As we counted down the days to Thanksgiving, The Day asked readers to share their memories of holidays past.

They tell us of their cooking successes and disasters, quirky traditions and an expanded meaning of family. And they teach us that no matter what the challenge you face as you prepare for the momentous meal, it will all work out in the end.

In the 1960s, when my two older children were in their teens, it was my turn to have my bachelor uncle for the holiday. I had recently gotten a new stove with a nice big oven and I got carried away and bought a 22-pound turkey.

Everything was going well until I decided to check to see how close the bird was to being cooked. As I pulled the shelf out so I could get a better look at the turkey, the pan slid forward, the juices spilled, and as I stepped back to avoid being burned, I slipped. I landed on the floor with my legs spread wide and the turkey between my legs on the floor.

I could not help but laugh at the situation and when my daughter asked what we were going to do now. I replied, "We are going to pick it up and serve it!" I was glad that I had washed the kitchen floor that morning, and my uncle never knew the difference.

- Johannah Young Dickens, Groton

Back in the mid-70s, my family had a tight group of friends that we socialized with, and we opted to all get together at my family's house for Thanksgiving dinner. Well, before long, each of the families asked if they could invite some of their family and the event got rather large, rather quickly. Being Thanksgiving - a holiday for families and giving
thanks - we would never even consider saying no.

After discussing many options, we cleaned out our garage, used the wood-burning stove for heat, and borrowed tables and chairs from the fire house. We set up tables for the food near the door that leads from the house to the garage, and put food out using an assembly line. We had turkeys, and hams and lasagnas, baked beans, stuffing, gravy, rolls, salads, vegetables and more. And then there
were the desserts! Cookies,
cakes, bars and pies - boy
were there pies! As a matter
of fact, the pies were
made in 17- by 12-inch
cake pans.

Invitations were made verbally, which included a very special invitation: Anyone that any of us knew or came across that didn't have a place to go for Thanksgiving that year was welcome.

There was music and laughter everywhere you looked. There wasn't a face in the house without a smile on it. At the end of the day, we even had a pie eating contest for anyone who thought they were up to the challenge.

Maybe, just maybe, if I'm really lucky when the kids are all grown-up, we can have another magical Thanksgiving together when they all invite their families and friends "home," and we'll teach them the magic of opening the doors of your heart and your home to those in need - some that you know and some that you have yet to meet.

- Sheila R. Taurianen, Ledyard

A couple of years ago, we prevailed upon our oldest son and daughter-in-law to host the 22-member family Thanksgiving dinner - as long as I would prepare it at their home.

I pre-roasted an extra turkey breast, prepared the vegetables, washed and stuffed the turkey (with stuffing made from scratch), made stock for the gravy, mashed the potatoes and put the turkey in the oven set at 350 degrees.

About a half-hour before the prescribed dinner time, our oldest daughter arrived with her family and commented, "Why don't I smell the turkey cooking?" I had forgotten to turn the oven on!

While the family gamely played charades for the next couple of hours, I turned the oven to the highest temperature and hoped for the best.

All's well that ends well - the turkey was delicious, ditto the rest of the meal!

It's been hard to live down, though, and since it's my turn again I will surely be reminded!

- Peg Abramson, Stonington

On this particular Thanksgiving, everyone was there: my Dad, my aunt, my uncle, my two sons, and the guest of honor, my 18-year-old toothless cat, Mickey.

This cat loved to eat - his favorites were lasagne (with sauce and grated cheese) and especially sweets.

We had just finished a wonderful dinner and after the table was cleared, the conversation turned to dessert - everyone was ready! I walked into the kitchen and there was Mickey sitting on the kitchen table gumming the blueberry pie! He was blue from ear to ear completely enjoying himself.

Since I couldn't serve the pie anyway, I gave him his own slice and we laughed and laughed. Even now, more than 20 years later, it's still one of our favorite Thanksgiving memories.

- Justine Francese, New London

My most memorable Thanksgiving celebration was the year that our family took the train down to Maryland where my mother and her seven siblings were born and raised. My Uncle Harry who lived on a farm in Cherry Hill, Md., was hosting the feast. We never knew what to expect from Uncle Harry, but we knew it would be fun.

Our family was huge and most were able to make it. There was a lot going on, but all of us kids were wondering why Uncle Harry was spending most of his time in the barn. We were told not to go into the barn until he called us.

Uncle Harry threw open the barn doors and announced "Dinner's ready!" Inside was a long "table" on saw horses, covered with brown paper and piled high with steamed blue crabs! No turkey in sight! On another table, in heated trays, were all of the traditional Thanksgiving fixings: mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce, etc. At the very last table was a steaming pot of crab soup!

This was a blast and we talk about it to everyone when Thanksgiving comes around.

- Gail Ouillette, Pawcatuck

My husband and I both had good jobs, and when Thanksgiving came, we felt like sharing. I obtained the name of a poor family from a colleague at work. I called the family and said we would bring Thanksgiving dinner to them at noon. On Thanksgiving Day, I got up at 4 a.m., prepared a complete dinner, including dessert, packed up a four-place setting of dishes which we no longer used, and by 11:30 we were on our way.

We drove into the poorest black neighborhood of Dallas and stopped in front of a very small house. When we knocked on the door, it was opened by a young mother and her three children, all dressed in their Sunday best. We took the food into the house and helped her unpack the items. As the turkey came into view, one little girl about 4 years old stared and said, "Mama, what is that?"

Tears came to my eyes to think she had never seen a roasted turkey, something all of us take for granted. We said our goodbyes and went home to prepare another Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us. This experience made us realize what the day is really all about, being thankful.

- Carolyn Scholz, Mystic

About 40 years ago, my husband and I found ourselves away from home on Thanksgiving for the first time. Stationed at Sigonella, Sicily, for two years with the U.S. Navy, we spent our first Thanksgiving overseas with neighbors who were from Virginia. Although we had a good time together, we decided that sweet potato pie and cornbread stuffing just wasn't Thanksgiving fare to us New Englanders!

The following year, my officer husband invited several young enlisted men who worked with him to come to our home for Thanksgiving dinner. A couple of them were married, but most were single, about 18 years old, and also away from home for the first time. Even though we were only a few years older than they were, the men were very eager to be polite and not offend their superior officer's wife, so it was "Yes, ma'am" this and "Yes, ma'am" that.

When dinner was ready, one young man offered to help me carry food from the kitchen to the table. When the detachable handle to the casserole dish in which I had cooked creamed onions malfunctioned, and onions and sauce spilled all over my stove top, I turned to him and said, "I'm going to scoop up those onions and put them back in the dish and serve them. Are you going to tell on me?"

"No, Ma'am!" he smartly replied. As far as I know, no one else ever knew what had happened.

Every year, I remember that particular day with fondness. I can't remember any of our guests' names as we've never seen each other since, but I view that Thanksgiving as one of the best we've ever had. Our impromptu family thoroughly enjoyed each other's company and a delicious turkey dinner that day, complete with creamed onions. We counted our blessings and home, and our real families didn't seem quite so far away.

- Pamela W. Berry, Waterford