Random Thread on Thanksgiving
 

So we'll go over the river and through the woods to Hilton Head Island and see dozens of Carnations at our annual reunion. I plan to consume a zillion pumpkin pies, especially since I heard this week that a slice with whipped cream is only 150 calories. :D

What are your plans?

My old church's Thanksgiving service, my boyfriend's uncle's church's Thanksgiving's service (same town, the church where his dad is a pastor is an hour away and his family is coming out to my hometown anyway), lunch with his huge extended family, then watching football. After that we're heading over to my mom and dad's house for dinner and family card games.

This is our first combined holiday, I'm kind of nervous about it.

My family is doing the same thing we've done since I can remember. We're all meeting up at Lake Lawn Lodge in Wisconsin, staying there Wed-Fri, and having dinner there. That way no one has to worry about cooking and cleaning. :D

My friend Mary's family goes there every year too (in fact, that's how we met when we were in kindergarten!) so we are going to hang out as well. :)

Mine will be quiet this year since it's the ex'es turn to have the kids for Thanksgiving. I'll take cornish game hens to my mom's house and roast them there. I'd like to try to clean up her storage room some too. I plan to go to bed early so I get up and do some Black Friday shopping before going into work! I told my boss I would cover network support that day, but that I might be in late. There will only be like 6 out of 130 people there from my department, so it's the best day to work. It's also a jeans day.. woohoo!

Since it's too expensive to fly rountrip (plus gas, parking, etc...) to Chicago twice in about a months time, I am fortunate enough to have generous friends and coworkers willing to have me join them for Thanksgiving. This year I am spending Thanksgiving with one of the teachers on the 5th grade team and her family. She's an awesome cook, so I'll get to have all the Thanksgiving favorites! Plus I get to participate in their family traditions like hanging up one ornament on the tree and watching "Christmas Vacation" after dinner. It's not the same as being with my family, but it's nice to be welcomed in by others.

In actuality, I'm rather bummed that I'm missing this Thanksgiving at home because all three of my brothers are bringing their girlfriends to dinner. I've never gotten to meet any of them face to face yet.

I have to work the day after Thanksgiving. :( So we're going to my in-laws for T'giving Day, because they're only about 25 miles away (read: too close for comfort) so we don't have to stay overnight.

Over the weekend, we will visit my parents. Unfortunately my husband has to fly to Europe on that Saturday night :( so I will have a lonely drive home on Sunday.

We will bring a bottle of wine to my in-laws, because they have no taste in wine and will serve plonk otherwise. My parents are wine snobs, so we will not bring them wine... we don't dare. We will probably just get them some flowers.

Re: Random Thread on Thanksgiving
 

Lucky! I love it there.

I believe I'm going to Santa Cruz to see my dad's side of the family. But they were never ones to plan until last minute, so we have San Francisco with my mom's side as a Plan B.

The day after, I think I'm going car shopping with my boyfriend. I don't really need anything at 6 am like I have in the last few years.

My brother in law & family are coming down from NY State for the holiday weekend! We're so excited to see them all again. Usually, we go somewhere else for the holiday, so it's nice to stay home and have family with us. I've been busy cleaning all day (as in cleaning out closets, kitchen drawers and cabinets, indoor pantry, office, etc.) Still have more to do before Wednesday though. There is nothing like family coming to make you clean and declutter a home! Whew!

Does anyone actually make up a checklist for cooking and such for Thanksgiving? If so, would you share? I'm so afraid that I'll forget something major. I have to start defrosting the turkey tomorrow (it's big!) Other than reviewing recipes for ingredient needs and the final grocery shopping, what else should I be doing now? Any other tips for a smooth holiday?

Yes. Order in, and uninvite the in-laws. :p

I've never hosted Thanksgiving dinner, but I've hosted other holiday meals. I don't make a formal schedule or checklist (aside from a grocery list) but things generally go smoothly, except when my father-in-law invades my kitchen :rolleyes:

The one thing my mother continually forgets is the cranberry sauce. We'll have our full turkey dinner and dessert, then the next morning she will realize that she forgot to serve the cranberry sauce and it's still in the fridge. So she serves it with Friday's dinner...

Nah, I'm not uninviting them :) They're a lot of fun and our kids all get along very well. I'm lucky that I truly like all of my inlaws.

However, I totally overlooked the cranberry sauce! I don't like it, no matter the preparation, so I didn't even think about it. It's on my list now though.

I am having my mom and the dreaded inlaws from hell along with Mr. KR's brothers/wives/spawn. I don't know how the hell I got talked into this. Oh yeah, now I remember. Either I did it or we had to go to my brother-in-law's for dinner. I prefer to be on my own turf when dealing with these people.

Now, I don't know how I'm going to serve 13 people dinner. My house started out as a little beach cottage and has had several additions put on throughout the years. Now it has many rooms, but none of them are very big. Certainly not big enough for a table that would seat 13.

Oh, and my mother in law volunteered to bring dessert. Last time she did this, she brought one pie for 12 people and she cut slices for her and her husband first that took 1/3 of the pie. I had to open a bag of Hershey's Kisses and a bag of Chips Ahoy to suppliment her dumb pie.

Sorry for the rant :)

Wow! Let me see...

Good luck, GP!! Hope everyone gets along fine & you don't fall asleep during all those services!

Carnation, if I bring a pie, can I come to Hilton Head? :D

aephi alum, there ARE checklists available. I'll try to find one and edit it in. I'm pretty dependent upon them myself!

KR, did you get that case of cyanide I sent to you for your MIL? OOPS! Was that supposed to be our little secret?

Everyone else - you seem to have great plans! I still don't know how my revolt is going to go until Thursday. *crosses fingers*

Sure! The more, the merrier, and everyone on the island will think you're one of about 100 Carnations present!

honeychile, do you have any more cyanide?

Honey, I'm the one who was looking for a checklist and I'd love it if you would share.

KR--I'm sorry. If you want, dump the family and come join us here instead :)

Update: 18.89 lb turkey has started the Great Defrosting.