Grand Junction residents share Thanksgiving favorites, holiday plans

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -With Thanksgiving behind them, Grand Junction residents are sharing their favorite holiday dishes and preparing for the Christmas season.

Reporter Bella Demosthenous spoke with downtown residents about their Thanksgiving experiences and holiday plans for the season ahead.

Favorite Thanksgiving dishes

Residents had varied opinions on their best Thanksgiving dishes. Turkey emerged as a popular choice among several families.

“I think the turkey was probably the best. It was nice. It was nice. It was moist. Very tender. Yeah, so turkey was the best,” one resident said.

Others favored homemade desserts and traditional sides.

“Pumpkin pie. Homegrown pumpkins right out of the garden, inside of our own pumpkin pie. That’s good stuff,” another resident said.

One family enjoyed multiple dishes: “The turkey, the ham, the green bean casserole, and the traditional cranberry sauce, and some banana bread.”

Sweet potato casserole and pecan pie also received mentions as favorites.

Leftover timeline

Residents had different approaches to handling Thanksgiving leftovers, with most keeping them for just a few days.

“About two days at the most because of food code safety,” one person said.

Others planned to finish leftovers over the weekend or split them among family members.

Christmas decorating plans

Opinions varied on when to begin Christmas decorating. Some residents prefer waiting until December, while others start immediately after Thanksgiving.

“Right after Thanksgiving. Because if you’ve got kids, they’re just waiting for it to happen,” one parent said.

Another resident admitted to starting early: “I started decorating two weeks before Thanksgiving. My boyfriend was not a fan, so probably next year after Thanksgiving.”

Family time is valued most

Residents agreed that spending time with family was their favorite part of the holiday season.

“Just being around family. I think being with family for me is the best thing about the holidays,” one resident said.

Another praised Grand Junction’s community atmosphere: “I would say family, just enjoying all that goes with the seasons, all of the festivities to enjoy. One of the things we love about living in Grand Junction is all of the holiday festivities downtown, the lights, the parade, and the shops being open on Saturday, Small Business Saturday. We just love this small-town feel.”