I’ve been saying all week how fun this first giveaway was for us, but I conveniently blocked out the moment we’d have to choose only two winners from among all the inspired entries. We said we’d let you know by 6:00 PM tonight, but why wait if we’re ready?
Before the winners, however, a few honorable mentions.
It was certainly hard to say no to Susan Hickok who wrote, “I adore Thanksgiving because I make Pam Anderson’s brined turkey, and it is to die for! Love the raves!” Very good answer, Susan, but had we awarded you, most entrants would have screamed, “Teacher’s Pet!”
I also found it hard to resist MikeV@DADCOOKSDINNER with his “I adore thanksgiving because…I get to grill an apple-brined turkey for my family!
PS- Thank you, Pam. I’m thrilled to see this website. Your “How to Cook Without a Book” is what moved me from being a recipe follower to a real home cook.” Mike, you’re not walking away empty-handed. You just got a plug for your website.
I felt for Linda Katmarian who says, “It’s a lot of work for little thanks. Cook all day and gone in 30 seconds. Just leave me a glass of wine and the turkey stuffing. The rest is yours.” There’s a piece of me that feels that way sometimes, but I’m having fun this year because someone gave us a little disco ball as a housewarming gift, and I’m clearing the floor after pie is served!
Sharon could totally relate to Eat! who says, “I adore Thanksgiving because I get to eat lots of food and then put on my pajama pants and take a nap.” She may be in her elastic-waisted pajama pants again this year, but I think Sharon will opt for the dance floor instead.
Lindsay Olives was partial to the last half of April Olive’s response, “My daughter Lindsay has the same name as the company that makes the wreath! Isn’t that hilarious! Didn’t know there was such a company until after we had her!”
But enough foolishness. The winners:
If you visit threemanycooks.com this Wednesday, you’ll understand even more why we chose Lucy who says, “I adore Thanksgiving because when I put out the feast in my scrubbed & decorated home, I have the conviction that I am a Real Cook. It’s like a well-run race, complete with a runner’s high.”
Our second winner is Dogmom who says, “I abhor Thanksgiving these days because now that all of the parents who organized the meal when we were growing up have passed away, we (meaning my siblings and our cousins) have no traditions. I know we need to develop new traditions, but so far none of us has done that, and I feel really adrift at Thanksgiving. It’s sad.” We thought the Lindsay Olive wreath, made of olive branches (a symbol of peace) might be just the inspiration Dogmom needs to create a new tradition.
And one final olive wreath to crown a very special brow.
Sharon was up late writing a paper for school last Tuesday night. She took a break to check the threemanycooks site and found the following comment from Marlene in Alphabet of Change. “I adore Thanksgiving because I have been living with a brain tumor and every year I am here it’s one more reason to be so thankful to be with my family {especially my daughter!}”
Sharon wrote back, “Hey Marlene! Great answer, would you mind re-posting your beautiful reply in the actual giveaway post so everyone can see it? (And so we don’t miss it when we’re choosing a winner?).” Marlene never rewrote her comment on the giveaway post, but when we told our friends at Lindsay Olives about Marlene, they immediately offered another wreath for her.
A final honorable mention, let’s let Laura T. have the last word here, a kind of benediction that I know Maggy in Malawi would amen. “I ADORE Thanksgiving because it’s the one holiday of the year that everyone celebrates regardless of race, religion, or creed.”
Thank you all for blessing us with your comments this past week. Check in with us regularly Thanksgiving week when we’ll be posting a new story and recipe each weekday— Dry-Brined Twin Roast Turkeys with Herbes de Provence, Fennel, and Orange, Classic Bread Stuffing with Sausage and Golden Raisins, Cheesy Leeks, Perfect Apple Crumb Pie and finally Turkey Gyros for a fun way to use up that leftover turkey.
Aww….thank you, Pam!
Thanks a bunch! You guys are the best!
Ok fine, I didn’t win the wreath, but you gave me yet another great Thanksgiving idea — now where do I find a disco ball?!
Awwww…. thank you so much for picking me as a third winner even though I was an idiot and posted my comment under the wrong post! My brain tumor causes short term memory loss and I was reading many of your wonderful recipes and forgot to come back to the contest page to enter the Thanksgiving contest. Thank you so much for considering me anyway!
I missed Sharon’s post back to me until today when I learned I had won one of the wreaths. I am an Iowa farm wife and we are busy busy with a late harvest so I don’t get much internet time these days. I am so excited to share this wreath with my whole family as we get together for Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a lovely holiday too! Thanks again! Marlene
marlene! i’m so glad we were able to get a wreath for you too! and i hope you’re doing well.
our dad was born and raised in nebraska and south dakota, so we know a little something about busy busy farm life. when we were little, dad used to tell us stories about life on the farm in the midwest (dust storms, tractors…the stuff of fairy tales of course 🙂 ). good luck with the harvest, and your health!
Oh, my! Thank you so much. I will use the olive wreath as inspiration to start some new traditions. And thank you for pushing me to do just that. How sweet you are, ladies, and I wish you all the best with your site.
thanks so much! I’m only now realizing the appropriateness of my reference to running and the prize of an olive wreath.