Thanksgiving plans?

[boots-aregard]

So, what are your Thanksgiving plans?

We are doing the usual enormous family gathering (with a couple of Thanksgiving orphans tossed in for good measure). 22 people in my tiny house. YIKES! I had hoped for a sunny day to have the actual meal on our long driveway outside, but the 10 day weather forecast is saying "cold". I'll have to set up a table in the dining room _and_ the living room, or eat in shifts.

[Quelah]

Annual Friendsgiving Dinner at my friend's house, she's a dressage rider who used to be a client of a barn I managed, that's how we met. It will be her, her SO who is charming and horsey educated, another friend who is an event rider and her very nice DH, and an assortment of her other friends. My mom usually comes too but she is succumbing to the temptation of meeting one of her granddaughter's new boyfriend. But she's going to make her dinner rolls, and I'll pick them up on the way to my friend's, so mom won't be toooo terribly missed

[Wicky]

I will make a Sous Vide dinner for my parents and my stepbrother. http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/2012/11 ... st-dinner/ I wanted to take them out, but my stepdad said no. Wacky is due to deliver the first grandchild (for me!) a week from tomorrow, too. And then I am supposed to go to London the following Saturday for a meeting. Too much!

[KathyK]

I will make a Sous Vide dinner for my parents and my stepbrother. http://blog.sousvidesupreme.com/2012/11 ... st-dinner/ I wanted to take them out, but my stepdad said no. Wacky is due to deliver the first grandchild (for me!) a week from tomorrow, too. And then I am supposed to go to London the following Saturday for a meeting. Too much!

Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh, WAIT !!! Congratulations! And always remember, pictures, or it didn't happen.

[texsuze]

DH and I having a nice T'giving brunch at a favorite restaurant in the next town over. It is in an old railway depot and the food and service are always wonderful and dependable.

[Wicky]

Well, KathyK, no pictures of it happening LOL! Right now she feels as if it will NEVER happen, but couldn't happen fast enough!

[PaulaO]

I'm going to my brother-in-law's sister's house. She's not the greatest cook, but she makes a mean rice pudding, so I will have rice pudding and a turkey wing. And dressing. And pumpkin pie. Then waddle home.

[KathyK]

Well, KathyK, no pictures of it happening LOL! Right now she feels as if it will NEVER happen, but couldn't happen fast enough!

Nope nope nope don't need to see it happening, just the adorable result.

[carpevita]

Oh Wicky I am SO happy for you!

[exploding pony]

We are hosting the in-laws, so five people total. It should be nice and relaxed, but there is always some amount of drama

Unfortunately my MIL has dementia and they won't address it. She self-medicates . . . it's always an interesting day, but at least there will be lots of leftovers.

[Astral]

Five people. No drama. Totally fine.

Sometimes the Big Giant Extended Family thing is fun... but not every year.

(Admittedly, I did rather like the few years that my ex and I did Thanksgiving dinner... for ourselves. Cooking a whole Thanksgiving dinner for two people, when two people are doing the cooking, and in comparison to dinner for 20-something people, is surprisingly stress-free )

[khall]

We are doing something totally different for us as a family. Usually for holidays we get together with family, all who live very close by. This year we are traveling with our 15 yr old. I have a good friend in Minneapolis that we are flying up Saturday to visit for a couple of days, then we will rent a car and drive down to Chicago to spend the rest of the week including Thanksgiving day there sightseeing etc. Any good restaurant recommendations for Thanksgiving dinner in Chicago please pass it on! Leaving out Saturday to come back home.

I am a bit apprehensive because of the health issues here on the farm. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=362
We scoped another of my horses with coughing and runny nose today, thankfully hers is just run of the mill allergies and not Pythium induced. That means I do have a safe place to put horses. Of course now one of my boarders who is not affected decided to tie up today. Diagnosis of PSSM, she is Perch/TB so not unexpected. Will be my first encounter with managing PSSM horse. She will probably do a genetic or muscle test to confirm.

Hope all have a wonderful holiday.

[Avola]

DD has to work and step kids live far, far away so it'll be quiet. We'll probably have the neighbor over much like last year as he is elderly, lives alone and is not in the greatest health. I hear he's still talking about last year's "feast" at our house all over the neighborhood so at least I know he appreciates my cooking. Thanksgiving is usually not a big affair at chez Avola as we save our full blown madness for Chritsmas time

[Ganas]

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving this year.

1st a silly Turkey Trot at 9am. I bought a pair of drumstick headboppers to wear, I hope they're not too heavy for running. I don't want them to flop around too much. Found them on Ebay.

Then a drive to the father in laws for dinner. Always a fun time.

[VBOpie]

Heading up to my sister's and BIL's in northern New Hampshire. Can't wait for the down time!

[ThursdayNext]

We will probably have one or two families over to our house, lots of little kids running around, etc. I'll make a turkey, dressing, cream cheese mashed potatoes, a spinach gratin, and some port-fig cranberry sauce and designate some of the other cooking duties. MIL usually makes pecan tassies and pumpkin pie. That's the plan. Most years, it's just a small group, and I cook enough for an army!

We do a gratitude tree every year and have people write what they are thankful for on that. Wicky, sounds like you have a lot to be grateful for! A new grandchild?! So excited for you!

[angela9823]

My sister and her family will spend Thanksgiving with us. Then I leave early Friday morning with some of my in laws to go to Toronto! Very excited. Off to see lights, be in the crowds and be in the cold.

[Chisamba]

Holidays are just a little sad for me because we are so far from family that it is not easy to be included or include anyone in our plans ( the rest of the time i consider this somewhat of a blessing, so dont feel sorry for me)

[Wicky]

Hey TN! Good to see you here! But it is a scary thing, being a grandma! Things will change! Six days and counting....

[goldhorse]

DH and I are flying to NYC to spend Thanksgiving with his sister and mother and nephew and our 2 daughters and assorted other people. My eldest has returned from Sierra Leone (which was declared Ebola Free!!!!) and I am dying to talk to her at length about the trip. And also to see my youngest who is working her first job which is on Wall Street. They only give her Thanksgiving Day off. Bastards!
So lots of cooking, socializing, and maybe a trip to a museum if my knee holds up. But which one? I love them all!

[Silverpoet]

Hubby works all major holidays so I'll be home alone on Thanksgiving until evening. However, I will still have a wonderful meal waiting for him when he gets home.

[Moutaineer]

We are trekking all of 300 yards up the mountain to our neighbors. There will be at least 6 of us, could be many more depending on how large the promised snowstorm is and how many get stranded up here as opposed to making it out to their own family gatherings. Good company, no drama, good food and fine wine...

And it is but a short stagger downhill through my pastures to get home.

[klark_kent07]

I'm going to sound like a very uneducated Aussie, but what exactly is Thanksgiving all about?
I really don't know why it is celebrated or what it involves, can someone fill me in please?

[Moutaineer]

Klark, as a transplanted Brit, I really enjoy Thanksgiving. It's origins are with the Pilgrim Fathers, an I will let someone better versed in US history explain that in detail.

The traditional food is almost exactly like a traditional English (and Australian) Christmas dinner--turkey, all the trimmings, but with pumpkin pie etc for desert rather than plum pudding.

What I like about it is that it is a non-denominational, national holiday, until very recently largely untainted by commerce, that no one can get angry about and everyone can partake in.

It also appears to be a tradition to ensure that no-one gets left out. If we've been on our own at Thanksgiving, we have always been invited somewhere. Over the years we have developed quite a neighborhood tradition of going to one person's house or another and all of us taking something delicious to eat.

Black Friday is like the start of the January sales, except worse. It's an interesting cultural phenomenon to me that stuff goes on sale in this country when people want to buy it, rather than waiting until after Christmas like in UK and Australia.

[awa]

Wicky,

Wishing Wacky smooth sailing and happy parenting and grandparenting to you all!

[ThursdayNext]

Yippeee! Our Friendsgiving is moving to a friend's house. Someone else is bringing the turkey. I'm bringing a few side dishes. This simplifies my life dramatically. ...

It's good to see you, too, wicky! And yes your nice orderly life is about to undergo a radical change! Brace yourself, grandma.

[StraightForward]

We'll be going to see the Hunger Games and then probably roasting a duck (need to go to Whole Foods today and select our protein). I'm going to see how well I can do on creating a Whole30-compliant Thanksgiving feast for two. Probably sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts. Might cheat a bit with some cheese and red wine. And DH already has his box of Stovetop ready to go. Blech.