Oh, god, the "what are you thankful for" thing always made me die inside. It was always some form of family or health or religion. Everyone just recycled the same answer, worded slightly differently. They always seemed to start at the opposite end of the table from me, so by the time it got to me, my answer just seemed unoriginal. I could never think of anything- it's not that I wasn't thankful for things, it's just that I didn't feel the need to proclaim it as performatively as them. Especially as I got older and realized that they never really seemed to live in a way that backed up their claim- they were thankful for family, but never reached out, never supported, talked about them behind their backs, etc. Most of the time, they'd leave as soon as dinner was over, even if it was early, which made it clear they just came for the free food. It was about abundance, showing off in a way- who could be the most thankful, or put out the fancier meals, etc.
Which I think is why we now keep it so low-key. I don't really travel to see my family on Thanksgiving- not because I don't love them, but it just doesn't feel necessary; when put against Christmas, that's the one we prefer more, so that's where we put our efforts. On Thanksgiving, they just focus on spending time together- grabbing a quick bite out somewhere, taking it home, and watching a couple movies or something. It's about the unspoken feelings, the little things, moreso than the proclamations and performances.
And agreed on the sports. Thank God for the family members who had more than one TV; more often than not, the kids would go into another room and play video games while the men watched sports and the women talked.
Regarding Deviled Eggs, however, that's where I have to disagree. I've noticed that it's very much something that varies person-by-person- everyone seems to make them a bit differently, but the way my Mom makes them is hella good. Definitely leaning moreso on the filling than the egg itself, so it ends up being more salty/tangy than egg-y
