Providing high-quality remodeling services and great client remodeling experiences is a tradition we're proud to continue after 52 years of serving Walworth County! With the holiday season quickly approaching, we thought we'd share some of the Thanksgiving traditions that make this a special time of the year for members of our team. Whether it's a special destination, an impressive table setting, or an annual football matchup between brothers, the memories we make are the greatest gift of the season.
Here are a few of the Thanksgiving traditions from some of the members of our team.
Chris and his dad, Dave, former owner of Stebnitz Builders
getting ready for a morning hunt
My favorite Thanksgiving tradition is heading up to our hunting cabin in Tomahawk, WI each year the weekend before Thanksgiving! Hunting season is a special time for the men in our family to get together and spend a week in the woods. For a bunch of guys, we make a darn good Thanksgiving dinner as well!
One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving is helping my grandpa deliver Thanksgiving meals for the food pantry he works with in Baraboo, WI. We leave early in the morning to distribute meals in time for dozens of families in the area and give them a wonderful dinner to enjoy together. It's also a great way to spend time with my grandpa, spreading so much happiness.
One of our favorite traditions is one that started with me (Joe) and my father. The men would cook the turkey and the rest of the Thanksgiving dinner for the entire family. Now, I get to work with my son (Zach) and provide dinner for our family. It is a great way to spend Thanksgiving Day, and it is a great bonding experience.
Every Thanksgiving, my family heads over to my grandma's house where she makes dinner for eight of us. However, she makes enough amazing food to make sure 32 of us do not go hungry! The best part of Thanksgiving dinner is everyone writing down something we are thankful for, putting it in a hat, and having my grandma read them. It is always a competition to see who can write the funniest things for my grandma to read out loud at the table! It is one of my favorite holiday traditions.
Kyle's brother, Luke, has owned the "turkey day" matchup over the last
couple of years, but Kyle's hoping the broken nose Luke recently suffered in a college
soccer match will help level the playing field.
We have a little twist on the traditional turkey dinner feast. A few years back, my family all realized we didn't enjoy turkey all that much, so we switched over to going out for pizza with my grandpa at Portesi's in Wisconsin Rapids. It's way better than turkey - and way less work to prepare and clean up. In the afternoon, Luke (my younger brother) and I play a little one-on-one football in the backyard and I try not to get beat up, too much.
We have my grandma over to our house on Thanksgiving Day to watch the parade in the morning, have dinner in the afternoon and then just sit around playing board games like Rummy Royal while the football games are on. And, of course, nothing wraps up family fun, like a great shopping trip on Black Friday!
We get the entire family together - 30-plus people, including 9 grandkids this year - for a potluck-style dinner. Everyone brings their favorite dish from turkey to lasagna to almost every kind of desert you can think of. This year, my niece, Lauren and her husband Bobby, are hosting. I'll take my usual position as head chef, preparing the deep-fried turkey, along with my trusty sidekicks (brothers-in-law) Dodd and Darin, armed with their fire extinguishers! We finish the day with a game of trivia created by the host. It's a great time getting everyone together.
A tradition started by my grandmother over 50 years ago in Chicago is now extended to four generations! All my family, including cousins, get together for a very special dinner. The night before is spent in preparation mode, with the newest additions to the family taking on the task of peeling the carrots. You always know who the newbies are, by the orange hands the next day.
What makes this dinner even more memorable is we all sit together at ONE table. With family coming from both coasts to celebrate, we've had as many as 43 people at the same table. It's such a special time for our family. Everyone makes it a priority to be there.
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Have a great family tradition of your own? We'd love to hear them. Drop us a note and share your memory. Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
As always, if there's anything we can do to help you address any of your home needs, send us an email, give us a call or fill out the form below!