Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November and is one of the busiest travel periods of the year in the United States. For many families, it is the one day when everyone sits around the same table.
Roast turkey is the centerpiece of most Thanksgiving meals, served with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce. Sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and corn bread are popular side dishes, and pumpkin or pecan pie is the traditional dessert. Regional twists are common, from oyster dressing in the South to tamales in many Texan homes.