Thanksgiving Australian style

we don't celebrate Thanksgiving down here in Australia but since visiting the US a few years ago - I started to have a Thanksgiving dinner with my family in November. This weekend we are having our Thanksgiving dinner. I think everyone has something to be thankful for!!

I usually buy a turkey roll which is the breast of turkey that has been stuffed with cranberry & pinenuts and a ham that I glaze with orange juice and brown sugar.

I serve it with mashed potatoes, *sweet potatoes glazed with brown sugar * corn on the cob with lots of butter & salt * peas and gravy and I make corn bread to go with it.

I usually pick a large bunch of roses to put in the centre of the table ( that is my harvest contribution) and for dessert this year I am making a citron tart from my own chook eggs and lemons from my own tree. A good bottle of Australian red wine for the adults and juice for my grandchildren

I also bought some gorgeous pumpking tealight candles which I will place in vintage glass jars and have them twinkling all around the dining room.

The table will be set with an unironed vintage damask table cloth - a mismatched lot of vintage white plates and white cotton napkins - unironed and vintage of course.

outside on my verandah, I will put some beeswax tealights near the door.
we all sit down and before we eat, each person is asked to say something that they are grateful for and then grace is said. I also get each person to give the last of the fruit a stir before I make my last fruit cake * I get so excited at this time of year - I can feel the emotion bubbling up inside & at least by celebrating Thanksgiving - I can allow the Christmas spirit to shine