One of my favorite celebrations was going to North Cascades Nat'l Park when my son worked there. He lived in a tiny studio apartment in the park (you could sit on the bed and grab a drink out of the refrig!) but 5 of us cooked the most fabulous dinner in that kitchen!! We had Dungeness crab, oysters PLUS the usual T-Day fare. It snowed while we cooked then we shoveled a path to the park conference room so we'd have a table and chairs to eat at. We had so much fun!

In this pic, you're seeing the entire kitchen - I'm standing at the front door!. L-R, DS1's ex GF, DS2, DS1, DH

I think Thanksgiving needs a little help, a holiday about a meal is just a tad weak in my book. Of course I think New Years is pretty lame too, but I digress.

Growing up my Mom made wonderful elaborate traditional meals, except the one year when she had it catered by John Wanamaker's , who recalls why but a very bad idea indeed.

I think many young women consider hosting ThxG a true milestone and wait for that mantle to pass. Before DH married we had bought a house and before the house closed we had bought a Stickley Dining room table that sat twelve, largely with that meal in mind. After we hosted a couple of those overwrought holiday meals for 12+, we switched to catering from Dean and DeLuca which was good but in my book ThxG really has to be homemade.

When we bought our lake house our ThxG tradition changed. For travel reasons it became just our little family of five, babies then. We pared down our meal since the kids were so small, and now it's what we vastly prefer. It's not a huge undertaking. We only make a turkey breast, but we do make gravy from homemade stock and milled roasted veggies. I make stuffing, in muffin cups. Fresh homemade orange cranberry relish. Baked yams in the skin. Steamed green beans almandine. And pumpkin custard in ramekins, no crust. It's a special meal but not a marathon. It's satisfying but no one needs Tums. We have special homemade decorations. And, ThxG marked the first day of ski season so we would always go skiing, too.

This year the lake house is sold and we will start a new tradition on the ocean in a Maine. We are very close to DHs Boston area family, so we will be having 10-12. That will mean my menu will have to balloon out a bit, adding back things people expect, but that's ok, too. We will all need to go for a brisk beach hike after or somesuch. We are looking forward to starting a new tradition!

We are pretty traditional and thanksgiving is a day to count your blessings, time with family and friends, and enjoying a good meal. We are hosting but only a small group of 6. As our family gets smaller, we truly realize how special it is to have those we love around us. We will go to the assisted living at some point that day to visit with my grandmother. She has gotten to the point where she does not like to leave the facility. So, we go to her. Something we did a couple of years ago was to pack up the leftovers and a few clothes, etc. and headed to a local national park (mountains) for camping. Our weather is usually still mild at that time and we could not believe the families who met at the park to celebrate Thanksgiving! We may do the same this year - depending on weather, etc. If we don't do that, we will be decorating for Christmas!

We do a lot of entertaining throughout the Christmas season, so Thanksgiving has always been for just the two of us. I buy our favorite prepared foods from the local upscale grocery's deli and we snack on them all weekend long as we decorate the house for Christmas, wrap all the presents, put together the menus for our holiday parties, watch a little football and relax in anticipation of the activities of the next few weeks. It's actually my favorite four days of the year.

Too funny. Dee. My quest for the perfect thanksgiving dinner one year involved a Martha Stewart show I had looping on my kitchen TV so I could follow the directions. The turkey was swathed in cheeescloth and basted on the hour IIRC in butter and Madeira wine, surrounded by root veggies. The gravy came from homemade stock, drippings, and the veggies (after pureeing them through a mill), and finishing it all off with cream. What an undertaking. But I must admit, the best gravy I have ever tasted.

We don't do the Madeira, butter or cream anymore, but we still do the rest of it.

Due to unfortunate circumstances within our family a few years ago, I boycotted the holidays until we could be whole again. Thus kicked off the start of a new tradition-that being Thanksgiving is just a day to eat. We put the star on Christmas in our small family.

That said, one year we travelled to DD2, she was hosting her first T'giving with inlaws and family. It was a mixed event-vegetarian, 'traditional' and first Thanksgiving foods. Very cultural and great fun.

Last year I flew down to my sisters home (DH went to his brothers in another city). Kids spent it with their in-laws. My sister hosted my brother & his family, her kids and stepkids and in-laws. We had a great blend of people and traditions. My SIL insists on Costco pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream while my sisters MIL insisted on homemade with vanilla ice cream.

This year I'm hosting my mother & her husband, a girlfriend who's grown children are going to their in-laws, and just my DH. My kids are spending with their in-laws. I'm considering thinking outside the box with my menu-but I'm pretty sure my mom's husband will be uncomfortable with wild rice & quinoa dressing, roasted fall veggies and fresh cranberry relish.

Usually, we go to my SIL's house for dinner, but this year I'm going to Mtn's Maine house. Anyone else?

We used to go to DH's aunt's house (hm, also in Maine!) until DH's mom passed away and then the whole tradition broke down. We have only been up to the aunt's house once since then, and it's been almost 10 years. So usually we just go to SIL's house, which is about 1/2 hour from us, so a pretty easy day and it's not fussy or formal, just the usual/traditional meal. We bring a couple of food contributions and some wine. There are usually about 14 people there. They include my dad too, which is nice, because our only family is halfway across the country.

One year, we were in Italy for Thanksgiving. That was pretty wonderful. We basically ignored the holiday...I am sure Thanksgiving dinner was pasta.

One year, we went to Disney World for the week. It was great in general but we had a terrible meal at some buffet place.

Shoot, SueB, I KNEW i should have gotten a double oven!

No worries, we'll bring our own turkey and cook it over the fire pit.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. To me the food is secondary. The focus is on being thankful and time spent with family and friends. I can't begin to express the joy I feel having my wonderful family and friends with us for the day.

Thanksgiving has been at my house since my children were wee babes. So 35 years or so of a traditional Thanksgiving around my table. We have had many guests over the years that didn't have family in the area or nowhere else to go and they always become part of our family for the day.

There was only one year (yes I am boring) that we altered our plans for the day. For some reason DH thought we should take the gang to our country club for the Thanksgiving day feast. The food was very good (though not as good as home cooked) but we sure had disappointed guests as there were no leftovers to bundle up and send along home with our friends and family. My DH was also disappointed that we didn't have leftovers for the next day.

We will be having Thanksgiving at our country home until I become too feeble to handle it or they carry me out feet first! :)

A very happy, early Thanksgiving to all of my GW friends!

Most years either we hosted or went to family or friends and had a traditional dinner. But one year topped all others as the most untraditional.

My son and his wife moved from Virginia (where we live) to North Carolina. He was 22 at the time. I can't remember the reason why, but his wife wasn't able to be there for Thanksgiving. Must have been work, but I really don't remember. I have a sister who lives in SC (an hour away) and she invited my son for dinner. He said he was going to just stay home.

I felt terrible that he was going to be by himself on Thanksgiving. So we decided that we would video chat on our TV's (before Facetime) during dinner. He said he wanted Chinese food since he wasn't going to cook. That was fine with us because it wasn't about the food, but about being with our son, at least virtually.

Thanksgiving Day arrived and my son called to tell us that he changed his mind and that he was going to my sister's after all. I'm sure she good naturally goaded him into it. We were happy he would be with family! Of course we hadn't gotten any food for a TG dinner so I headed into town to pick up some Chinese take out. Guess what, they were closed! It never occurred to me!

The only place open for take out was McDonalds! So that's what I brought home and that's what we had for our Thanksgiving Dinner. LOL But we were very thankful our son had someone to be with and we didn't mind at all, especially not having a mess to clean up!

From as far back as I recall,mom cooked a full spread for our family until she was 75+ young and dw thought it best she host at our place. DW did the full spread for years. From the begaining,after lunch,a group crashed in front of tv and the ball game,another stayed in dining area to swap stories,graze leftovers and gossip,yet another took the dogs for some upland shooting. The hunting group evolved to visting until late afternoon then leaving on a 3 day turkey/white tail hunt. The hunt group plus those going for the ride eventualy outgrew our cabin in the woods.
A few had rvs and began bringing those to camp near enough to drive to the cabin (path is too narrow with low limbs). While gathered around a bon fire in 2011 it was suggested we skip meeting at home,skip hunting, camp in a different remote but rv tent acessiable area each year and make it a week long event. Thanksgiving 2014 will be on a small lake in North Tx within a few miles of where I was born and my first memories of Thanksgiving. Traditions came and went but a few treasured survive. Our 20 year old grandson will lead prayers for blessings recieved that were Granddad's honor when I was a youth. DW will make her cornbread stuffing while DD and DDIL watches,makes mental notes and taste testing. Although group hunts are no longer tradition,Tx hunting season has been underway more than 20 days and i anxiously look foward to hearing from individuals. Anyone caught watching professional sports on tv has to give small kids rides on their back but Tx high school football playoff stats earn you hero status. With multiple camps,small groups with various interests geather at different sites while those choosing to nap are comfortable at their private site. I am thankful beyond belief that 2014 mark's the secound year non of my family is dependent on tobacco.

We have a very traditional Thanksgiving meal at our house every year. However, the nontraditional part is our guests. Of course, it's mostly family but we always have "Thanksgiving Orphans." That's what we call them. Pretty much anyone we know or don't know that can't make it home for the holiday.

We live in a college town and there's always a few kids who can't make it home. My mom used to manage a bakery/deli in Austin and we hosted four of her employees one year. And then there are friends/acquaintances that sometimes come over.

This year, for the first time, we will be hosting two soldiers from a local military base through a program called, "Operation Homecooking."

We have always had a wonderful experience hosting strangers for the holidays and I'm really looking forward to it this year.

Last year we hosted for the first time. Me, DH, his parents, my dad and his aunt and uncle. I loved using my late mom's Winter Greetings dishes. She loved this dish set and couldn't wait until Thanksgiving to debut it every year.

She always cooked for our family of 3 (me, mom, dad) when growing up. After she died, we tried to cook thanksgiving one year when me and my ex-Bf were living in an apartment in LA and my dad came to visit. We didn't do very well (turkey was not cooked through) After that, we went out each year until last year when we did our first Thanksgiving in our house (my MIL cooked and brought food over and our housekeeper made some stuff).
This year, we'll be in FL and probably go out.

After too many years in a row of exhausted tears after doing the whole thing myself, I said, Never Again!

So, I usually try to slink away out of town, or just go to a restaurant myself or something. Ugh.

MagdalenaLee,

What a great idea! No offense to my dear family, but I think it would add a lot to the holiday to be able to include a random sampling of people who weren't able to make it home. It would make it seem more worthwhile, and interesting, too! Hope you have a great holiday!

The older I get, the less I enjoy the traditional T/giving dinner with extended family, too much food, and all the cleanup. I much prefer our nuclear family and simple dishes. Last year DH and I begged off an extended family invitation, stayed home and had a simple meal. We enjoyed it. This year will also be a quiet one with our daughter. We'll probably take a long hike and return to her place and prepare a simple but tasty meal.

One year, before cell phones, we were spending the holiday in NYC with our then college age kids. We had planned to find a restaurant for T/giving dinner and were sightseeing that day. Still don't know how it happened but DH and DS were separated from DD and I while catching a train. I remember DD and I landed at an awful little restaurant and ate greasy pizza.

We used to have traditional family Thanksgiving at our house for many years. Then parents died, others developed increasingly bad allergies to our cats and some just didn't like the stimulating conversation unless everyone was PC and in agreement. So we discontinued that routine and now we go to a friends cabin - we have a cabin nearby. Just four adults. They make the turkey and fixings and I bring some side dishes. We all enjoy intelligent discussion and even debate. It's delightful. Been doing this for a few years and hope our new tradition continues.

Hello beagles,first year following the passing of my sil,my neice (home from college at the time) insisted we geather at her parent's home weekend after Thanksgiving. The dinner was good including several sides and deserts. After bathing in the praise for 2 years she fessed up to ordering 1 week in advance,riseing early to pick up the meal from cafeteria and transferring everything to her mothers dish set before guests arrived.

Somehow I decided at a young age that I should be in charge of Thanksgiving. We have a fairly small family (usually 8-10) with some Thanksgiving Orphans here and there. In the restaurant business coworkers are often closer than family.

One year we had a chef friend de-bone a turkey and we rolled it and stuffed it, then didn't cook it long enough...that was awful. Then for several years we fried the bird, which brought out the caveman in DH.

This year we'll be on the Cape, DS is a senior in HS and he'll want to go to the football game. Like Mtn, we've adapted our menu to fit our family. I think we'll have 10 peeps this year. I make a pancetta butter turkey that is SO good it is hard to not make it. My mom brings turnip, squash and mashed potato. My niece and I like a creamed spinach and celery dish. I experiment with stuffings, as most of us don't go crazy over it. We don't do appetizers or even much dessert. DH is the pie maker, he makes a mean pecan and we send several to friends for the holiday. I am so much happier since we don't eat huge amounts. I'm hoping the weather is decent and we can all walk on the beach after dinner.

LOL, klem1 I should have thought of that! Except everyone knows I don't cook, so no one would buy it!

DS served in Afghanistan twice. His second deployment was over Thanksgiving (and Christmas). We'd arranged to Skype on Thanksgiving evening and I set up my laptop on the dining room table over dinner so that we all could chat with him . . . and he could share our dinner of thanks, as it was, with us that night. I think there is an 11 1/2 hour time difference between us, so it must have been 5:30 in the morning, Afghan time. But there he was, in his hootch, sharing that special time with us and our dearest friends who he'd grown up with and are our New Mexico "family".

As much as it broke my heart to have him so far away, and in such a dangerous, hostile place, it was beyond wonderful to see my son's face; to see him talking to us and moving around. I know that it probably sounds silly, but it was such a profound connection to my sweet son, to see and hear him half a world away.
It was a wonderful, if bittersweet Thanksgiving, and one I'll never forget. He's back in the States now. Out of the military but working for the government to help keep us all safe. I'm beyond relieved that he's in a safe place finally, but never allow myself to forget, to remember and pray for every service person still out there, putting themselves in harm's way to protect our country this Thanksgiving.
Lynn

Our Thanksgiving is *all* about the food, sorry Mtn'dux. lol According to my kids, i'm the only one who knows how to make 'good' stuffing, as I guess they have had their MIL's in the past, and it just 'can't compare', so they say. Our menu is the standard fare, usually a 19-23 pound 'bird', although last year I tried a much smaller organic hen, and it was very moist, just not enough leftovers. This year i'm thinking of adding a brisket, and may go with the hen again, as the meat eaters will eat the brisket, and i'll have 'my' leftovers. Sweet potatoes(baked in the skin for less calories!), mashed potatoes, gravy, organic cauliflower and broccoli with au gratin topping, a fruit salad, cranberry/orange 'relish', bakery bought 'dollar' rolls, whipped butter w/honey(everyone gets their own in tiny glass 'dishes' normally used for patio candles), and dessert is usually an assortment of pies( 1 pumpkin!)from a local restaurant, with fresh whipped cream. There may be a surprise or two, since my kids like to make a little something so they feel they're making a contribution. They'll also be champagne for our usual toast to the loved ones who are with us in spirit, and plenty of wine will be flowing. Nothing fancy, but we sure do look forward to the first holiday of the season. This year DD/SIL/GS will be coming from CA, so it will be extra special(GS loves my stuffing!!)lol

(((Hugs))) Lynn. What a lovely holiday story. Please thank your DS for me. Our soldiers are truly heroes to me. We are so blessed to have young men and women watching out for us and I so deeply appreciate it.

My mother's third husband was a Marine so it was not uncommon to have some "orphans" at our house on Thanksgiving. One year one of those enlisted orphans was discussing Arthurian Legend and Beethoven with my 17 year old self. The next Thanksgiving he was my husband!

Now, I often work Thanksgiving so DH will most likely roast the ducks. I will make lots and lots of pie so there is plenty to eat for breakfast and snack on during the long weekend. We will decorate the day after Thanksgiving. DH often takes the kids to a nature preserve to see the migrating water fowl. I actually like keeping the guests somewhat limited on Thanksgiving so that we can just slow down and enjoy the weekend together. When it is just us, I am less concerned about getting the dishes done, the house spotless, etc.

Love all these Thanksgiving stories and hearing how celebrations of this holiday have morphed for most of us over the years. Since we don't have a television there's no post prandial football, and I have to plan some activity for the rest of the day when I host. This year we will be making Christmas ornaments with woodburning tools.....here's hoping we don't set the house on fire!

In years past we have also listened to plays, given out parts in plays, gone on walks and to movies that come out on Thanksgiving day. This year I am toying with the idea of having everyone read a poem aloud.

Growing up, my paternal grandparents always had Thanksgiving at their house. My dad had three siblings and I loved seeing all ten of my cousins (then eventually our spouses and children) at one table once a year. Since my grandmother was killed (her late 70s), we have never gotten together again. That makes me sad. Everyone is extremely spread out and some cousins have passed away (some young).

Then Mom did for a few years, but Thanksgiving has never been their thing. We used to swap Thanksgiving and Christmas Day at our house/my SIL house (DH brother's).. but when we built our new home, she said under her breath but DD2 heard, that she was never going to invite us to their house again. And she hasn't. That also makes me sad. What is it with some people?! Several years ago, I decided if she wasn't going to have us, I wasn't going to have them and started inviting my sister, her family and my parents. Mom is not well, so it's like "this could be her last (fill in the blank)."

The traditional Thanksgiving meal is my favorite meal to cook and eat. After DD1 moved to San Francisco for college, she would have be bring the ingredients she couldn't buy there for dressing. I would cook her two large pans. Freezes to cook later. She would eat it all in a week! I would almost skip now but DD2 likes to do holidays and would love to invite 30 people. I honestly haven't even thought about getting ready for this year, but I know we will do it at my house for my immediate family. My sister's step daughter lives with her fiance now and they have a baby. She used to come with the other step daughter, but I'm wondering if they will want to this year or go to his Mom's house - which is what I hope they do, to be honest. I don't like a big crowd. 12 is enough.

I hope my post doesn't sound like I'm depressed. I'm really not. Maybe not enough sleep the past two nights with DH sick, and I'm happy to be spending this holiday (no school) with my grandson and also saw my granddaughter this morning.

As far as non-traditional Thanksgivings. We had a place at the beach and would often go there for the long weekend. One year you could go swimming in the Gulf, the next it would be too cold. We didn't do turkey while there.

This post was edited by allison0704 on Tue, Nov 11, 14 at 15:10

Oh boy, I remember trying to cook my first Thanksgiving turkey-it was raw inside! Ugh, and my in laws were there for the meal. I was so embarrassed, but my in laws are the most gracious people ever. For several years, we went to the coast with my siblings and their families, my parents, and my aunt and her 3 kids and their families. Those were some fun times. For the past few years, Central Market has cooked my Thanksgiving meal. I still cook our Christmas meal-beef tenderloin, etc.

My parents live about 45 minutes away, but are very elderly and unable to travel so we are driving down there and taking them out for lunch this Thanksgiving. Then, DH and DS1 and DS2 will head out for their long weekend deer hunt. DD and I will hang out and have a girls' weekend.

DLM - I just love that photo. Everyone so intent on chopping/preparing -- so nice that your boys cook too!

Growing up, thanksgiving was rotated between DF's family, DM's family, and our family. My DM was an awesome cook, and we always used the china and silver. At DM's family, LOTS of cousins and I think we ate on paper plates.

I took over once we bought our house, and. KILLED myself doing brunch for one side of the family, and dinner for the other side. Then, one year, DMIL had a new DH, and they showed up at MY family's time, and I never did thanksgiving dinner again.

I started going out of town, doing an endurance ride( on horseback). The event had a potluck dinner, so DH got to eat.

One year we took our friend and his 11 year old DD. All the extra people and horses caused us to miss potluck, so we went into the TINY town to scrounge. There were cars parked at a bar, and we wandered in. The bartender welcomed us to help ourselves to the buffet in the back. The bar walls were covered in bras. Yes, bras. I can only imagine what Jill's paper " what I did on my Thanksgiving vacation" was like!!

Springroz, that is the hands down winner for nintraditional!

Too funny! That would be my kind of Thanksgiving, Springroz. We went out of town on Christmas one year, just to get away from it all. I would rather stay home though.

Talked to my sister this morning. Instead of coming to our house, she has ordered Thanksgiving from Publix - yes, the grocery store (she does not cook much) - for her, her DH, one of his daughters, the fiance and new baby. Other daughter is working. They live about 45 minutes away. I'm a bit surprised she hadn't shared with me yet, as in good manners to let me know they (4 or 5 adults) were not coming to our house this year. Not mad or upset, just thought inconsiderate. We are nothing alike. lol

Here's a poem for ya:

The Turkey Shot Out of the Oven
by Jack Prelutsky

The turkey shot out of the oven
and rocketed into the air,
it knocked every plate off the table
and partly demolished a chair.

It ricocheted into a corner
and burst with a deafening boom,
then splattered all over the kitchen,
completely obscuring the room.

It stuck to the walls and the windows,
it totally coated the floor,
there was turkey attached to the ceiling,
where there'd never been turkey before.

It blanketed every appliance,
it smeared every saucer and bowl,
there wasn't a way i could stop it,
that turkey was out of control.

I scraped and I scrubbed with displeasure,
and though with chagrin as I mopped,
that I'd never again stuff a turkey
with popcorn that hadn't been popped.

I LOVE Jack Prelutsky's poems, Violet! His book, "It's Halloween" is wonderful and so is his "It's Thanksgiving". Did you know that he used to live in Albuquerque? I'm not sure if he's still there now, but we New Mexicans are very proud of our connection with him.

I Ate Too Much
I ate too much turkey
I ate too much corn, I ate too much pudding and pie,
I'm stuffed up with muffins
and much too much stuffin',
I'm probably going to die.

I piled up my plate
and I ate and I ate,
but I wish I had known when to stop,
for I'm so crammed with yams,
sauces, gravies and jams,
that my buttons are starting to pop.

I'm full of tomatoes
and French fried potatoes,
my stomach is swollen and sore,
but there's still some dessert,
so I guess it won't hurt
if I eat just a little bit more."

I was a room parent for years when my kids were in grade school and their classes always loved reading Jack Prelutsky's poems with me.
Lynn

oh, a new one for me! I always read the one that I posted every Thanksgiving. thanks!

I am glad you 2 shared those poems. I will be getting the Prelutsky books from the library for my 8 year old who should enjoy them. I have reached my saturation with the Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie which was truly wonderful about 30 readings ago.

LOL, Tish! Look for his Christmas book, too. All are wonderful, fun books for kids of all ages. My very favorite, though, is his "It's Halloween". My kids (now 20 & 30) and their friends can still recite so many Prelutsky poems.
Lynn

I don't think I can recall an 'untraditional' Thanksgiving actually. Pretty boring, huh? For as long as I can remember when I was growing up and until my grandparents passed away, we were at my paternal grandmother's house for T'giving. It was a big group with a bunch of aunts, uncles and cousins, all great cooks. Then my maternal grandparents retired and moved back to Alabama from Texas in the 70's so we were at their house or at my parents. We're talking some good, old-fashioned country cooks here (including my DM) who would have totally turned up their noses if someone had brought in something bought at a store.

After my mother passed away, T'giving was either at my house or my brother's house (we rotated for a while) and then we pretty much picked it up because we had most of our kids and grandkids to host and my brother and SIL have no kids. But we have to share with the other sets of parents, so we truly mix it up from year to year.

A few years ago I realized I was stressing way too much over the menu. We pretty much have the same basic things every year, lol. We all do try something new now and then and I don't do it all myself, as my kids and in-law kids bring dishes so it's really not bad. My guys even do the clean-up most of the time, so how lucky is that!

edited for personal reasons

This post was edited by peegee on Wed, Nov 19, 14 at 20:50

Last year we had Chinese in NYC, this year we will find something while spending a week at Chincoteague : ) Holidays were so so very stressful with family growing up that we are eschewing the family route and being thankful for the happiness the three of us (Dh, dd and me) can make.