Half a million San Diegans fled their homes during last month's wildfires. Many more packed treasured mementos and important papers into their cars in preparation for the worst.

This was the second time in four years that San Diegans found themselves deciding what to take and what to leave behind… in hopes that they had grabbed the most important items, and wouldn't have to come back to a pile of ashes. 

Did you find yourself re-evaluating what was important to you during the recent wildfires? As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, what are you thankful for?

This week, columnist Ed McShane writes about New Year's resolutions, deeming them generally pointless because by mid-January they are long forgotten. He goes on to share 10 resolutions worth keeping.

What do you think? Are resolutions a fresh start to a new year, or an exercise in futility?

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It's that season again. The "holiday" season. Or is it the "Christmas" season?

Every December, organizations struggle with what to call this season of celebration. Balboa Park's annual "Christmas on the Prado" festival was renamed "December Nights" in 2002. Last year, NPR's Talk of the Nation reported that then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert tried to return Christmas to the "Capitol holiday tree." And this year, Wal-Mart announcedit will be switching back from "Happy Holidays" to "Merry Christmas" in its marketing.

What do you think? Do you prefer one versus the other?

What holiday greeting do you use, if any?

For many, holidays are all about traditions ? especially around food and family. Even NPR has a holiday tradition of its own. Every year since 1971, NPR's Susan Stamberg has managed to sneak her mother-in-law's recipe for cranberry relish on the air. She's sprinkled it into dialogue from movies, tricked celebrities into reading it and even had it put to music.

What about you? What can you not live without at Thanksgiving?

Or have you created a dish that's a little out of the ordinary?

Share your own Thanksgiving recipes!