(CNN) -- Thanksgiving is the time of year when individuals and families celebrate all things great in their lives. It's a time for good food, parades, fun and some serious reflection.And, as CNN.com found out when we asked readers to send in their favorite holiday memories, Thanksgiving also can be a time for some funny family antics.Here's a sampling of those Thanksgiving stories, both funny and sweet, sent in by e-mail. (Some have been edited.)A few years back, when our grandson Darren, was about 5 or 6 years old, he was asked if he would like to say the prayer before our family Thanksgiving dinner. His prayer began as, "God, I'm really sorry about the turkey. I hope he is in heaven, making new friends." Wanda Dobbins, Gold River, CaliforniaLast year at 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, my boyfriend whispered that he loved me. This Thanksgiving is even better, because we're married! Kristie, Washington, District of ColumbiaMy most memorable Thanksgiving was when I was 15, during my sophomore year in high school. On that Thanksgiving, in 1992, I had the privilege of marching in the Macy's parade in New York City. As the Boardman Spartan Band, from Boardman Ohio, marched before the TV cameras, we were asked to stop and perform for the cameras. As a Spartan majorette, I had the opportunity to perform a dance routine for live television. During my stay at the Big Apple, I was able to shop at Macy's, see Chinatown, visit Radio City Music Hall and the Empire State Building and see a Broadway play. Even though I was away from my family for the first time, and missed our traditional turkey dinner, they all saw me on television. My dad taped the entire parade so I can show my children some day. I had the experience of a lifetime on Thanksgiving Day 1992. Toni Marie Shields, Boardman, OhioOne year, while we were waiting for dinner to be done, we were snacking on appetizers. My grandfather came into the room and told me that the dried fruit he ate was really good. I told him we didn't have any dried fruit and asked him to show me what he ate. He showed me and it was scented potpourri!!! We still laugh about it to this day and we make sure that we put the potpourri away before he can eat it!!! Amanda, Cincinnati, OhioMy worst memory of Thanksgiving was when our dog was sprayed by a skunk the night before. She ran into the house before we knew it and the entire place smelled horribly! It was late at night and all the stores were closed, so we had nothing strong enough to get rid of the smell. And over twenty people were coming for Thanksgiving the next day! Needless to say, every time someone stepped into the house, we heard, "Something smells like skunk." Ryan Doherty, Rochester, New YorkInstigators. I live in a house full of them. Last year, we had just finished eating our Thanksgiving dinner when my eldest son, Andrew, thought it would be funny to throw a piece of skin at his brother, Matt. Of course Matt responded by tossing some mashed potatoes. My wife issued a stern warning for them to stop. I gave her my best expression of support: I flicked some stuffing at her. Chaos ensued. Turkey, mashed potatoes (with gravy), stuffing, cranberries and any other food that was handy went flying in all directions. No one was safe. The walls, the floor, the table and everyone at the table were covered in food. It was a food fight that would have made John Belushi proud. Definitely a Thanksgiving none of us will ever forget. By the way, the dogs were very happy that day! Todd Sargent, Lake Orion, Michigan Many years ago, my mother was in the hospital for Thanksgiving, and my father bragged to everyone that he made the dessert. But what he failed to mention is that it was a Mrs. Smith's pie, all he did was put it in the oven. It's been a family-favorite for years. Cathy, Sparrowbush, New YorkWe were having 16 people (family) for dinner. My wife cooked the Turkey and put it in the garage to cool. Soon afterward I went out to get the morning paper and left the garage door open as I always do. A bit later I heard a scream and found my wife nearly in tears as I surveyed the carcass of the 20 pounder. I called my neighbor to tell him I suspected that his friendly Golden Retriever had had a feast and I was worried because I loved the dog who was constantly visiting us. He said, "Here he comes now...oh, oh...he has a drumstick in his mouth." Bob Marciano, Torrington, ConnecticutAbout six years ago, while stuffing our "bird," my ceramic fingernail loosened up and got lodged somewhere in the stuffing in the turkey! We had to empty out the bird and literally paw through the entire mess! We found it, but needless to say, I trashed the first batch, and made up a second, "pristine" batch of stuffing to put in the turkey. We were frantic at the time, but now it's just a funny memory. And, of course, we never shared this (unsavory) story with our guests! Joyce Burke, Lake Lure, North CarolinaLast Thanksgiving, my husband decided to clean up the dishes and since the first course dishes were already washing in the dishwasher, he decided to wash the dinner plates, serving platters by hand. The problem arose when he decided to put them in a small wooden drying rack. The rack could not take the weight of the dishes and so they all came crashing down. I'm left with 3 dinner plates. Nine other plates and large platter had to be shop-vacced from the floor. Janet, River Vale, New JerseyIt isn't my story, but it is one I've told over and over. A friend of mine was at a military funeral that was adjacent to a turkey ranch with a chain-linked fence separating it from the cemetery. The curious turkeys all came over to the fence as the funeral was going on. They stuck their heads through the chain link to watch. When the 21 gun salute was fired off they all reacted by jumping back, without removing their heads from the fence. Needless to say, they all died of a broken neck. All funeral attendees were allowed to take home a dead turkey for Thanksgiving that year!!! B. Wolfsen, Sutherlin, OregonWhen I was in my early twenties, I traveled to the Midwest to meet my then girlfriend's family and reunite her with her dad. Her aunt had prepared this magnificent Thanksgiving dinner and I was the only one left at the table as everyone else had moved to the television and were deciding on which show to watch. As her dad announced we should watch "Star Trek," everyone booed at him and I unloaded a spray of milk through my braces, all over the food! This was the most embarrassing moment of my life! Shawn Williams, Anchorage, AlaskaI was a young bride at the age of 19. It was our first Thanksgiving and I invited my husband's parent over for dinner. I defrosted my turkey, but on Thanksgiving Day when I went to prepare it, my husband says are you sure that's a turkey? Unfortunately it was not, it was a duck. I was so upset and we wound up going to his parents house since she had already cooked a turkey. Then my second year of trying to prepare a turkey dinner, I didn't know you had to remove the package that contained the innards and neck (which is located in the back side of a turkey) and cooked the turkey with the packet inside. I can say, I have learned from my mistakes and am now capable of preparing great turkey dinners for my family. Deborah A. Coyle, Moorestown, New JerseyIt was our first year living in Orange, CA, and my Dad decided to grill a turkey (which he had never done before). He set the grill up by the pool and proceeded to check on it quite regularly. When it was done to absolute perfection (a beautiful, deep golden brown), he went into the house to grab a tray. Not even a minute went by when out of our patio window; we saw huge flames coming from the grill. My dad ran out there and for some reason decided the best way to put out the flames was to push the whole grill (with Turkey) into the pool. That day actually started a favorite family tradition of always having take-out Chinese food on Thanksgiving. KB, Coon Rapids, Minnesota