Thanksgiving Day Plans

[peggy]

Hi! I want to talk about Thanksgiving!

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? 

What time do you eat? 

What is on the menu? 

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? 

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? 

[peggy]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? I'm hosting again this year, but I'm hiring out the pre-holiday cleaning (woo hoo!).

What time do you eat? I am planning for a late lunch around 1 p.m., which gives me time for Thanksgiving - Part2 later that evening for dinner.

What is on the menu? TBD

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? Right now we're sitting at 9 with the potential for 11-13.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? I put on the Dog Show at noon and then it gets flipped to football for the rest of the day.

[mbcdefg]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?

Hosting. In the past we'd go to my mom's house, but her kitchen is really small and she's not a good cook. I volunteered to host last year (that's also when we announced that we were expecting DD), and I quickly volunteered again this year because we actually have a dining room with a big table ... and, well, my food tastes better. And now that we have DD it's just easier to keep her at home where all her stuff is. Plus I have Grandma's silver and china so this is the only time I get to use it.


What time do you eat?

Usually around 2 p.m. My brother is going to his GF's (hour-long drive, ooof) for dessert so I'll plan the meal based on when he'll need to leave.


What is on the menu?

Appetizer: brie and preserves in puff pastry, with apples/crackers/grapes. Not sure if I'll offer anything else. A charcuterie plate sounds nice but I'll see how I feel.
Main: Turkey (free from ShopRite). Maybe a small ham, IDK. Late FIL used to make tortellini in cream sauce with peas so I'll ask MH if he wants me to make that this year.
Sides: mashed potatoes and mashed turnips (Mom), masked sweet potatoes (brother), stuffing (both Stove Top and homemade), cranberry sauce and biscuits (from cans), garlic herb butter for the biscuits, vegetables (carrots, corn, something green - Sister said she'll let me know what she's making), turkey gravy, maybe mushroom vegetarian gravy for Sister.
Desserts: Mom said she'd bring something. And I have cut fruit in the freezer to make a stone fruit blueberry crisp so I'll get vanilla ice cream to go with it.  Brother said he will bring wine, and MH has all his fancy beers in the basement.


How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to?

6. Me, MH, DD, Mom, Sister, Brother ... my ILs and Dad are gone, siblings' SOs are eating with their own families.


Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..?

I'm sure we'll turn it on but we don't have something we traditionally watch. I guess my brother and H will watch whatever football game is on. I wouldn't mind watching a dog show, but my family enjoys ripping into me for watching the Westminster Kennel Club show every February so I'd rather not hear it. And I want to record A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, which airs on ABC the night before.


I need to get to Christmas Tree Shop to buy a new tablecloth and napkins, since all of mine are stained and have pulls. 

We also do Friendsgiving with two other couples, so I need to contact them to see if they want to do it again this year. We always did a Thanksgiving feast, then I think last year we just did random stuff because we were Thanksgivinged out ... this year I will propose that we do all appetizers/finger foods. 

[minionkevin]

Traveling to my parents' house ~45 minutes away. Traveling to FIL's house on Sunday ~1:15 away.
We eat at my parents' at a normal-ish dinner time, usually 5:30. I am insisting we eat at FIL's no later than 3 since DH and I have to work the next day.
Menu is traditional food at my parents', same with FIL's for dinner but he usually has a (too big) appetizer spread. At my parents' it's like 2 types of cheese, some crackers, and chips.
10 at my parents' and 13-15 at FIL's (DH's aunt's MIL sometimes comes but she's 94, DH's cousin's BF is a CO and may not get the day off).
We watch the parade and dog show @ home the morning of then football in the afternoon.

[bostonmichelle]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?
Going to a friend’s house for Friendsgiving!!

What time do you eat? I think dinner is on at 5pm.

What is on the menu? Turkey and tons of sides and dessert. Each family brings something and the hosts make the turkey.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? Great question. 20? It’s our first time going to this but there are a ton of people on the group message.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? I know my husband will want to watch football. I’m doing a turkey trot in the morning and if I’m home in time I’ll watch the Macy’s parade.

[countthestars]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?
Traveling to MIL's for the long weekend (Weds-Sat), H's cousin is hosting the extended family

What time do you eat?
My family eats around 1:30, H's usually doesn't eat until 5pm or so.

What is on the menu?
It's being catered from Whole Foods, so whatever the hostess chooses! I AM SO EXCITED.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to?
25 adults and 12 kids, this year!

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..?
There's usually football on. If the weather is nice, we'll have a family flag football game as well.

[browneyedgirl9]

I just realized earlier today that Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK! Now I am really excited!

We travel to my in-laws house which is only 20min away, so not very far.

We usually eat at 1pm.

The usual, nothing out of the ordinary. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, veggies, biscuits and corn bread, and baked mac and cheese.

We are a small family so usually only 10-12 adults and 2 children.

Usually the parade in the morning (I love the Macys parade) and then the kids will watch a movie in the afternoon or we will play games.

[kdubs923]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? MIL and my Aunt host. We all live in the same city, so we hit MIL's for lunch and then my aunts in the evening. I'm usually too full to eat a second meal by the second house, but we'll pick at some stuff and have dessert. DH is working, so we'll stop by the station so we can see him for a bit too.

What time do you eat? MIL always says to get there at like 11 or noon, but doesn't have food ready until 2 or 3. DH is working, so I'm just going to bring the kids over whenever DD wakes from her nap instead of rushing to stand around for a few hours.

What is on the menu? Turkey, mashed potatoes, meat stuffing, bread stuffing, veggies. MIL isn't great with dessert, so I bring some cookies and something else sweet.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? Both DH and BIL are working on Thanksgiving this year, so MIL's house will be 13ish depending if my nieces/nephew bring a SO.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? I like the parade in the morning, there will be football on at my ILs, I'm sure. I normally am looking through flyers trying to come up with gift ideas so I don't pay much attention.

[tarajane]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? 

We are traveling in town to my aunt and uncle's house. 

What time do you eat? 
Normally 2/3ish but might do 4 this year to help with nap time

What is on the menu? 
All the traditional things plus dishes like mac and cheese, an amazing dumpling one.  My aunts and mom are great cooks! 

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? 
30ish depending on which cousins are in town

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..?
Football is definitely on but hard to watch with chasing the littles.  We are doing a 5K this year in the morning and the kids are doing a tot trot as long as weather isn't too cold. 

[Mrs.flang]

We're going to MILs, its about an hour away so no overnight travel.  I'm bringing some deserts - buckeyes and snickerdoodles.

I don't recall when she usually serves because we alternate and are only there every other year.  Hopefully it's early-ish because DD doesn't do too well in the evenings and I want to be home before 8pm.

I have no idea how many people, but at least 9.  I think MILs BFs family might attend too and that would be a bunch more.

I'm doing a local turkey trot with SIL!  So excited.  I always do one when we go OOT for my side of the family, so I'm hoping this can be a new tradition on this side as well.

[InBetweenDays]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?
For the past 11+ years we've gone on a ski vacation to Whistler with another family for Thanksgiving. Drive up Wednesday (or Tuesday if they open early) and back Sunday. Occasionally other families join us.

What time do you eat?
Usually around 5pm. We all ski in the morning then the guys and kids go back to cook the turkey, take the kids to the hot tub, and watch football. While the women still ski  

What is on the menu?
Traditional Thanksgiving fare - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, salad, and some sort of veggie. We also have salmon since I don't eat meat.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to?
We have the biggest condo so we'll be hosting. There will be 16-18 of us (9 kids ages 8-13 and 7-9 adults).

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..?
Our dinner is pretty casual since we're packing so many people in to a 3 bedroom condo. So some people eat in the living room around the tv. We usually have football on during dinner and then hit the hot tub after.

[ssmjlm]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?
Normally we host, but with leaving for Disney the Saturday after we decided not to. I wanted to go out, but MIL is hosting now.

What time do you eat?
I'm not sure, but I'm going to push for earlier like 2pm since MIL is 45 mins away and she can't cook so I'm going to need to come home to eat dessert for dinner.

What is on the menu?
I don't know. I asked DH to find out what the plan is.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to?
I think it will hopefully just be the 7 of us.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..?
Just the parade that morning.

[luv2rn4fun]

Nov 13, 2017 12:20:45 GMT -5 peggy said:

Hi! I want to talk about Thanksgiving!

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.?  Going to my dad and step moms. Recent years we have usually stayed home while the immediate and extended family went to a relatives house an hour away (my boys are horrible on the go nappers so we just stayed home and did our own thing). There's a possibility we will go to the ILs (5 hours away) for the rest of the weekend.


What time do you eat?  Probably after the boys wake from nap, so 2:30-3ish


What is on the menu? My step mom is having surgery on Monday so we are getting a meal from a restaurant vs cooking everything (I offered but everyone agreed this would be easier with the boys and my step mom not being able to help.
 

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? 6


Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? Will likely watch football. Did the Turkey Trot for years growing up and plan to get back to it one of these years!
 

[macmars45]

As long as the snowy pass between my hometown and me doesn't close, H, DS and I are headed to my parents' house for Thanksgiving. We'll head over Wednesday and come home Friday. My hometown is 2.5 hours away from me.

We usually eat at 1/2pm.

On the menu is ham, turkey, mom's rolls, mashed potatoes, whitehouse potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole. Probably other stuff but I'm blanking. For dessert it's pumpkin pie, grasshopper pie, something my oldest sister makes (it's different every year) and pecan pie.

This year I think it's 28 people. My original extended family on my dad's side (who we've always celebrated TDAy with) was 21 before grandkids married and had kids themselves. If everyone was there now (which never happens with ILs and distance) it would be 40 people. I've never done that math before... goodness. That's a lot of people.

Football is always on. And we play card games. Although now with all the littles running around it doesn't happen quite as often.

[pugz]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? We drive to my aunt's house which is about 2.5-3 hours away. Drive down in the morning and come back that evening.

What time do you eat? Noonish

What is on the menu? All the traditional Thanksgiving food but my uncle smokes a turkey!

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? 30-40 some years, closer to 25-30 other years. Depends on if everyone comes.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? It's a mix, usually football though.

[boiler717]

I’m hosting. No idea how many people or what time because “that’s too far away to plan”. See below that I do all the cooking so no one else worries about it. It will be around 11 people. Up to 4-7 extra for dessert or apps.
My goal is dinner at 5 pm, with some apps earlier in the day around 11 am (for those there then).
Menu is turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, butternut squash gratin, cornbread leek dressing, roasted Brussel sprouts, jalapeño corn creme brûlée, and cranberry sauce. Dessert is pumpkin pie, apple tarte tatin, and salted caramel brownies. Haven’t picked a wine yet.
Apps will be stuffed mushrooms, veggies with BLT dip, cheese plate. I’m going to make a sparkling honey apple cocktail as well.
If my brother’s girlfriends parents come over in the AM, I’m going to make either a pumpkin spice or cranberry orange coffee cake. Maybe both!
I do all the cooking myself. My parents buy a lot of groceries and take care of my kiddo while I cook.

[krystee]

My family wants to have it at my parents' cabin six hours away, but I am not enthused at the idea of being that far away and in the boonies when 30 weeks pregnant (I have been hospitalized once for high BP). Also I want to be home for our town's tree lighting. I love it. If my parents go anyway, I am thinking of seeing if we can join my best friend and her family. If not, we'll do a mini Thanksgiving day with just the three of us and maybe my grandpa and his SO.

[estrellita]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? Going to my cousin's (we switch sides each year, the other years are usually at H's uncle's). It's about 2 hours from us but we will probably stay with my parents the night before, so it'll only be about a half hour from there, but then the 2 hours back. I'm a little nervous about being so far so close to my due date but we're going to drive separately, plus we have to head back a little early anyways since H works overnight, and I work in the morning. Just hoping baby girl doesn't decide she wants to join in the Thanksgiving fun

What time do you eat? 3 PM

What is on the menu? We aren't bringing anything (well, I'll probably help my mom with what she brings which is usually pie) but my cousin usually makes 4 turkeys (a variety of ways, roasted, fried, different spices/flavors, etc), mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, 2 different kinds of stuffing, etc. Sooo much yummy stuff! He's an amazing cook!

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? If everyone in my family (that lives in the state) goes, it's usually 25-30, if not more (my mom's side, so my cousins, aunts and uncles, grandma, then my cousin's wife usually has her sister come with her kids, sometimes her brother too, then whoever else they invite that didn't have anywhere else to go, the more the merrier!).

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? Football is usually on. We will probably watch the parade in the morning at my parents.

[vtdiamond]

Nov 13, 2017 21:38:48 GMT -5 boiler717 said:

I’m hosting. No idea how many people or what time because “that’s too far away to plan”. See below that I do all the cooking so no one else worries about it. It will be around 11 people. Up to 4-7 extra for dessert or apps.
My goal is dinner at 5 pm, with some apps earlier in the day around 11 am (for those there then).
Menu is turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, rolls, butternut squash gratin, cornbread leek dressing, roasted Brussel sprouts, jalapeño corn creme brûlée, and cranberry sauce. Dessert is pumpkin pie, apple tarte tatin, and salted caramel brownies. Haven’t picked a wine yet.
Apps will be stuffed mushrooms, veggies with BLT dip, cheese plate. I’m going to make a sparkling honey apple cocktail as well.
If my brother’s girlfriends parents come over in the AM, I’m going to make either a pumpkin spice or cranberry orange coffee cake. Maybe both!
I do all the cooking myself. My parents buy a lot of groceries and take care of my kiddo while I cook.

This sounds awesome, what recipe are you using for the butternut squash gratin and the roasted brussel sprouts?

[dcn]

Nov 13, 2017 12:20:45 GMT -5 peggy said:

Hi! I want to talk about Thanksgiving!

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? 

What time do you eat? 

What is on the menu? 

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? 

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? 

We are hosting friends and coworkers. No family drama!

We will probably eat around 3? After ds2’s nap.

Typical tgiving menu. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, broccoli casserole, pie etc.

I think we will have 5-6 adults and 4-6 kids.

We usually turn the parade on in the morning and then turn music on. We aren’t football people.

[cricketwife]

It’s just the four of us, so I decided that I’ll cook a ham, which everyone prefers to turkey, and I’ll buy easy sides from Trader Joe’s. I LOVE to cook a thanksgiving feast, but it puts m in the kitchen all day. My kids are too young to care about the food so I decided I didn’t want to spend all day cooking this year. We will probably spend a good part of the afternoon playing at the park.

[ridethelightning]

We eat at my cousin's house on Thanksgiving day, and MH's aunt's house the Saturday after. Both eat at around noon.

Both have traditional thanksgiving food, with the addition of chicken and dumplings on Saturday.

Both meals have between 20-30 people. We have big families.

We watch the parades, and the Egg Bowl when they have it on Thanksgiving.

[hbomdiggity]

Usually H’s family comes for a visit, but this year it will be just us. It’s H’s fav holiday so we will still celebrate with the usual fare, but also plan to make a go at potty training!

Usually eat 2:30ish

Menu: Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, H’s homemade apple pie

[peggy]

I've narrowed down our menu a bit:

For the main course,
Me: turkey, regular stuffing, apple & sausage stuffing, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce, corn
Sister: mashed potatoes
Mom: rolls, apple pie, pumpkin pie
MIL: green bean casserole, plain green beans

I feel like I'm missing something..

[redheadbaker]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? Sadly, not hosting this year. SIL claimed it first, so we're going there. They are local. I'm bringing dessert.  

What time do you eat? No idea. I should probably ask, LOL.

What is on the menu? I'm assuming turkey. I'm bringing apple pour and probably a cheesecake.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? I think there will be 12 of us altogether.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? I always watch the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day parade in the morning. I would prefer to watch the dog show, but the rest of the family prefers football.

[peggy]

redheadbaker, the dog show is actually this weekend at the expo center if you're local! Saturday is the day they tape for Thanksgiving.

[redheadbaker]

Nov 14, 2017 9:37:19 GMT -5 peggy said:

redheadbaker, the dog show is actually this weekend at the expo center if you're local! Saturday is the day they tape for Thanksgiving.

I know When I volunteered for the PA SPCA, I staffed a table at the dog show.

But DS' birthday party is Saturday, and basketball evaluations are Sunday, though if they are done early enough, we might try to make it out to Oaks.

[peggy]

redheadbaker, sounds like a fun weekend! I actually have my girl entered, but I'm not sure if we will make the drive out. It all depends on the weather this weekend. We ended up with really, really early ring times so I'll have to leave in the MOTN to get there.

[redheadbaker]

Nov 14, 2017 10:31:32 GMT -5 peggy said:

redheadbaker, sounds like a fun weekend! I actually have my girl entered, but I'm not sure if we will make the drive out. It all depends on the weather this weekend. We ended up with really, really early ring times so I'll have to leave in the MOTN to get there.

Good luck, if you do go!

[redpenmama]

What are your plans; are you hosting, travelling, not celebrating, etc.? Hosting

What time do you eat? 4ish

What is on the menu? Keeping it simple this year since we have no guests. H is smoking a turkey breast, and I'm making the sides: sausage stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries, corn, rolls, and a pie.

How many people attend the meal you're hosting/going to? Just our immediate family, so 5 of us. Feeling a little sorry for myself, but it is what it is.

Do you watch TV (Football, the Dog Show, or something else), Turkey Trot, ..? The kids watch the parade and dog show in the morning and eat cinnamon rolls while I prep the food. We usually flip to football after that.