Not always. When my husband's extended family (EIGHT boys and their families, their mom and a few almost-family guests) had Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, I usually made either a chcolate cream aand a fruit pie, or else my chocolate layered punchbowl dessert. Now the net generation is scattered all over the country and beyond, so we don't have the huge gatherings anmore. (I miss them!) I probably will buy a pie or cheesecake for Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Nope, my mom is the pie maker in our family. She normally makes a lemon meringue for my sister, it's her favorite.........and pecan pie for everyone else.