Thanksgiving — Time to Give Thanks (and Maybe Ask a Few Family Questions)

When I was a kid, Thanksgiving was the Super Bowl of eating. Imagine a big-boned (yes, that’s code for chubby) kid strategically pacing himself through turkey, stuffing, and every pie in sight. That was me. Somehow, everything tasted better that day—the turkey was juicier, the macaroni cheesier, and even the cranberry sauce tasted like fine dining. Maybe it wasn’t just the food; maybe it was the people around the table.

Thanksgiving was the one day when relatives—some I hadn’t seen since the previous year—showed up with casseroles, laughter, and stories. My paternal grandfather, Edwin Douglas Driver, and his siblings made sure family from near and far gathered to break bread. As a child, I didn’t pay much attention to the adult conversations, but now, as a genealogist, I wish I had a time machine—or at least a tape recorder. Oh, the things I would’ve asked!

If I could go back, I’d add a fourth “F” to the classic Thanksgiving trio of Family, Football, and Food: 👉 Finding Your Ancestry.

Because while the turkey is roasting and the game is on, you’re surrounded by walking, talking archives—people who hold the stories that make your family unique.

Here’s what I’ve learned over the years:

• Be intentional, but gentle. Your enthusiasm for genealogy might not be shared by everyone. Some family members guard their memories like the last slice of sweet potato pie.
  
  

• Ask permission before recording. A phone placed on the table can make Uncle Joe clam up faster than you can say “pass the gravy.”
  
  

• Listen more than you talk. Sometimes the best stories come out in quiet, one-on-one moments—like the time I sat on an elder’s back porch, and he shared family secrets I’d never heard before… until his wife walked out, and boom, the conversation ended. Lesson learned: people remember events differently, and timing is everything.
  
  

• Verify, don’t vilify. Family legends tend to stretch over the years. Treat every story as a treasure—but double-check the facts later.
  

So this Thanksgiving, while you’re counting your blessings, count your ancestors too. Be grateful for the lives that paved the way for yours—the good, the complicated, and the misunderstood.

And please, don’t make my rookie mistake: trying to sample everything on the table. Trust me, the human stomach has limits. Save room for that sweet potato pie—it’s practically sacred.

🍂 Happy Thanksgiving!
May your plate be full, your heart even fuller, and your curiosity about your family roots never run dry.