The best meal I ever had was one that my grandmother cooked for me. Outside of what my family makes, some of the best food I ever had was in Tuscany, at a restaurant called Botega del Trente. It's in Sienna, and they had the most outstanding, wonderful gnocchi with a delicious sauce. It was just so sublime and gorgeous. You eat in a charming courtyard with the smell of jasmine in the air.
Thanksgiving is about tradition.
To observe reverence for this holiday, you have to have turkey, and you have to have stuffing. You just make it the best ever. I don't think of doing things differently for this day. If you do want to make something different, have the traditional recipes from your family, but explore more in salads and sides and desserts. You still have to have pumpkin pie for dessert, but you could also have a chocolate pecan pie as well.