Thanksgiving 2012

[Gedunker]

We'll be staying local again as my nuclear family has shrunk and those of us that remain are scattered across the landscape. Fortunately, Mrs G has a large family and extended family and it will be fun to get together with them. Aside from a little dust-up last year that, no doubt, will linger into this, it should be a typical Thanksgiving. My only gripe is there's never enough turkey left-over for sandwiches afterwards. (The group literally consumes a 24# turkey plus all the trimmings in one go!)

I know lots of us will be thinking of Bear Up North as Katie and his family endure this first Thanksgiving after his passing. And I'll think of my mom and dad and other family and friends that are gone. But I'll have much to be thankful for as well.

How about you Cyburbia? Tell us all

[JNA]

Family scattered - east & west coast. No family here and I hate being reminded that it's a family based holiday AIB the that Rockwell painting.

[WSU MUP Student]

Against my initial protestations, we are hosting Thanksgiving for my wife's mom's side of the family. This is the first holiday we have hosted since her dad's side's Christmas in 2009. As far as family gatherings, this is a relatively easy one because there will only be 13 people, including a toddler, a 10-year-old, and a 15-year-old. After I thought about it a bit, I decided hosting is probably a good idea because I don't have to drive anywhere and I can escape to the den to watch football or to the garage to just hide. I wouldn't be able to do that if we were at her parents house or at her cousin's house - who doesn't even own a television?!?!?

We haven't even actually had the gathering yet and I am already trying to convince my wife that we should host her family's Christmas party too otherwise we will have to drive an hour and a half (either to the east or west depending on who ends up hosting it). I've decided staying at home and doing a bit extra cooking and cleaning is worth it if it means I don't have to get in the car.

[Mud Princess]

I'm not sure what I'm doing. My DH is working on Thanksgiving Day this year. I may go to my mother-in-law's house alone.

[btrage]

I posted about mine earlier.

http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showt...l=1#post650221

[kms]

Dinner with my family is here at 1 PM. Darly dinner means that the kids can go with their dad later if they want, and my sister works Black Friday for a huge discount retailer.

This is the first Thanksgiving that my daughter can't attend, and she's already sad and crying. It'll be a rough holiday season for her bacuse she can't come home for Christmas either, given that she works for the same huge discount retailer in her NC town.

[terraplnr]

Honestly, all I want to do is hang out at the beach if the weather is nice, or watch movies all day if it’s not nice. I was considering taking my son camping but we might just go on a hike/picnic sometime that weekend. I’m visiting family over Christmas so am staying here for Thanksgiving. Had friends over last year for a big feast (which I usually really enjoy doing) but I’m not feeling it this year and would be totally happy just relaxing.

[TerraSapient]

We wanted to host Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year and invite all the moms and dads and uncles over so we wouldn't have to drive to 3 different houses, but my folks moved to Texas, MW's Dad and his wife decided to go to on holiday out of town, and MW's mom and her husband can't come over because MW's stepdad won't come over until MW and I finish buying the house off MW's dad... the fact that MW's mom and dad have been divorced for 20 years and get along well enough doesn't deter him from being dramatic. So, I am making Thanksgiving dinner for just MW and I again this year.

We will definitely be dressing SeaMonkey up as a turkey and taking hilarious pictures of him all day!

[Brocktoon]

Flying to Michigan. This will be the first time traveling with my daughter (age 4) where we connect. Thankfully we are travelling Tuesday to Tuesday. My father and step moter do not want to clean dishes so it is entirely possible we are going to get a fried cajun turkey from Popeye's. I told my wife we are going to get a precooked turkey I just failed to mention from where. She frowns upon Popeye's. This will be my niece's first Thanksgiving and the first time I get to see her for the first time.

[wahday]

Dinner with my sister-in-law's family and then out to our land Friday through Sunday. If its not too freezing. It snowed there last weekend!

I really do enjoy Thanksgiving as the big harvest meal that it is. The particular narrative attached to our American version aside, it does echo some deeper, more longstanding human tradition of gorging before the long winter. My wife and I have minimal family still alive, which is sad, but it also means there is little if any family strife and conflict to contend with...

[michaelskis]

My wife is on call, so we are staying at home. However, the wife’s parents, her grandmothers, and her aunt (who is a female crazy uncle Eddie) are all coming to dinner at our house. My wife is not much of a chef, which is ok because I enjoy cooking, so I am going to be cooking the bird, stuffing, and potatoes.

Last time this occurred, the wife got called in at 11 am and worked for 12 hours and I got to entertain her family. Her dad is awesome though so I am happy he will be there.

[Tranplanner]

We hosted this year - Mrs. Tranplanner's family and a bunch of friends who had nowhere else to go that weekend. Really enjoyed being able to give friends who otherwise would have been home alone a good family dinner. Hoping to make it an annual event. Every year I tell myself I should take American Thanksgiving off as well, mainly so I can watch football. Maybe I'll have to crash one of your dinners.

[Veloise]

Last year my church hosted a T-day potluck in honor of our Occupy GR friends, staying on our porch.

This year the senior minister asked if folks would care to reprise that. (Occupy has decamped, it's church members and friends.) I was one of the first to say yes, and subsequently was conscripted to coordinate it (since the admin has the day off).

It could be going better. One person or family insisted on a mid-afternoon meal, which has caused several others to vanish. (Not everyone has the day off.) Others have stated that they can't attend, but they will drop off food and someone else can cook it. Veloise's rule: no. If you can't be there to eat, don't drive across town to deposit rolls and butter on the counter. And thanks for the good thoughts.

Last year the minister provided the turkey, which somehow became "church will provide the turkey." He says he can't this year. Welllll....despite having lots of stitches in my foot and a big splint on top of those, I could hover on my knee-wheeler long enough to prepare a turkey, then put in the oven. Only problem is I have five steps down between the kitchen and the driveway, and it's hard enough to escape on crutches while taking my knee wheeler out to the four-wheeler. Add a huge cooked turkey, and that part of the journey would be a big challenge.

The other night we had a Diwali party at church (it's quite a place) and I mentioned this to one of the RSVPed folks, a capable able-bodied person with no (evident) disabilities. She immediately replied, "oh, I can't help do that. I don't want to get burned."

So I mused out loud about making a foil tent, placing it in a suitably-sized box, surrounding with a couple layers of newspaper, maybe one of the frozen food keep-it-cold-in-your-car bags, and then a single yet clever harness to make it portable. She repeated this fear of hot things.

So I said maybe I would cook it Weds, then carve it, transport it in icebox dishes, reheat downtown. "Oh no, you can't do that. It has to look like a turkey. It wouldn't be pretty that way."

This need to have someone cater to her every whim is keeping me from falling asleep because I'm thinking I should establish a credible line of defense pre-need.

[Cardinal]

On Thanksgiving Day I will be headed down to the northern 'burbs of Chicago. One of my brothers will be hosting this year (we did last year) and my parents and one other brother's family will be there, so it will be smaller than usual. I suppose that is to be expected now that most of the nieces and nephews are married.

We had our own Thanksgiving yesterday, since the dogs will not be able to partake on Thanksgiving Day. I made a small turkey (21 lbs) with mashed potatoes and gravy, home-made stuffing, almond streusel topped sweet potatos, green bean casserole, baked corn pudding, and apple cranberry sauce. Since it was just the two of us and the dogs, I decided to scale back and skipped the dinner rolls.

One of the best Thanksgivings was one I spent alone. I had just moved to Colorado and did not want to travel 1100 miles for a turkey. Instead, I made my own and took some with me as I left for Utah after work on Wednesday. On Thanksgiving I hiked into Canyonlands with a plate.

[Veloise]

...my church... T-day potluck...conscripted to coordinate it ...

OMFG. Vivacious Miss Loquacious (someone different, not the reluctant yet demanding non-helper) just called to spew a gazillion questions. "Who's coming, are they all singles or all women or all families, or...? I just wanted to know who's coming." She threw in a couple more questions in that first contact.

And what should she bring? I waited until she stopped spewing questions and comments to take a breath, then ran down the list of spoken-for brings. "I won't eat that. That's not organic. That's not gluten-free." One of the income-restricted guys had called to ask what he could bring from his local food pantry, and I'd suggested canned goods. "I won't eat that."

She had been present during the wacky discussion on Friday, and we chuckled over the expectations presented. Said she could assist the turkey's travel down my five steps, demanded to know what time. I said I wasn't sure. What time does the party start? Gather 1 pm, eat at 3. "What are we going to do for two hours? I don't know anyone there." [after a couple hours, you will] "Would it be okay to take you and the turkey downtown and then leave, come back at 2:30?" I said the turkey doesn't need to be there at 1. More comments ensued.

Said she could make a turkey instead but it would be organic. Wanted to know why did I sign up for the most labor-intensive task? [um, because no one else did?] Oh, and do the ovens in the church kitchen work like normal ovens or are they special?

I mentioned that I'd considered ordering a pre-cooked turkey from local 24/7 hypermart since I can d-word [drive] to pick it up, and it will be at ground level with handicap access at its destination.

This is turning out to be quite the adventure.

[kjel]

OMFG. Vivacious Miss Loquacious (someone different, not the reluctant yet demanding non-helper) just called to spew a gazillion questions. "Who's coming, are they all singles or all women or all families, or...? I just wanted to know who's coming." She threw in a couple more questions in that first contact.

And what should she bring? I waited until she stopped spewing questions and comments to take a breath, then ran down the list of spoken-for brings. "I won't eat that. That's not organic. That's not gluten-free." One of the income-restricted guys had called to ask what he could bring from his local food pantry, and I'd suggested canned goods. "I won't eat that."

She had been present during the wacky discussion on Friday, and we chuckled over the expectations presented. Said she could assist the turkey's travel down my five steps, demanded to know what time. I said I wasn't sure. What time does the party start? Gather 1 pm, eat at 3. "What are we going to do for two hours? I don't know anyone there." [after a couple hours, you will] "Would it be okay to take you and the turkey downtown and then leave, come back at 2:30?" I said the turkey doesn't need to be there at 1. More comments ensued.

Said she could make a turkey instead but it would be organic. Wanted to know why did I sign up for the most labor-intensive task? [um, because no one else did?] Oh, and do the ovens in the church kitchen work like normal ovens or are they special?

I mentioned that I'd considered ordering a pre-cooked turkey from local 24/7 hypermart since I can d-word [drive] to pick it up, and it will be at ground level with handicap access at its destination.

This is turning out to be quite the adventure.

I am sure that this will be the last time you volunteer (or get railroaded for duty).

If I were you I'd go with the store cooked turkey so you don't have to bother yourself.
I'd tell Picky Vicky that she can bring her own food to eat.
Assign people to bring a specific food: Food Pantry Man can bring cans of green beans or yams, Jimmy can bring potatoes, Bertha can bring cranberry sauce, Ethel can bring a salad, etc. Trust me it is way easier.


***********
We're going to Lawrence, MA for the long weekend leaving on Wednesday morning. We will eat, drink, and be merry.

Rules of Engagement for T-Day are as follows:

Meal time is 3pm. If you aren't there you get leftovers and like it.
Every family unit brings or makes a dish, appetizer, dessert.
Bring your own booze. Soda and water are provided.
Help with cleanup.
Mind your children.

It results in a very peaceful affair and is a lot of fun.

[Veloise]

I am sure that this will be the last time you volunteer (or get railroaded for duty).

If I were you I'd go with the store cooked turkey so you don't have to bother yourself.
I'd tell Picky Vicky that she can bring her own food to eat.
Assign people to bring a specific food: Food Pantry Man can bring cans of green beans or yams, Jimmy can bring potatoes, Bertha can bring cranberry sauce, Ethel can bring a salad, etc. Trust me it is way easier.
...

Oh, I'm assigning. In the recent discussion, Picky Vicky asked what others were bringing, what should she bring, was there this or that coming, blah blah blah. When she finally took a breath, I said that I'm suggesting that folks bring a couple smaller contributions from different food groups.

"What's a food group?" she asked.

Oh look, said hypermart offers a suitable costume!

[DetroitPlanner]

OMG Vel, do they make that for people 6'5"? I am invited to my cousin;s I'd love to be able to pick something like that up. I am wondering if it is just a halloween thing?

[Otis]

Mrs. Otis and I, and the senior planner and her boyfriend (former city finance director), are going to the CM's for dinner.

This will be my mother's first Thanksgiving since my father died back in May. I was afraid she would be alone (she lives on the shores of the Atlantic, and I live on the Pacific and have gone back there four times this year, breaking the bank enough that I can't aford to go again). But my niece who lives near Baltimore invited her up for a few days, so that seems to have resolved that issue. Actually, I think it was my niece's father and his (3rd) wife who invited my mother up. Oddly, as soon as my sister died my ex-brother-in-law, the niece's father, was welcomed back into the family, along with his current wife.

[Veloise]

OMG Vel, do they make that for people 6'5"? I am invited to my cousin;s I'd love to be able to pick something like that up. I am wondering if it is just a halloween thing?

Special order, looks like Meijer dot com only, presently out of stock. Dare I say "plan ahead"??

ETA: costs too much, found it at some Halloween places for a hundred bucks. Here's a nice hat that would be much more practical.

[JNA]

. Here's a nice hat that would be much more practical.

Here is a really wicked photo dare - wear that hat while standing in front of a Macy's and the photo has to be posted here on Cyburbia..

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(Diet) Cranberry Soda - which do you like

Sierra Mist - I can get it here in Indiana
OR
Canada Dry Ginger Ale - I have had it NJ but not here.

[Mud Princess]

Oh look, said hypermart offers a suitable costume!

Oh, great. Now I can't get this song (and the associated video) out of my head...

[Veloise]

... church T-day potluck ...I have five steps down between the kitchen and the driveway ... huge cooked turkey ... big challenge. ... capable able-bodied person with no (evident) disabilities. She immediately replied, "oh, I can't help do that. I don't want to get burned."

So I mused out loud about making a foil tent, placing it in a suitably-sized box, surrounding with a couple layers of newspaper, maybe one of the frozen food keep-it-cold-in-your-car bags, and then a single yet clever harness to make it portable. She repeated this fear of hot things.

So I said maybe I would cook it Weds, then carve it, transport it in icebox dishes, reheat downtown. "Oh no, you can't do that. It has to look like a turkey. It wouldn't be pretty that way." ....

This crazy bro --I mean, person has self-deported off the RSVP list. Hooray!

[Suburb Repairman]

For some strange reason we are hosting again this year--both sides of the family. I don't know what we're thinking after last year's "Maury Povich Thanksgiving" with 23 people and at which my 20 year-old pre-med nephew revealed that he had knocked-up his social work major girlfriend and that they were getting married. With my family, MY WIFE'S FAMILY AND TWO OF OUR CLOSEST FRIENDS present . It was the first my poor brother had heard of it. Needless to say I was pretty miffed about his timing, but understood/respected that he wanted to tell everyone in-person. My brother and I downed an entire bottle of whiskey that night.

This year it is just the two of us, my parents, her parents and her brother. And there will be peace in the land.

[Mud Princess]

Well, finally. She didn't want to bother me to ask, and I didn't want to bother her to ask, so my DH played the go-between and now I am going to my M-I-L's for Thanksgiving.

Guess I'll bring the dog, too.