Have you seen Gabrielle Blair's most recent Celebrations with Design Mom videos? They're pure genius. She is so thoughtful about celebrating holidays and keeping the time commitment at a minimum. I need more of that inspiration for the holidays, especially with Thanksgiving and Christmas back to back. I designed her celebrations logo for the videos (you can see it on opening credits). The process was really fun, working outside my very 2D graphic realm to create something with texture and depth. Color me addicted to experimenting like this. Blair's latest video about the Thanksgiving table has got me thinking about my Thanksgiving traditions. Every other year we do a "Newton Family" Thanksgiving; we'll go over to my grandparents on my mom's side and eat like kings. Grandma always sets the kids' table with fun china. It's her "cheaper" stuff, but it's better than anything I have. She also has these brass goblets and flatware that she's busted out on occasion, too. The brass goblets are my personal favorite. More than table settings and food, however, is our painting tradition. I feel like I've mentioned this a few times. My grandpa sets out canvases and paints (and has since I can remember - I think my first painting was at 3 or 4), and we paint something. It doesn't matter what it is, or how it turns out, Grandpa is proud of our creations. He lacquers and frames each one and gives them to us around Christmas. We also sleep over (usually watch old family videos of Christmas parties past) and my grandma makes us hootenannies and tea for breakfast. If we're really lucky, we'll wake up to snow and sled down their driveway. Maybe grandpa's tradition is the reason I studied painting and drawing in college? It's definitely a tradition I will have to continue if he ever stops. Can we take a break from the Christmas music, decor and gift giving to remember the forgotten holiday of Thanksgiving?