Thanksgiving!!

Natty13umppo

Can't believe Thanksgiving is only two weeks away!  I am having 14 people over (!??!?!?!) and this is the first time we've hosted Thanksgiving since we've had kids.  I'm looking forward to it, but also a little stressed!  

Are you hosting Thanksgiving or going somewhere?  If hosting, how many people are you expecting?

If you are hosting, are you doing the majority of food prep or are you assigning dishes to people?  If you are going somewhere, are you bringing a dish?

What dish do you make (or have to have if someone else makes) that is your favorite for Thanksgiving?

When do you normally have your Thanksgiving meal?  (early like lunch?  late like dinner?  mid afternoon?)

Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions (or ones you plan to start with your LO)?

alfriedeck

we typically spend Thanksgiving with MIL. Yeah (dripping with sarcasm).  She normally cooks everything and serves it around 1:00 or so.  Our family dish is from my FIL side of the family.  they call it sweet rice, but it kind of a rice pudding type dish.  great with a little bit of cinnamon.

I do cook Christmas late lunch every year at my house.  since family is spread all over Texas and I am in a central location it works great for us. Our neighbor also has a MIl cabin she lets us borrow every year.  I typically cook for 15-18.  I ask people to either bring a dish or the makings for a dish since purchasing it all would be super expensive.  I usually cook bake the turkey but if my father has time we will smoke it. I also make homemade yeast cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.  a family tradition on my side, but my mother sucked at making them they always ended up as hockey pucks.  It took me a few years and some adjustments to the family recipe to finally get them huge and soft!!  Lots of work but is so fun. 

fish8412

We are hosting and there will be 8 of us (9 including LO). My parents offered to host but it's just easier to have LO at home. It will be pot luck. My husband and I are making the turkey and a cheesy carrot casserole. We usually eat at around 4 or 5. My favorite dish is my dad's homemade stuffing.

Traditions: We have cinnamon rolls, eggs, and fruit for breakfast and then watch Charlie Brown thanksgiving. At dinner we go around the table and say what we are thankful for. My husband and I want to start some more traditions now that we have a child.

SurpriseAt39

I already gave my thanks, but our routine is to sit back and wait for an alarm call from DH's store. )
Seriously, almost every holiday he gets a call about a freezer broken down or the front window smashed or a burglar alarm.
The last phone call he got we (our entire family) went in and emptied a bank of freezers (8 in total) because they had frozen up and were throwing off heat.
Needless to say, he got a paid day off because of it.

In reality, we like to relax on the Sunday (DH usually works until 2-ish) then I make prime rib or steak and lobster. Monday (the actual holiday in Canada is the 2nd Monday in October) we chill then go to the IL's for early dinner. MIL says we will eat at 4, but the food is never ready before 6.

We aren't very exciting people. Lol.

walkek85

We are hosting in the afternoon for my husbands family and then going to my parents house for dinner for my side of the family.  There will be about 12 over to our house for lunch on Thanksgiving.  I plan to cook the Turkey, one side (scalloped corn) and an appetizer.  I will have others bring additional sides, apps and dessert. We will likely continue to do the 2 Thanksgivings in one day for LO as my parents have always hosted Thanksgiving dinner and my husbands family is more all over the place with TG.  With the way the family is going I would guess that in some years in the future my husbands parents will come to my family's TG.

myfriendscallmemeg

I hosted Canadian Thanksgiving for 6. I made alllllll the fixings.

American Thanksgiving we switch years since both our families live in the same small town. Luckily this year we're visiting MH's sister in Colorado so we won't have to hit both houses. I'm not "hosting" but I have offered to help with all the food prep.

HKline922

Not hosting. Don't have the room. Going to my parents, bringing a vegetable dish, most likely green bean casserole. Having a second Thanksgiving with hubs family a week later.  

@Natty13ummpo I just noticed your name - an homage to James Fenimore Cooper?

babylimas

No idea. We usually do a big Thanksgiving with my entire family and my mom hosts. This year is just a mess. My mom and baby sister are going to Spain to visit my brother. Another sister is going to her boyfriend's. My older sister is in a wedding that weekend and won't be around. So it's just my family and my dad. I have never done it so low-key and it's a bit depressing. 

lindsey1031

We alternate years.  Some with H's family in Louisiana, some with mine in Texas.  On my family's side, the location changes, but my mom always cooks the majority of the meals.  We always cook two turkeys - one in the oven and we fry one (YUM!)  On H's side, his grandmother hosts every year and insists on cooking everything.  They like my pecan pies and green bean casserole though, so I usually bring that.  There is no dressing and no gravy though!!  I won't attempt my mom's dressing, I like it better when her makes it but I HAVE to have gravy so I'm bringing that too.

WisconsinCheese12

Going somewhere and I can't wait for it to be over!

maganonymous

This year, it will be just me, DH, and LO at Perkins. My parents are gone for the winter already, my stepdaughter is with her mom this Thanksgiving, and all of DH's family members are doing things with their significant others' families. So, that leaves just us! I'm kind of looking forward to the laid back holiday though.

Natty13umppo

HKline922 said:

Not hosting. Don't have the room. Going to my parents, bringing a vegetable dish, most likely green bean casserole. Having a second Thanksgiving with hubs family a week later.  

@Natty13ummpo I just noticed your name - an homage to James Fenimore Cooper?

@HKline922 -- Yes!  It is!  The Bump always made me think of Natty Bumppo but when I tried to use that as my screen name, apparently "bump" is not allowed in a name (though it took me like 30 tries of registering to figure that out) so I got wild and used the "13" to look like a B.  But I'm not sure how many actually know of Natty Bumppo or made the connection - you are the first to ask about it!  

Natty13umppo

I'm starting to freak out because DH is in charge of the turkey.  He wanted to do a "test cook" of one but I don't think that's going to happen (we're busy this weekend) so I think he decided then that we'd just get a pre cooked one.  But we haven't ordered one yet.  Um.....I wonder how soon that has to get done.  Oh well.  Turkey is actually my least favorite part of Thanksgiving.  Bring on the sides!  

Turtle15SW

We are hosting both sides, but I sort of put a cap on aunts, uncles etc. my mom would go crazy and have 20+ people. I'm just having my Parents, the in laws, my sister, and both grandmas. Ordering a pre cooked turkey, making a few sides, and asking my MIL to bring potatoes and my mom is giving me money....because she can't cook. Hopefully this makes for a joyful and stress free thanksgiving....and really, I'm just waiting for CHRISTMAS!

scrumpfy

We go to my SILs for thanksgiving. We bring my parents with us. I always bring a veggie dish that is basically California blend veggies and Swiss cheese in a creamy sauce, baked with French fried onions so the top gets crispy. It's delish.

I host my family for Christmas Eve every year. Usually it's 10-12 people and I make a bunch of stuff for small plates and dessert. My ILs may come this year.

wildhoney4508

My IL's are coming here and so are my parents. That's it this year, but it varies. Pre-children, we would alternate going out to IL's (in OH) with Christmas, but now, all I want to do is stay local. Everyone cooks, including myself. So much food, so little time

kaking78

My parents are coming to us. MH's parents were planning on coming too but his grandmother is spending the winter with them and I doubt she'll be able to travel the 16+ hours to us.