ANDORRA, Pa. (WLVT) - Every family has its own Thanksgiving traditions. For one Montgomery County family, that tradition includes five turkeys and 15 loaves of bread.
“We’ve done this dinner every year since I was a little girl,” said Kara Bowers, a Philadelphia resident and fourth-generation attendee of the annual dinner. “My grandmother calls everyone and says, ‘All right, you’re gonna’ do the turkey, you’re gonna’ do the mashed potatoes.’ We have pounds and pounds of mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes.”
Since 1968, the Henderson family has held Thanksgiving dinners for the entire extended family, growing larger each generation. This year, their potluck-style Thanksgiving included around 80 people.
Eunice Maxine Henderson began hosting Thanksgiving for all her seven children. As they began to have their own kids, the guest list grew. Eventually the family had to start renting out larger spaces, moving about three years ago to St. Gregory Armenian Epistolic Church in Andorra.
All of Maxine Henderson’s descendants are invited, now spanning five generations. Family members said the event forged stronger bonds between sometimes-distant cousins.
Bryan “Finesse” Garry, a Blue Bell resident and fourth-generation relative, said the dinner helps reinforce real friendships with his cousins: “I don’t think of [my cousin] as a cousin at all. I think of him more as a close friend or a brother.”
The sheer number of people makes some of the logistics more difficult. Though the family rule is to say grace together, most people couldn’t wait for everyone else to get their food.
But it’s all in good fun.
“It’s good to get to see our extended family and know we have such a strong bond within our family,” said Blue Bell resident and fourth-generation relative Michael Henderson.
“You’re in one room with everyone who loves you and support you,” Bowers said. “Someone’s always going to be there for you, and that’s really what this Thanksgiving represents.”
And the tradition is set to continue. Bowers said she planned to one day take over the dinner for the next generation.
“I think it’s great to get everybody together and keep everyone as a tight-knit thing,” said Skippack resident and third-generation relative Bob Dean. “That’s what my grandmother wanted; she wanted everyone to stay together and keep the family tight.”
