Thanksgiving 2023

[Langue_doc]

Another year, another Thanksgiving! What are your plans this year? Are you hosting, guesting, traveling, or just staying home?

I'm driving to the usual location and will be eating turkey and trimmings with the usual slightly wacky crowd. Booze has been purchased. All I'm required to bring are empty containers for leftovers.

[ciao_yall]

Back to the old traditions.

Friend's house on Thursday.

Friday's Leftover Surprise Party is back after the COVID hiatus! Drop-in, everyone brings leftovers and/or wine. I cook up a storm and this year I'm trying all new recipes for pre-leftovers.

Tomorrow I place an order for turkey, and we just hired a few helpers from the local CC culinary program to help host.

[apl68]

Planning to go to my parents' house, as every year--and thankful above all that they are still there for that.  And my brother and some of my nieces are supposed to be there, for the first time in years.  Looking forward to it greatly.

[hmaria1609]

I'm taking Thanksgiving week off. Unfortunately we're staying home again. Bummer!
When my aunt resumed hosting our annual family Thanksgiving Day reunion after the pandemic, it was locally based extended family members who came. Those further away didn't go.
I caught up with one of my cousins in person over the summer which it was great.

One of my friends is hosting Friendsgiving again.

I see the Food section of "The Washington Post" has Thanksgiving recipes available online.

[Wahoo Redux]

My wife caught the cooking bug right before COVID, and it has only bloomed and expanded since then.  She is already planning what she will cook for the in-laws in town, although they are still meat-eaters and we are mostly vegetarian. We will just eat the sides.

But this will get increasingly stressful as the holiday approaches. 

No one heeds my call to order pizzas.

[onthefringe]

Planning our last year traveling to the fringelet's college and hosting her friendgroup in an AirBnB there.

[sinenomine]

I had considered doing a research trip but wound up decided to stay home, which is allowing me to catch up on some work and volunteer tasks. I'm looking forward to some solitude, relaxation, and recharging.

[RatGuy]

For the first time in 10 years, not doing Thanksgiving with the in-laws. I don't live anywhere close to my family so I'm not making the trek to them. Most of my town clears out for the holidays, but I think enough of my friends will be around that we can do a Friendsgiving.

If we do a potluck, I'll make my go-to Thanksgiving side: baked macaroni.
Hopefully I know someone who knows how to make that jello salad with the pretzels.

[FishProf]

MrsFishProf's family has a lot of bad actors in it.  They cause trouble, swear off each other, stew, and then do the forgive and  forget schtick.  Until the next blow-up, and then neither forgiving nor forgetting seems to have taken.

The last big blow up was so hurtful to MFP and Smolt that I had to get involved (I usu. let MFOP handle her family) and put a hard stop to the nonsense.

That was six months ago.  Now the family is feigning ignorance of any conflict, much less what the issues were.  So all is forgiven for TGiving and Xmas.   Without apologies or acknowledgements of any wrongdoing.

Not for me.  I still think we should steer clear of them.  This is going to be a challenging month and a half.

[onehappyunicorn]

I'm fortunate enough to live close enough to my parents and several family members to not have to drive more than a couple of hours to get together.
I personally don't care much for turkey so I usually bring a rib roast. I imagine I'll make some cranberry chutney and a few pies as well, maybe a challah or some brioche. I'm a much more adventurous eater than most of my family, they usually prefer the basics. I might make something fun but I'll keep it small.
Thankfully I think everyone has learned to play nice at these gatherings. We definitely vary in our beliefs but the one or two zealots who might start something have significant others who have clearly set some boundaries for them. The last blowup was years ago, it's been very nice and I completely recognize that I am really lucky.

[clean]

Officially, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is a 'reading day', so no classes.  Staff will be able to leave early as well.
Im teaching online classes now, and am encouraging the students to do the assignments due after Thanksgiving (on Sunday) to do them this weekend.  (Anyone giving odds that they do?) 

I bought a frozen turkey yesterday.  I will move it to the fridge on Sunday afternoon/evening.  Im cooking the bird at home, slicing it here, and then taking it to the Inlaws.   
My in laws were not born in the US, and did not have the Norman Rockwell experience, nor the practice of baking a turkey. The product that they served was ... lets just say 'well done'...   One year, the bird was done with a temperature of 190 or higher, but it was too soon, so my MIL suggested that we leave it in the oven, but turn off the oven.    I dont think that they even owned a meat thermometer until I gave them one!  .... The first year I cooked a turkey and brought it over to carve, was not much better.  My sister in law 'sampled' a lot and then was too full to have more for dinner, and I perfectly cut off the breast so slice it and my Brother in law took 2 forks and shredded it!  With that, I said, 'Ill be over here, it looks like you all have this under control". 

Anyway, THESE Days, I cook the bird at my house, carve it and then bring them the sliced meat. A day or 2 before hand, I get a clue on what else will be htere, and I know what else I need to bring... like stuffing/dressing because it may not be on the list, and AYE need that to make it Thanksgiving!


But I digress, and I ve probably told these stories before.   
When are you free from your teaching next week? 
What will you be cooking  this year??

What do you NEED to have to make it Thanksgiving?

[MarathonRunner]

Another year, another Thanksgiving! What are your plans this year? Are you hosting, guesting, traveling, or just staying home?

I'm driving to the usual location and will be eating turkey and trimmings with the usual slightly wacky crowd. Booze has been purchased. All I'm required to bring are empty containers for leftovers.

Plans? Thanksgiving was last month, the first Monday in October. I took the train up on Friday before Thanksgiving's to visit my mom, who is dealing with inflammatory breast cancer, and the train back to my city on the actual holiday, the Monday.

Why would I make plans for this year's Thanksgiving when it's in the past. :p

[secundem_artem]

Another year, another Thanksgiving! What are your plans this year? Are you hosting, guesting, traveling, or just staying home?

I'm driving to the usual location and will be eating turkey and trimmings with the usual slightly wacky crowd. Booze has been purchased. All I'm required to bring are empty containers for leftovers.

Plans? Thanksgiving was last month, the first Monday in October. I took the train up on Friday before Thanksgiving's to visit my mom, who is dealing with inflammatory breast cancer, and the train back to my city on the actual holiday, the Monday.

Why would I make plans for this year's Thanksgiving when it's in the past. :p

Exactly  Where Thanksgiving is still a harvest festival rather than a holiday to mark the beginning of the genocide.

But, we live stateside.  So we will mark the day with a lasagna.  Both Mrs Artem and myself find few things more repulsive than the apparently required green beans drowned in mushroom soup or the worse than execrable sweet potatoes and marshmallows.  Such a meal should be served with a side of insulin and a Lipitor sauce.

[hmaria1609]

WTOP Radio has its best/worst time for driving Thanksgiving week in the metro DC area:
https://wtop.com/local/2023/11/want-to-get-around-thanksgiving-gridlock-leave-at-inconvenient-times/
Posted online 11/16/23
I'm scheduled to work this weekend so I'll see some of the getaway crowds on the interstate.

[Larimar]

We'll be following tradition and going to see Mr. Larimar's side of the family. Though my mother-in-law is technically hosting as always, she has been getting more frail and is not up to a lot of work or stress, so the rest of us are doing the cooking. I'll be bringing my usual garlic mashed potatoes and green beans amandine.