DH's family is Italian, although not off the boat and they don't speak it. For Thanksgiving they begin with an Itailian meal (anitpasta, basked ziti, ect.) after sitting around for an hour they then bring out the traditional Thanksgiving meal (turkey, stuffing, veggies, ect.), we sit around for another hour and then desert. It is a very long day. This will only be my 2nd Thanksgiving with them and this time I will pace myself accordingly.
Do other Italians do this? 
Teterboro 5K             7/16/11   23:22
Tenafly 5K 6/5/11 26:48 1st in age group and stroller division
Teterboro 5K               7/17/10     24:42
Lincoln Tunnel 5K       4/25/10       28:18  4 1/2 weeks pp 
Teterboro Airport 5K    7/18/09       22:35   3rd place age group  4 1/2 weeks pregnant
Long Branch 1/2         5/3/09        1:51:07
Lincoln Tunnel 5K       4/26/09      22:22
NJEA 5K                   11/7/08      22:30     2nd place age group
Westchester 1/2         10/12/08    1:50:16
Teterboro Airport 5K    7/19/08      23:43
Long Branch 1/2        5/4/08        1:54:18
Giant Stadium 5K       4/26/08      error in timing
Hackensack 5K         10/14/07     23:55  1st place in age group
Re: s/o Thanksgiving- Italians
I am Italian and KNOW they LOVE to eat....this is how most of them eat. But they don't stop there........Then they bring out all the desserts and then all the leftovers. Its a all night thing.
We usually don't do the whole turkey thing just the pasta thing...usaully stuffed shells (yum) I love it. Its what I am used it. Although we have had the turkey thing and the only perosn that loves it is my dh. That is why we do it but I like the pasta thing better.
This is how every holiday or celebration is with DH's family. He's actually from italy moved here 6 years ago.
Thankfully since his family won't be here for this thanksgiving I've sold him on only one pasta dish served besides the turkey and regular holiday fare.
click the pic (blog)
Yes, that is completely traditional.
We start with antipast around 1:00
ravioli,baked ziti or lasagna with all the gravy meats around 2:00
then we take a break,
"traditional" thanksgiving dinner around 5:00
and then coffee and dessert around 7 or 8.
DH's family is Italian. I made Thanksgiving dinner last year and gave her the task of desserts. We had 11 people at our house. And she made enough dessert to feed like 50 people, which actually really pissed me off because I said, "Just a couple things. There aren't many of us." Plus she insisted on us keeping all the leftover sweets.
This year she is having xmas at her house. There will only be 4 adults and DS. She said she is making a lasagna, ham, and turkey plus sides and desserts... seriously.
Ours is the same, except no antipasta and we start at 3pm.