My grandma always wanted to have our Thanksgiving pies for breakfast. I finally started the tradition when I had my own family.
In a heartwarming reflection on family traditions, Ashley Archambault shares how a simple idea from her grandmother transformed into a cherished Thanksgiving ritual. For the past decade, Archambault and her son have started their holiday mornings with a delightful twist—enjoying homemade pie for breakfast. Although her grandmother had always suggested this unconventional breakfast choice, Archambault’s family never adopted it during her childhood. However, when her son was just two years old, she decided to embrace the idea, crafting an apple pie, a pumpkin pie, and fresh whipped cream the night before Thanksgiving. This inaugural breakfast not only satisfied their sweet tooth but also marked the beginning of a cherished tradition that has strengthened their bond and created lasting memories.
The experience of having pie for breakfast has evolved beyond just a fun culinary choice; it has become a meaningful part of their Thanksgiving celebrations. Archambault describes the joy of waking up to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, serving pie alongside her special Thanksgiving coffee, and witnessing her son’s delight as he tried pie for the first time. This unique breakfast ritual has provided unexpected benefits, especially in navigating co-parenting dynamics. As her son splits time between her and his father on Thanksgiving, the breakfast tradition allows them to create a fulfilling experience together, making the holiday feel complete despite the changes in their family structure. Over the years, Archambault has expanded the tradition, sometimes adding a pecan pie, and even welcomed her husband into the fold, further enriching their holiday experience.
Now, as her son turns 12, the pie breakfast has solidified its place as the highlight of their Thanksgiving. Archambault emphasizes that the joy of sharing this special breakfast together makes everything else on the holiday feel like a bonus. The ritual not only honors her grandmother’s whimsical suggestion but also embodies the love and connection that defines their family’s Thanksgiving celebration. This story serves as a reminder that sometimes, the most meaningful traditions are born from simple ideas, transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary memories.
The author and her son have been eating pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving for 10 years.
Courtesy of Ashley Archambault
When I was growing up, my grandmother always suggested having pie for breakfast on Thanksgiving.
We never did it then, but I always wanted to, and I finally tried it with my son when he was 2.
We loved it so much that we’ve done it ever since, and it’s our favorite holiday tradition.
Growing up, my grandmother would always say we should have our
Thanksgiving pies
for breakfast. I thought it was such a good idea, because by the time you’re done eating dinner, you’re really too full for dessert. My family never ended up going through with it, but the idea stuck with me.
When I had my son, I wanted to start our own holiday traditions together. I remembered the idea of having pie for breakfast and decided to try it. In order for the pie to be ready on Thanksgiving morning, I had to stay up the Wednesday night before to make everything. I thought an apple pie, a
pumpkin pie
, and fresh whipped cream would be perfect.
It went so well the first year, and we added on to the tradition
My son was only 2 years old the first year we tried it, so it was his first time trying everything. After I put him to bed, I stayed up cooking, while the SNL Thanksgiving special played on TV in the background. It all felt just right for me, as if I were figuring out the kind of holiday I wanted to have, not just for my son, but for myself too.
It wasn’t easy putting everything away for the next morning without taste-tasting, but it felt so much more special to wait for Thanksgiving. When we woke up the next morning, I put the
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
on right away. I didn’t even feel too bad about letting us eat pie for breakfast, because it was homemade and still full of apples and pumpkin.
My son looked at me as if I had made a mistake, but when I reassured him to go ahead and try it, he loved it. I had my pie with coffee, while he had his with milk. Although it was delicious, I think what made us most happy was being together and doing something out of the ordinary. Before the morning was even over, I knew this was going to be something we did forever.
Having pie for breakfast came with benefits I couldn’t have predicted
In addition to establishing our tradition of having pie for breakfast, I also developed a special Thanksgiving coffee that morning by putting whipped cream in a mug first and then pouring hot coffee over it, creating something like a cappuccino. While I knew eating traditional
Thanksgiving desserts
for breakfast with my son to be fun, I wasn’t expecting to establish other traditions that also felt personal and resonant for me, such as the surprising nostalgia for SNL that I felt as I watched the special (which I still do every year) and my new holiday coffee.
Since my son also spends time with his father on Thanksgiving, the new tradition has had some unforeseen benefits for
coparenting over the holiday
, too. His father and I do our best to ensure that our son sees each of us on holidays. So, for example, I would have my son for the first half of the day, and then he would go with his dad for the second half.
It was hard getting used to not being with my son for the whole day, but it’s gotten easier. And part of that is because I found ways to make our holiday time together feel full. The Thanksgiving breakfast tradition allowed me to celebrate with my son and not feel as sad because I wasn’t eating dinner with him later on. I think it helps my son in the same way, too, because he’s doing something equally as special with each parent.
Our pie tradition has become the best part of Thanksgiving
My son is 12 now, and we have kept the tradition going ever since. When I’m feeling really ambitious, I
make a pecan pie
, too. When I remarried, we let my husband in on the ritual, and he loves it. We’re both big coffee drinkers, and the pie and coffee combo is really perfect. Everything that happens for the rest of Thanksgiving after pie for breakfast is just a bonus, because we’ve already enjoyed the most important part of the holiday for us.
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