To me, nothing says Thanksgiving Day feast like some cranberry sauce.

Mr. Kitchentales grew up with the canned jellied cranberry sauce, and he prefers it over whole berry sauce or homemade sauces. I think you know enough about our relationship to guess who usually prevails in these matters, but believe it or not, I sometimes fix it this way just to make him happy:

Canned Jellied Cranberry Sauce

1 can cranberry sauce
Can opener
Plate
Knife

Refrigerate the can of cranberry sauce for at least a couple of hours. Use the can opener to remove one end of the can completely. Use the can opener to make a small cut in the other end of the can so air can get in. Slide the jellied contents onto the plate and use the knife to cut two (2) slices off one end, using the lines from the can as a guide. Lay them down on the plate so people can get the idea of which direction to slice it. Pass with the knife and let everyone cut their own portion.

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My family made cranberry sauce from scratch, and I have some old medium-sized Jello molds that my grandmother used for it.

Whole Cranberry Sauce
Place in a saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved:
2 cups water
2 cups sugar

Boil the syrup for 5 minutes. Pick over, wash, and add:
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (1 pound)
Simmer the cranberries in the syrup, uncovered, very gently without stirring, until thick and clear, about 5 minutes. Skim of any foam. Optional: add 2 teaspoon grated orange rind. Pour into a 1 large or several small individual molds and chill until firm. Unmold to serve. (Joy of Cooking)

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This next recipe, also from the Joy of Cooking is my all-time favorite. Back when my version of Joy was published food processors weren't invented (yes, we did have inside plumbing and gas-powered cars) so the recipe calls for using a meat grinder. I've updated it to bring it into this century.

Uncooked Cranberry Relish
Pulse in a food processor until small pieces but still chunky:
4 cups fresh cranberries
Remove to a bowl.
Cut into halves, then quarters, remove the seeds from:
1 whole orange
Pulse in the processor until small pieces but still chunky.

Put in the bowl with the cranberries and stir in 2 cups sugar. Place in covered jars or plastic containers and refrigerate for at least 2 days before serving to blend the flavors. Serve with poultry, meat, or on bread.

This is good in red Jello for a festive salad. Be sure to serve it the traditional way: Make in a rectangular cake pan. Cut into serving size squares. Place a small leaf of Iceberg lettuce on each bread and butter plate and place the square of Jello on it. Top with a dab of mayonnaise and set them out on the table before everyone sits down. Nobody eats the lettuce.