Thanks & Giving

Lithuanian šakotis cake

The first Thanksgiving that I really remember was 1983. I had just turned six-years-old, and we drove on Thanksgiving Eve from our home in Kingston, Pennsylvania, to Aunt Ann’s in New York City. We were in traffic for hours and arrived well after dark, but Aunt Ann greeted us warmly with hugs and had dinner waiting. The next morning, we didn’t have to walk far to see the balloons and marching bands of the Macy’s parade. Later, we drove across the bridge to join much of our Zekauskas family in Hackensack where Aunt Felicia and Uncle Ray were hosting dinner. I remember big hugs, endless food, and football in the backyard with my brother and cousins.

Since then, Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday. I love how it’s about being thankful for each other around a beautiful meal. Over the years, our family would gather in Kingston or in New York. After I married Matt, we’d add rotations to Koger family locations: Pittsburgh; Texas (for a deep-fried turkey!); and Central Pennsylvania. Once we had the space, Matt and I started hosting, and everyone was invited.

In our new home, we began to create new traditions with our son, John, while incorporating our heritage. We typically host an open house all day, beginning around noon. My dad brings the kielbasa which he procures from a local butcher near Kingston. We set it out with rye bread and horseradish as a lunch course. Midafternoon, we serve our friend Karen’s baked brie with apricot preserves. My best friend from childhood, Tracy, brings a perfect butternut squash soup which we ladle out into white mugs. It’s the just thing to sip alongside champagne and football as the turkey finishes roasting and rests for carving (expertly by our friend Pat).

We offer the main dinner, served buffet style, on family china – the herb-roasted turkey with pan gravy stars alongside my mother’s-recipe stuffing; buttermilk mashed potatoes; slow-cooked sweet potatoes; roasted carrots; brussels sprouts; and fresh cranberry sauce. Our friend Tony adds a honey-glazed ham to the table, a nod to his Southern roots. As many as 30 – friends, family, friends of family, and family of friends – gather around our Philadelphia rowhouse, sometimes sitting on the fireplace hearth or taking a plate to the patio if the weather is nice. We always have a kids’ table in the kitchen.

For dessert, we serve pies – sometimes pumpkin, often lemon meringue, and always warm apple with fresh whipped cream. In 2020, our house was empty of guests, but we began a new tradition, adding a Lithuanian šakotis cake, made by local baker who emigrated from Vilnius. It’s whimsical, beautiful, and delicious.  

This year, we’re inching toward normalcy with a small Thanksgiving – my dad will be visiting for the first time in nearly two years. And with him here, we’ll keep our traditions, plus there will be plenty of food, football, and hugs all around once again.

—Suzy