Become a new member today and save $30. An American Ancestors membership offers access to billions of searchable names on our website, a subscription to American Ancestors magazine, discounts on books and research for hire, and more! Use code CM2025 at checkout. Sale ends December 6. Join Now
Family Heritage Experience Merchandise Now Available Online!
Our Family Heritage Experience merchandise is now available in our online bookstore. Check out apparel and gifts for the family history enthusiast in your life. Shop Now
Upcoming Online Seminar, December 4–18
Researching in New England Town Records: 17th through 19th Centuries
This five-session online seminar will delve into early New England town records. Our experts will show you how to get the most out of these resources for your family history research. Learn More
The Weekly Genealogist Survey
This Week's Survey:
Your Family’s Connection to Pianos
Share your story! Each week in our Readers Respond column, we publish a selection of reader-submitted stories related to our most recent survey. Submissions must be 150 words or fewer and include your full name, city, and state. Published responses will be edited for clarity and length.
36%, I will spend Thanksgiving at someone else’s home.
7%, I will eat Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant.
63%, I will spend Thanksgiving with relatives.
78%, I will eat classic Thanksgiving food: turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, etc.
22%, I will eat at least one traditional dish (not widely considered a Thanksgiving classic) made from a family recipe.
24%, I will discuss family history and/or look at family photographs with my relatives.
19%, I will reflect on my Mayflower or Wampanoag ancestors and their experiences.
21%, I will remember, collect, or share family stories about past Thanksgivings.
13%, I will participate in activities that are long-standing family Thanksgiving traditions.
33%, I will watch (on television or in person) Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
2%, I will volunteer for a Thanksgiving-related event or cause.
25%, I will watch or participate in a football game, road race, or other sporting event.
6%, I will observe or commemorate Thanksgiving in a way not mentioned above.
3%, I observed Canadian Thanksgiving in October.
1%, I do not observe Thanksgiving.
Readers Respond
Kendra Harris, Folsom, California: As a divorced mother of two daughters, I divided holiday time with my ex-husband. He typically wanted to have them on Thanksgiving, so my time with them was spent on the following Friday. We called that Friday our “Traditional Non-Traditional Thanksgiving.” The girls invited friends and boyfriends who had already spent time with their own families, and our extended family members got to have a second feast. The girls and I started EARLY with Black Friday shopping, rested a bit, then cooked and feasted the rest of the day. It was challenging to be a single mom, but we found a lot to be thankful for with this special holiday born out of loss and we cherish our memories of those Friday Thanksgivings together.
Mary Margaret Pharis, Canfield, Ohio: When my dad and uncles were young men back from World War II, they began a tradition of hunting on Thanksgiving mornings and then visiting a beer garden before coming home for a turkey dinner. It didn’t matter if they shot anything, being together was important to them. As boys in the family became old enough, they were included in the adventure. Eventually, four generations were involved in this tradition. My dad and uncles are now gone. The hunting stopped when we sold our forested property. But there is one local bar that opens just for “the boys” on Thanksgiving morning, and the “male bonding” tradition of sharing stories, laughs, and a few beers continues.
Ginny Charest, Tampa, Florida: I grew up in Jacksonville, Florida. Every Thanksgiving, my mother's Skinner family would meet at a property we call The Woods, which my great-grandfather bought in 1903. More than 200 people currently attend and we all wear name tags. Cooking begins the night before, and all families bring a dish. On Thanksgiving morning, the men go hunting. On Thanksgiving, we gather in a big circle and share news, happy and sad.
Kathleen Bilger, Livonia, Michigan: This Thanksgiving, I will raise my glass and toast my ancestors. I will share stories of them. I am thankful that your website made it possible for me to purchase Sue Allan’s book on James Chilton, so I raise a glass to American Ancestors as well.
Young Family Historians Essay Contest
We're excited to announce the launch of our 2026 essay contest commemorating the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Students are invited to share a story of an ancestor who was “revolutionary” and explain how their actions were new or impactful for their time. Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026
9 Odd Historical Tips for Preparing a Turkey The Mental Floss article offers “some tips for cooking turkey the 18th- and 19th-century way that might seem a little strange today.”
Spotlight: Haverstraw, New York, Funeral Home Records Indexes
by Valerie Beaudrault
The town of Haverstraw is located in Rockland County, in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The Genealogical Society of Rockland County has made indexes to the records of two Haverstraw funeral homes available on its website. The establishments are A. W. Dutcher’s Sons Funeral Home and the George M. Holt Funeral Home. Click the “search the databases” link to begin. The databases can be searched by name, year born, location, and cemetery name. The search results provide researchers with a great deal of information about the deceased and include the book and page numbers for the funeral home record. Search Now
This website brings together research guides, records, expert articles, and personal stories to help you discover how your ancestors experienced this pivotal era in history. With the 250th anniversary approaching, it's the perfect time to explore your family's history and see what Patriot or Loyalist connections you might uncover! Learn More
As a family historian, you know that wills are important in your research—but have you created a will for yourself? Free Will, an easy and free online will creation tool, will guide you step-by-step through identifying beneficiaries for your assets, supporting the causes that are important to you, and planning for the preservation of your research. Learn More
