If mashed potatoes and gravy see each other before dinnertime, their partnership is doomed to fail. That’s why they get ready in separate dishes. Sure, it’s superstitious, but better safe than runny. Plus, we live for the moment when gravy gets the first look at mashed potatoes. Swoon!
Sweet potatoes weren’t always expected to wear white marshmallows on the big day. But this tradition is pretty damn sticky. We’d love to see more sweet potatoes breaking out of this gelatinous mold of society’s—and the marshmallow lobby’s—expectations.
The rings on cranberry sauce symbolize a lifelong commitment to its can, reflect the eternal bonds of true love, and let us know where to cut it to pieces.
Although no one wants it, rain on Thanksgiving is actually good luck! Oh, wait, no, sorry. It’s actually a sign of the rapidly escalating effects of climate change.
Many turkeys have spent their whole lives dreaming of this day and spend hours getting ready to make sure their skin is properly moisturized and picture-perfect. It’s taboo for any of the side dishes to outshine the turkey, so don’t even try (looking at you, brussels sprouts).
In some families, it’s a tradition for the chef to stand on a chair, close their eyes, and toss the turkey bones into one lucky garbage can. But it’s an outdated tradition: the food scraps should really go in the compost.
Do you know why green bean casserole wears a veil of fried onions? The tradition can be traced back to 1955, when the dish was invented at Campbell’s Soup. Back then, it was believed that if anyone knew what the casserole really looked like, they would not want to eat it. That’s pretty messed up.
Whoever catches the wine glass before it spills will be the next person to open a new bottle. That’s because they clearly haven’t had enough to drink yet.
The big day wouldn’t be complete without pie. Some diners choose to save a piece of pie in the refrigerator to enjoy after they’ve smoked weed out back with their cousins. This tradition celebrates family ties, “taking a break from all that,” and copious amounts of whipped cream.