What's everyone doing for Thanksgiving?

My parents are going to Colorado so it looks like it's just going to be me, my husband, and my mother-in-law. Need to learn how to downsize my Thanksgiving recipes or invite some hobos over for dinner lol.

10/31/2011 10:48:58 AM

Two thanksgivings, one with my wife's family and one with mine. That's going to be a lot of food

10/31/2011 10:49:53 AM

Wadhead said wife.

10/31/2011 10:50:24 AM

not going home for the firs time

gonna have people over for dinner that are in the same boat

probs about 10-12

should be fun, and will more than likely break out into a house party

10/31/2011 10:50:25 AM

The normal. Parents will have Thanksgiving at their place with the family. Small-ish with around 10-12 people depending on boyfriends or girlfriends attending.

Only big difference will be that it'll be the first one without my grandparents

10/31/2011 10:55:28 AM

I'm having a Turkey Fry on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This is the 3rd year we have done it.

Also have like 3 family things on Thursday

10/31/2011 10:57:54 AM

Quote :

"not going home for the firs time gonna have people over for dinner that are in the same boat probs about 10-12 should be fun, and will more than likely break out into a house party"

Honestly I think this is a lot more fun than dealing with the hassle of going home for Thanksgiving. We did it for four years and with the exception of some retarded ass drama in 2007 it was usually a ton of drunken fun.

10/31/2011 2:19:00 PM

^ I second this. Thanksgiving with friends > thanksgiving with family

10/31/2011 2:23:17 PM

I used to host a thanksgiving potluck with friends, was always a good time

10/31/2011 2:27:35 PM

Quote :

"Thanksgiving with friends > thanksgiving with family"

Then you either have a shitty family or you just seem too much of them already.

I LOVE Thanksgiving with my family. It might be my favorite holiday. I don't normally see my mom/sister/brother-in-law/stepdad that much...maybe 3 or 4 times a year. So it's nice to see them all at one time. I never see the rest of my family, aunts/uncles/cousins/etc. So it's pretty much the only times I see them every year. And they are nice, fun people. How can that possibly be better than hanging out with friends that you are around all the time?


Oh...and our Thanksgiving is a little different. We still have a nice big turkey with stuffing...but ours is seafood centered. We steam oysters and crablegs and fry catfish and shrimp. It's like an outdoor Church buffet. Everyone brings sides and deserts. Its quite the feast. Friggin love it.

Quote :

"Only big difference will be that it'll be the first one without my grandparents "

Had to deal with that recently (grandfather a few years back, grandmother this past year)...and it SUCKED. Thanksgiving was always at their place. We moved it to my mom's house after my grandfather passed. It just isn't the same without them there.

[Edited on October 31, 2011 at 2:30 PM. Reason : .]

10/31/2011 2:28:21 PM

I think it depends on your family. My family has never made a big deal out of Thanksgiving. I can count on one hand how many times Thanksgiving has involved more than my parents and sister. And I see them all the time, so having one more meal with them just isn't that big of a deal. When I've lived outside of NC, it was kind of nice to have Thanksgiving with other people and meshing all our traditions together. You ended up with some crazy side dishes at the potluck table some years

10/31/2011 2:31:40 PM

my family is so fucked up, I decided to go someone alone and just eat a turkey a sammich, and buy shit for myself the next day.

At least money can hopefully get me an escort for a little while to talk to.

/depressing holidays.

10/31/2011 2:32:43 PM

Having my going away the week prior, having thanksgiving with the Squadron, flying home 2 days later.

10/31/2011 2:32:57 PM

My Mom and Dad are flying out to SD and my bro is already here so it will be the 1st time in like 2-3 years that i'll have a real thanksgiving dinner with my fam.

10/31/2011 2:34:07 PM

We're hosting! My parents, bro & SIL, in-laws, BIL & his gf, my friend & her husband & kiddo, and my SIL's grandmother will all be coming to dinner

My parents are doing the turkey, thankfully, but we're doing about 5 dishes and most everyone else is bringing a dish or two. I'm really excited

10/31/2011 2:36:08 PM

jbrick...can I come as your girlfriend and shock the entire family?

I honestly just want some seafood...but the looks on their faces would be an added bonus.

I miss going home to Louisiana to see my whole family for Thanksgiving (then hitting New Orleans for the Bayou Classic). I will probably go to greensboro to see my parents and come back that day since I have to work on Friday

We do a turkey, but everything else is lots of Louisiana classic foods like gumbo, shrimp or crawfish etoufee, etc..

10/31/2011 2:37:19 PM

^^ I love hosting too. I think it's the anal retentive side of me knowing things will be as I want them and there won't be some crazy ass shit happening lol. When my mom does Thanksgiving it's pretty much guaranteed we won't be eating until 8pm or something else like that.

10/31/2011 2:44:33 PM

Quote :

"Then you either have a shitty family or you just seem too much of them already."

Right, those are the only two options

I love going home to spend Christmas with family, but we've never really developed fun Thanksgiving traditions. In the past, we've either hung out with relatives who are annoying and uber-Christian (so definitely no drinking) or we've hung out with my sister's in-laws (which is a bit odd for me). So, it's more enjoyable to stay in Columbia. Also, my girlfriend is estranged from her family, so she considers our friends to be family.

10/31/2011 2:49:10 PM

Quote :

"jbrick...can I come as your girlfriend and shock the entire family?"

You can't shock my family...even though we're all from rural Southeastern NC, we're a bunch of liberal crazies. Plus my sister has already brought home a black dude...so the race shock has already been done.

I always try and bring friends home for Thanksgiving and we always have a blast.

10/31/2011 3:02:49 PM

Quote :

" Thanksgiving Thursday Nov. 24, 2011 Day following Thanksgiving Friday Nov. 25, 2011 plus saturday, sunday "

where should i go?

10/31/2011 4:12:38 PM

florida

10/31/2011 4:13:14 PM

i want to go to Dry Tortugas National Park and maybe take a scuba diving cert in florida!

[Edited on October 31, 2011 at 4:15 PM. Reason : dunno if i can do that for thanksgiving thou!]

10/31/2011 4:15:23 PM

well it looks as if I was just invited to jbrick's thanksgiving celebration

10/31/2011 4:20:33 PM

Quote :

"Oh...and our Thanksgiving is a little different. We still have a nice big turkey with stuffing...but ours is seafood centered. We steam oysters and crablegs and fry catfish and shrimp. It's like an outdoor Church buffet. Everyone brings sides and deserts. Its quite the feast. Friggin love it. "

Holy shit I want that Thanksgiving so badly

10/31/2011 4:57:42 PM

then do it.


Im gonna be in the mountains with the lady until the day before than meeting my momma back at the crib, and let the women while myself and my bros go find some turkey bowl games...if people even do that anymore

maybe they just play on the sticks now a days

10/31/2011 5:00:29 PM

as much as i hate it im actually going to work til like 1ish.. i need the double time and half.

moving jan 9th > wedding> honeymoon. so they extra cash i can use

10/31/2011 8:15:44 PM

not really sure yet. my aunt & uncle, who usually alternate years here & with her family, had been here for the last few thanksgivings because both my grandparents were dying. now that they're dead, aunt & uncle are going to her family this year most likely. my husband's family is having thanksgiving dinner & they invited my parents, but mom is insisting on making her own TG dinner, even if there are only 4 of us there to eat it. i REALLY wish mom would just drop it & come to durham to eat. my brother wants to go to SC with his fiance anyway. ugh

10/31/2011 8:39:36 PM

I'm going to Hot Springs NC, my aunt just bought a house outside of there...anyone ever been, its really close to the TN border

10/31/2011 8:41:06 PM

^ Go to the hot springs while there. They're pretty great, especially after hiking.

Quote :

"my husband's family is having thanksgiving dinner & they invited my parents, but mom is insisting on making her own TG dinner, even if there are only 4 of us there to eat it. i REALLY wish mom would just drop it & come to durham to eat. my brother wants to go to SC with his fiance anyway. ugh"

I had this issue last year. The way I got my mom to agree to a combined Thanksgiving was asking her to bring a couple side dishes. Which turned into enough food for 20 people even though there were only 6 of us. I wish my mom would learn to chill out and not overdo shit like that but it makes her happy so whatever.

[Edited on November 1, 2011 at 8:56 AM. Reason : a]

11/1/2011 8:55:15 AM

Just had my friend tell me she's already completely planned her dinner down to the menu and the linens

11/1/2011 1:26:02 PM

linens?? some people are crazy

11/1/2011 1:27:48 PM

Yeah she's one of these people that places like Pottery Barn love because she buys a new set of tablecloths, chargers, etc, every year for Thanksgiving.

11/1/2011 1:28:41 PM

hah i guess thats why those stores seem to stay in business with such large floorspace

11/1/2011 1:29:15 PM

Oh man I worked at Potterybarn one holiday season and you could easily talk people into buying that shit...

the smart thing would be to add on to your collection, but no folks want ALL NEW

11/1/2011 1:42:52 PM

Doesn't surprise me at all. Although I swear every year I get suckered into buying some cute baking thing at William Sonoma so I don't have much room to talk

11/1/2011 1:45:49 PM

FOR EXAMPLE, DO WANT


http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/fall-pie-cutters/?pkey=cbakeware-new&cm_src=hero

I should just never go to their website.

11/1/2011 2:12:41 PM

everyone is converging near winston-salem for a traditional thanksgiving lunch.

terrific food but i always feel so disgusting afterwards from overeating.

will purge my bowels shortly thereafter and pass out till 7pm or so.




sister and her family meeting my gf for the first time ever (after 1 yr of dating). should be interesting.

11/1/2011 2:18:55 PM

Friend just sent me this yummy sounding stuffing recipe:

Quote :

"Ingredients 1 1/2 sticks butter 4 small shallots, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chopped onion 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 pound portobello, shiitake, or a combination of wild mushrooms, stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks 1/2 cup white wine 1 cup chicken stock Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper 8 cups cubed, dried brioche, crusts removed (country bread can be substituted) 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves 3 sage leaves, chopped 3/4 cup hazelnuts, halved and lightly toasted 3 extra-large eggs, beaten 2 cups heavy cream 1 teaspoon hazelnut oil (optional) Instructions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, add shallots, garlic, and onion, and sweat until translucent. Add 1 teaspoon thyme and the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are light brown. Add the wine, and cook until the liquid evaporates, then repeat with the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms in a bowl. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or 3-quart casserole. Put bread, parsley, sage, hazelnuts, remaining thyme, and mushroom mixture in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, cream, and hazelnut oil until combined, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread the stuffing in the casserole, then cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil, and bake another 30 minutes, until golden."

http://nymag.com/listings/recipe/mushroom-hazelnut-stuffi/

11/3/2011 3:32:30 PM

Quote :

"BOJANGLES SEASONED TURKEY"

all by myself. can't wait.

11/3/2011 3:32:59 PM

Every year I'm tempted by the Bojangles turkey. Have yet to actually try it.

11/3/2011 3:33:51 PM

wait what is a bojangles turkey!?

11/3/2011 3:36:17 PM

wait what is a bojangles turkey!?

11/3/2011 3:40:44 PM

Quote :

"Bojangles’ is celebrating Thanksgiving by adding its unique and tasty seasoning to a holiday classic—the turkey. Bojangles’ Seasoned Fried Turkeys, available at all company-operated locations and participating franchise locations now through Nov. 25, are whole turkeys, weighing 10-13 pounds, and will feed six to eight people. Bojangles’ Seasoned Fried Turkeys come fully-cooked to a golden perfection with Bojangles’ famous seasoning. Customers can pre-order their turkeys now and check one item off their holiday to-do list. On Thanksgiving Day just heat and serve for a delicious main course. By serving a Bojangles’ Seasoned Fried Turkey, hosts can share more time with their guests rather than spending all their time preparing the meal. Aside from saving time and energy, the Seasoned Fried Turkey is a way customers can bring Bojangles’ flavor everyone loves to their traditional Thanksgiving celebration."

11/3/2011 3:44:57 PM

I don't have anywhere to be for the first time...
I'll probably get a tailgate special and eat it in a pool of my own tears.

11/3/2011 3:53:23 PM

i'm going to my parents' house in high point. i cannot wait to spend an entire day cooking and drinking champagne!

11/3/2011 6:00:33 PM

i'll be waitressing

but then spending all the monies i made at black friday

11/3/2011 6:01:27 PM

Going down to Lincoln, California to eat Thanksgiving with the best friend...then driving back up to Washington to spend the weekend with the girlfriend in Seattle, WA while attending the UW/WSU game on Saturday and the SeaHawks/Redskins game on Sunday!

11/3/2011 6:03:17 PM

^^ Do people tip well on Thanksgiving? I would hope so.

11/4/2011 9:14:27 AM

Headed to Charlotte (Ballantyne)

All my mom's family + Excellent Food + Jamaican Rum Punch + Handles of Grey Goose + Sangria =

11/4/2011 12:06:16 PM

I bought my turkey this morning - it'll be the first one I've ever made since we're doing Thanksgiving in CT and not with our families. Hopefully I won't screw it up.

11/4/2011 12:06:47 PM