it.) We like to leisurely get up and enjoy the day and not be braving the mad crowds at the stores.
15.) What do you wish you had that might make Thanksgiving easier?
A ginormous kitchen and maid service. My mom, sisters, daughter, brother, husband and brother-in-law are all fantastic cooks and gourmet foodies. Everybody wants to whip something up and the kitchen is chaos.
16.) Are leftovers a blessing or a curse?
A Blessing!! Since we spend Thanksgiving elsewhere we have to divide up all the leftovers among my siblings and their families. They are a hot commodity!!
17.) Favorite thing about Thanksgiving?
Being with family, expressing gratitude for our many blessings, eating amazing food, reminiscing about times and loved ones past, laughing, laughing, and more laughing, and creating new memories.
Our Traditional Thanksgiving Menu:
Appetizers (always varies)
Cheese plate
Relish Tray
Mom's amazing roast turkey
Liquid Gold Gravy
Tyler's homemade rolls
Killer Mashed Potatoes
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Green Beans
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Sausage and Chestnut Stuffing
Sage Sourdough Stuffing
Homemade Noodles
Sweet Potatoes
Kristin's Cherry Pie
Kristin's Pecan Pie
Mom's Pumpkin Pie
Something Bubbly to drink...alcoholic and non-alcoholic
(Stacey usually makes the brussel sprouts and cranberry sauce. She usually adds something different and delicious to the menu each year. My sister Kelley always makes the appetizers and does the cheese plate and she makes the world's best green beans. That pains me to say because I make really good green beans too. :)
Happy Thanksgiving!!
May you have a wonderful holiday spent with loved ones and full of gratitude this Thanksgiving.
Sincerely,
Sisters Creed
