How the Stars Are Spending Thanksgiving

Nov. 27, 2008 — -- Mere mortals aren't the only Americans chowing down on turkey today.

For many stars, Thanksgiving is a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood, time to spend with loved ones new and old.

Below, check out how celebrities from the movie and music worlds plan to spend the holiday and what blessings they're counting this year:

John Travolta

On what he's thankful for: "On a personal level, my family's health, and on a global level, you know, everyone still has hope."

Liev Schreiber

On what he's thankful for: "I have Sasha [his son]. I have Naomi [Watts, his wife]. I have my favorite corduroy suit. And I have another baby coming inDecember."

Taylor Swift

On the family members she spends Thanksgiving with: "They're all on my mom's side, and they're all women, and they're really loud. They're obnoxiously loud and they all have this genetic cackle. And they stand in the kitchen and it's the loudest sound. It like, breaks noise barriers, and it's like out of a movie. I mean, my cousins have, like, 49 cats and dogs. It's really fun to go there and have somewhere I know I'm gonna be every Thanksgiving."

John Mayer

On what he's thankful for: "I'm really thankful for the way that I was raised and whatever I'm sort of born with that gives me a lot of inspiration and ... I'm not a quitter. So I'm really thankful for that 'get up and fight' sort of, get to work -- I just go to the studio every day and go to work like everyone else does."

Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers

On what the band's thankful for: "I think we want to be, most of all, thankful for the fans. This year, they've been always sticking around for us and always been there for us. The fans are the best. They've come to every concert. They've slept outside for venues, and we can't thank them enough. You know, we love our fans so much."

Alicia Keys

On what she's thankful for: "I'm thankful for being able to do things like this [a recent fundraiser for her charity Keep A Child Alive], for being able to have a voice to use, for my organization, Keep a Child Alive. I'm thankful for my family, I'm thankful for every time I travel, that I get there safely."

Akon

On how he's fortunate this holiday: "I've watched a lot of friends come and go this year ... unfortunately I've lost some friends. I'm just thankful to actually be here to accomplish more things. It's been a sad year for a lot of people, I mean all the way down to our economy and everything else, but I think 2009's gonna definitely pick up and it only made us stronger to be able move forward in the future."

David Cook

On how he'll spend the holiday: "Every year in Kansas City ... there's this area of town called the Plaza and it's like this nice shopping and restaurant district and they do this on Thanksgiving night, they have somebody come in every year and flip the switch and turn the Christmas lights on, it's this big ceremony and this year they were kind enough to ask me to do it. So I'm gonna go home and flip the switch. More than anything, it's just an excuse for me to get home for a few days and see family."

Barry Manilow

On what he's thankful for: "Health. It's all about health. My health. My loved ones' health. We're all here. We're all OK. You know, as I get older, we all hang on. What's going to happen next year? So far, we made it through another one."

Melissa Etheridge

On what she's thankful for: "Life. You know, life. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here, at this time, in this reality with everyone, in this life right now."