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WHEELING - Whether it's at dining room tables or at favorite restaurants today, Ohio Valley residents are digging into the biggest "feast" day of the year - Thanksgiving.

And if the newspaper advertisements are any indication of what's to come for Friday shoppers, it might be a good idea to bulk up on the calories to get through one of the busiest shopping days of the year - Black Friday.

Holiday traditions have changed over the years, and there is no particular set of rules for enjoying Thanksgiving Day. Whether it's eating turkey while watching a football game, serving a meal to those in need or stepping out to friends' homes for pumpkin pie, everyone has their favorite pastimes on Thanksgiving.

For Jean and Wilson Barnes of Benwood, the growing size of their family - including grandchildren, in-laws, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc. - has prompted them to take a bigger approach to holiday celebrations.

"We have five children and 19 grandchildren so with all of the kids and then the extended families, we decided a few years ago to just rent a hall and have a potluck dinner," Jean Barnes said. "No one has a house big enough ... we will have more than 50 people there."

Barnes is pretty much the organizer for the family and tries to send out a family newsletter each October, outlining the holiday plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The family is spread far and wide with members coming from as far away as Colorado; the more communication and planning, the better the outcome.

"Everyone is pretty good about responding and letting me know what they are bringing. Everyone is asked to bring a dish or pop, just something to contribute to the meal," she said.

By renting a hall, the family can designate an area where the children can play as the meal is prepared. Barnes suggested that when planning family gatherings, it's best to keep the decorations festive but simple.

"The holidays are more about being together, not the decorations," she said.

Holidays such as Thanksgiving Day find plenty of people working - from retailers to waitresses. That list includes truck drivers, who must get their goods delivered despite holidays. At the TA Travel Center's Country Pride Restaurant at Dallas Pike, truckers and locals always find a warm, friendly smile and plenty of delicious, homemade food greeting them.

Today, Country Pride is offering up a traditional Thanksgiving buffet with all the trimmings including turkey, carved roast beef and oven baked ham, dressing, green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, soup and, of course, homemade pumpkin pie. Located off Interstate 70 at Dallas Pike, the restaurant is an easy stop for truckers and travelers during the busiest travel holiday of the year.

Melissa Kolb, one of the restaurant managers, said the restaurant does a brisk business on Thanksgiving.

"We get a lot of local families on holidays. It varies with the truck drivers, but there are more here on Thanksgiving than on Christmas," Kolb said. "They still have to make their deliveries, so they are out on the road even on holidays."

First responders, police, hospital workers and others must remain on duty today.

According to Maggie Espina, spokeswoman for Ohio Valley Medical Center in Wheeling and East Ohio Regional Hospital in Martins Ferry, both hospitals are serving Thanksgiving meals today.

"Also, we have a drawing and each hospital gives away 75 free certificates for turkeys," Espina noted.

At Wheeling Hospital, all personnel working today will be treated to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in the hospital cafeteria. In a message to the employees, CEO Ron Violi said, "We have plenty for which to be thankful. ... But as you know, our patients cannot be at their homes with their families. Many of you will be at work caring for them. So ... we will bring Thanksgiving to you."

Judging by the crowd around the turkey freezers at the local grocery stores and the traffic jam around Jebbia's Market this week, many families are opting for the traditional. stay-at-home turkey day dinner.

Turkey prices have been running as low or lower than last year, prompting some customers to stock up.