Thanksgiving

[FUEGO]

We are hosting about 30 of our family (on my wife's side) for T-Day lunch. I have almost everything purchased already. A nice plump 21 pounder is thawing in the fridge right now.....

Holy Cow, that's a small turkey for 30 people. Are the 30 family members mostly children or vegan/vegetarians?

There will be another 60-70 pounds of other food including ham and tons of traditional sides and asian dishes (pad thai, papaya salad, egg rolls or spring rolls, etc) and dessert. That plus 21 pounds of turkey should ensure no one leaves hungry (or empty handed).

As for guests, 1/3 are kids, a few more teenagers, and the rest (about half) are adults. It's hard to know exactly how many will show up, but it's usually in the 27-32 range. Sometimes my guests invite their friends to come over.

I also keep close track of what we cook and whether it was too much or not enough. With a 25 pounder, we had around 6-7 pounds remaining last year after people took home leftovers and we all pigged out. There should still be plenty to pack for leftovers even though it's only 21 lb this year (that was as big a turkey as I could find in the store out of a few dozen).

 

[Taxman59]

As for guests, 1/3 are kids, a few more teenagers, and the rest (about half) are adults.
Watch out for the teenagers!! We had 13 people one year with 2 20+ pound turkeys. 4 teenage boys managed to eat all of one of the turkeys and about 1/2 of the other food!! 40 lbs of turkey and it wasn't enough for 13 people, and yes, we had plenty of other fixings and sides and a lot of desert.

 

[Totoro]

Ignorant question from the European here.

How does Thanksgiving differ from Christmas? In practice I mean, I know the wikipedia pages

It seems from a distance both are basically family get togethers?

 

[steelyman]

I think Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrims and Indians breaking bread. Christmas is celebrating Jesus.

Thanksgiving may be an American thing. But you're right: both are a time to spend with each other.

 

[RetiredAndFree]

Ignorant question from the European here.

How does Thanksgiving differ from Christmas? In practice I mean, I know the wikipedia pages

It seems from a distance both are basically family get togethers?

Thanksgiving in our home is pretty much a day long family, cooking and eating-fest. Football on the TV, billiards in the family room . . . it's probably the one day of the year we all feel like we can do pretty much nothing, not feel guilty about it, and simply enjoy being together as a family.

And the food is always the same - turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts, cranberries, biscuits and pumpkin pie. Other than the Brussel sprouts, this is probably the only day of the year that the other foods are consumed in our household.

Christmas is usually more of a flurry of activities. Tamales and eggs in the AM, then Mass for those so inclined, presents, stockings, a mid-day movie if something family-friendly opens, and dinner is generally a bit more elegant that Thanksgiving. This year we'll be having prime rib, fennel au gratin potatoes, roasted winter vegetables, and molten lava cake for dessert, plus pinot syrah champagne.

I think Thanksgiving celebrates the Pilgrims and Indians breaking bread. Christmas is celebrating Jesus.

Thanksgiving may be an American thing. But you're right: both are a time to spend with each other.

Pretty sure they got this from their reference to wikipedia.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Canada had a lovely Thanksgiving on October 13 well before the snow flies for the USA version. Smart Canadians.

 

[steelyman]

Although a Buddhist, I am pleased to spend time with my friends of other faiths on these great days. There is nothing like a smile.

 

[golfnut]

Like always, we host it. The attendees are dw, ds, my brother (who is single), sil and her husband and their 7 kids (range in age 17 to 32 one of whom is married so her hubby and 2 babies will be there). bil and wife (no kids) and another bil with wife and kid). So about 21 mouths or so. My bro gets the turkey and some beer/wine, sil brings some appetizers and deserts.

I help dw clean up house the day before and make a beer/wine run. DW does all the cooking and I simply serve drinks etc.., watch football, eat too much and dw complains about all the work she does ( rightfully so). I usually suggest we should switch it up as far as venues but she refuses to let go of this tradition. She is just like my mother in this regard as she hosted TG until she reached her early 80s.

 

[Keim]

Although a Buddhist, I am pleased to spend time with my friends of other faiths on these great days. There is nothing like a smile.

I'm curious. Why mention Buddhism? Thanksgiving has no religious connotation. Does Buddhism have a prohibition against this type of celebration?

As long as I've got you, I've been studying different religions. Have read bible, almost done with Koran. Can you recommend a good book about Buddhism?

 

[Keim]

For the past 10+ years my brothers family has hosted parents and my family. This year wife and I are hosting. Wish us luck!

 

[FUEGO]

Ignorant question from the European here.

How does Thanksgiving differ from Christmas? In practice I mean, I know the wikipedia pages

It seems from a distance both are basically family get togethers?

We have lasagna at Christmas and turkey at Thanksgiving. And a fat dude in a red suit is popular at Christmas. Oh, and shitloads of gifts. Oh so many gifts.

 

[FUEGO]

As for guests, 1/3 are kids, a few more teenagers, and the rest (about half) are adults.
Watch out for the teenagers!! We had 13 people one year with 2 20+ pound turkeys. 4 teenage boys managed to eat all of one of the turkeys and about 1/2 of the other food!! 40 lbs of turkey and it wasn't enough for 13 people, and yes, we had plenty of other fixings and sides and a lot of desert.

WTF, seriously? That's some serious carnage.

There are 3 teenage boys (my nephews) and they just work into the averages. There are also some 90 pound adults and tiny kids mixed in with us big, hungry adults.

I also don't think anyone really loves turkey when there are better foods to eat (like pad thai). But any time I suggest not serving turkey it's like I've murdered Mickey Mouse and tried to serve him for dinner.

 

[steelyman]

I'm curious. Why mention Buddhism? Thanksgiving has no religious connotation. Does Buddhism have a prohibition against this type of celebration?

As long as I've got you, I've been studying different religions. Have read bible, almost done with Koran. Can you recommend a good book about Buddhism?

Not at all. It only suggests we all can become Buddhas.

I can tell you the first book I read, suggested by a friend: "The Buddha In Your Mirror". I bought it because the forward was written by Herbie Hancock.

I don't want to get all religious. Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks.

 

[FUEGO]

I'm curious. Why mention Buddhism? Thanksgiving has no religious connotation. Does Buddhism have a prohibition against this type of celebration?

Most of my wife's family are Buddhists (with some atheists and Christians sprinkled in for taste), but they still love them some turkey at Thanksgiving and lasagna at Christmas. Although our T-days and Christmases are about as secular as they come.

 

[38Chevy454]

My wife has to work that day (RN at the VA Hospital), so she decided that it would be a good day for me to paint the fireplace since I am home and no family around

 

[Taxman59]

WTF, seriously? That's some serious carnage.

I think they were having a contest on who could eat the most. When I saw how fast the turkey was disappearing, I started to panic! Then the contestants started another contest. . . Who could make the loudest fart! Made for an interesting discussion at the adult table! Thank g*d they have grown up!


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[FUEGO]

I think they were having a contest on who could eat the most. When I saw how fast the turkey was disappearing, I started to panic! Then the contestants started another contest. . . Who could make the loudest fart! Made for an interesting discussion at the adult table! Thank g*d they have grown up!

Sounds like we have some tame teenagers here. Lucky for us one of them has a girlfriend coming for T-day so he would be out of the fart contest one hopes.

 

[Walt34]

My wife has to work that day (RN at the VA Hospital), so she decided that it would be a good day for me to paint the fireplace since I am home and no family around

She must be an INTJ. Only to one of those would it make sense.

BTW, I are one.

 

[HFWR]

Keep an eye on that turkey...

Man sees the face of Jesus on a piece of chicken | On Air Videos | Fox News

 

[38Chevy454]

My wife has to work that day (RN at the VA Hospital), so she decided that it would be a good day for me to paint the fireplace since I am home and no family around

She must be an INTJ. Only to one of those would it make sense.

BTW, I are one.

I am not really sure what my wife is, but I am also INTJ and to be honest her idea makes sense to me Although I would much rather have the day to spend in my garage working on project car stuff than painting. Since the painting needs to be done one way or the other, might as well just use the day to get it done, and make wife happy.

 

[sengsational]

First T Day that we are hosting! Only 13 people. Both kids are coming "home". I'm doing the turkey, an 18 pounder, in the Orion Cooker. First attempt at turkey, but I've done ribs several times, and the supplied instructions were accurate. Bad time to be experimenting, but sometimes you gotta live on the edge! And I'm on the hook to do the Christmas bird too.

 

[RetiredAndFree]

Ignorant question from the European here.

How does Thanksgiving differ from Christmas? In practice I mean, I know the wikipedia pages

BTW, this made me remember spending Thanksgiving aboard Cunard's Queen Victoria a few years back. On Turkey Day (what we Yanks sometimes call Thanksgiving) DH and I excitedly asked our waiter at breakfast what the Thanksgiving dinner menu would look like. Rather nonplussed, he responded that they didn't really 'do' Thanksgiving since the ship was British.

Duh. Definitely a foolish-tourist moment for us both.

 

[FUEGO]

BTW, this made me remember spending Thanksgiving aboard Cunard's Queen Victoria a few years back. On Turkey Day (what we Yanks sometimes call Thanksgiving) DH and I excitedly asked our waiter at breakfast what the Thanksgiving dinner menu would look like. Rather nonplussed, he responded that they didn't really 'do' Thanksgiving since the ship was British.

Duh. Definitely a foolish-tourist moment for us both.

I think I'd rather have a lobster, crab cakes, steak or lamb chops or some other typical cruise fare than turkey anyway.

 

[ChainsBeGone]

Will have Mom, MIL, DW, DS, DS's friend, DD+fiance and DGD over. I will grill ~12 pound turkey on the BBQ. I love the charcoal grilled turkey and it saves the kitchen for cooking all the other great additions to the meal.

There will also be a mean game of Monopoly along with the NFL games.

 

[Ally]

Dinner at my daughter's home with her husband and the five grandchildren. I can't wait!


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