Halloween has officially come to an end, but the holiday season excitement has just gotten stronger. Thanksgiving is only 20 days away and is celebrated by 90% of the United States. It is not just a day to eat good food and watch football, but it is a day to reflect on the good things in your life. It is a day to spend with family and friends. The true meaning of the holiday is to give thanks to God for His blessings and providence. It also commemorates the first harvest of the pilgrimage. 

Thanksgiving has a very long history beginning with the first celebration in 1621 between the Plymouth colonists from England who traveled on the famous ship, the Mayflower, and the Native American tribe Wampanoag. During the Civil War, in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday that is held on November 23 every year. 

Because that day is approaching, everyone is hitting the grocery stores early to get the best turkey and stuffing before it sells out. Every family has their own traditions and dishes but there are some that Thanksgiving would not be the same without. These are the Top 10 foods people pile on their plate at the dinner table: 

1. 1. Turkey: Turkey is the dish that is the main character of the entire meal. Over 80% of Americans have a juicy turkey in the middle of the table. Although it takes a lot of prep time, the end result is always worth it. Make sure to get the perfect turkey before the stores sell out. 
   2. Mashed Potatoes: This dish is the perfect thing to accompany the turkey. The creamy texture melts in your mouth every bite you take. There are various types of mashed potatoes. Maybe you have garlic mashed potatoes, cheesy potatoes, or lumpy mashed potatoes. Each one is worth the taste and the salivating smell that fills the house as you cook. 
   3. Sweet Potatoes: You can never have enough potatoes. Sweet Potatoes are the perfect addition to the table. Since the 1800s, people have been making different versions of sweet potatoes to serve on Thanksgiving. Some may make a sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallow, a sweet potato pie, roasted sweet potatoes, or candied cube sweet potatoes. Either way you need this dish on the thanksgiving themed runner in the middle of the long table that seats all the people you love. 
   4. Dinner Rolls: There isn’t much to say about dinner rolls. Everyone loves bread. What is a feast without some buttery dinner rolls? 
   5. Cranberry Sauce: Even i
   6. f no one at the table eats it, it is almost a requirement to have it on thanksgiving. Cranberry Sauce or Cranberry Jello is a sweet and sour dish that is not the most popular but will certainly expand your palate. 
   7. Pumpkin Pie: What is a Thanksgiving Celebration without some homemade (or store bought) pumpkin pie with a recipe that has been in your family for forever. This desert is the perfect end to a delicious meal. Statistics say that America eats more than 50 million pumpkin pies on Thanksgiving. 
   8. Stuffing: It gives the main dish its flavor. Most people stuff the chunks of bread mixed with seasoning and veggies inside the Turkey making sure all the juice is absorbed. The rest of the population calls it Dressing which is not cooked inside the turkey. But, let’s be honest, stuffing is the better choice. 
   9. Mac and Cheese: This cheesy pasta dish topped with baked breadcrumbs is a recent addition to the meal. It is everyone’s favorite comfort food so why not add it to everyone’s favorite day for eating. 
   10. Gravy: Most cannot live without the gravy. The sauce made with the juices of the turkey is what everyone drowns their plate in if they choose. It is always in the nicest fine China gravy boat you mom has in the house. 
   11. Green Bean Casserole: Not adored by many but a true thanksgiving staple. This dish was created by Dorcas Reilly, a Campbell Soup Company Employee, in 1955. It is a very easy dish to make because all the ingredients can be mixed in one bowl and put in a baking dish to be popped right in the oven. The quickness gave it the nickname “jiffy casserole” 

Get ready for the second most popular holiday in the United States. Prepare to fill up on delicious food, watch your favorite football team, and spend time with family and friends. But always remember to be grateful and thank God for what he has given you.