Thanksgiving means turkey and football, right? Maybe not. This year we checked in with folks from around metro Atlanta who are creating their own unique traditions.
Liz Yeakle and Scott Dinerman of Atlanta are getting married at Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville, with a reception following at the Woodland Grill.
“I’m a wedding photographer, so planning my own wedding was quite the challenge,” Yeakle said. “I wanted a wedding date that would be meaningful. Thanksgiving popped into my head because my parents were married on Thanksgiving Day. After bringing it up to my mom that it might be nice to follow that tradition, I found out that my dad’s grandparents were also married on Thanksgiving, and then found out Scott’s grandparents were married that day as well. The date became an easy choice.”
After dating for six years, the couple got engaged in May during a trip to Tybee Island. The wedding will be a small and intimate with no stuffing anywhere on the reception menu.
“No turkey for this bride,” Yeakle stressed. “We will be dining on ribeyes and filets.
Beth and Rodney Kearns generally spend Thanksgiving with family in Asheboro, N.C., or at gatherings they host at their Midtown home. This year they’re off to Belize.
“No turkey, no stuffing, just drinking, snorkeling and lying on the beach!” Beth Kearns said. “We decided on Thanksgiving because it is right in the middle of a close friend’s birthday and my birthday and we wanted to celebrate our 40th birthdays somewhere awesome and beachy. We chose Belize because we’ve never been there and the flight time isn’t too bad from Atlanta — just three hours.”
Rhonda Patterson will be surrounded by friends this Thanksgiving, too. Four-legged friends.
She is divorced and shares her Avondale Estates home with two dogs and a cat.
She has the day off from her job making deliveries for Zifty, and figured a holiday pet-sitting gig would be a way to earn extra money.
“I’ve been involved with animal rescue for many years, so making extra cash taking care of pets is a plus,” she said.
Tiffany Bolen of Kennesaw and Carrie Whitney of Atlanta each have created special traditions with their moms.
Bolen and her mother choose to dine out rather than create a mountain of food for just the two of them. They eat at the Copeland’s on Cobb Parkway instead.
“We started going about four years ago and look forward to it every year,” she said.
Whitney and her mom, along with her two daughters, will enjoy a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner.
“Our menu changes from year to year, although we all love potatoes, broccoli, vegetarian stuffing and cranberry sauce, Whitney said.
“One of our favorite main dishes is pesto pasta. This year, I’m looking forward to trying to make a pumpkin quinoa dish.”
After dinner, Whitney and her family go to the movies, a tradition that started when Whitney was in high school.
“This idea was my mother’s because she lost her mother at 16 and had to spend Thanksgivings in late high school and college with friends,” Whitney said.
“Our small family allowed us to create our own Thanksgiving tradition. We actually call the celebration the Family Day of Thanks.”
Jessica Laiti of Johns Creek and Jayme Bartlett of Atlanta each plan to spend the first part of the day sweating.
Laiti will run the Atlanta Half Marathon for the sixth time and then head to her parents’ house in Roswell.
“Running first thing on a holiday makes me feel like I really earn my meal — and dessert,” she said. “I’m most excited about sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie.”
Bartlett is running in Marietta’s Gobble Jog, benefiting MUST Ministries, then has two big meals on her calendar. First she’ll enjoy brunch at the Marietta Diner with her father, brother and stepfamily.
Later she’ll have dinner with her mother and some friends. Given the multiple feasts, she’s glad to start the day running.
“I have been running the Gobble Jog for the past six or seven years and I have loved watching it grow from a fairly small event to the masses of people that gather each year to support MUST,” said Laiti, who grew up in Marietta.
“It’s a great tradition and helps burn off the calories before taking them in that day!”
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