Have a great time, even if it is quiet, Gina.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you out there!

I am fairly new to the Cooking forum and have received nothing but polite help and have enjoyed the postings.

I must say, this is one of the best forums I've been on!

Happy days, all!

Jennifer

I was thinking the same thing. Last year I was busily reading here and preparing for TG but this year it will be just the two of us also for the first time in about 29 years - other than one year we lived out of state. For many, many years we hosted TG for my family & DHs. I now have only one immediate family member left who lives in another state and my FIL has passed and MIL is in a nursing home and no longer able to go out. The rest of the gang is going to the "other side" this year. I spoke to some other friends who were going to just be the two of them also for the first time - we need to ferret each other out next year I think.

We are going to visit MIL at the nursing home on TG and then go to our lake cabin for a long weekend. Getting together with our neighbors up there on Friday and cooking a small turkey on the grill on Saturday. I'm not as big a fan of TG dinner as I used to be so I wasn't even going to make turkey but found a nice little one and Trader Joe's so I decided to try it. I asked DH what he wants with the turkey - we're not big mashed potatoes and gravy fans. He said rutabagas and cranberries - same thing I was thinking - so that might be it, maybe a little wild rice.

Happy Cooking and Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

Happy Thanksgiving! DH and I will be alone tomorrow. So we're having an un-Thanksgiving meal. I bought a roast beef, so we'll have that. Friday we're going to our friend's house for the official Thanksgiving feast.

Happy Eating!

Becky

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

May you enjoy your meals and family gatherings.

SharonCb

Lucy

Happy Thanksgiving Gina, Jennifer, Gibby, Lucy, Sharon and everyone who comes to this thread after me!

I have the kids and grandkids, plus Dad and stepmom. eight of us, or nine if Ashley's boyfriend comes. A big change from the 20 people I used to host, but a much happier group than it was when I cooked for all the ex-in-laws!

Elery has to work, so he can't be with us, we'll have our own little personal celebration on Friday evening. Lots of changes going on everywhere, changes in lives and in families and traditions.

Annie

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American pals. Our Thanksgiving Day has long since come and gone but all this turkey talk has me wanting turkey! Maybe I'll get a breast tomorrow just to feel in the swing of things.

Have a happy and safe holiday all!

We are just going to stay home and enjoy. I'm cooking a 14lb turkey just for us..this is one of our favorite meals.

Stay safe all.

Nancy

Happy Thanksgiving to all my CF pals! I have a nice life to be thankful for. It ain't perfect -- what is? But it's pretty darn good and I'm very thankful to be here.

I hope everyone has a nice holiday!

I'll be out of town for a few days, so see y'all next week!

Another canadian chiming in and wishing you all a wonderful day of celebration, in a small or grand way.

I did experience 2 american thanksgivings when we lived in Denver and I really enjoyed them.

I'm hosting 20 people, some friends, some family - several little mini dramas going on family-side, so my plan is to sit next to my friends and drink some great wine and enjoy the day....Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I will be a guest, one of 30 . I was assigned, an appy, dessert, sweet potato casserole and 5 lbs of carrots. We are hoping dil makes it through the day, she is expecting her 4th, and it's a long way to NYC to the hospital!
May you all enjoy the day!

ah--time for my very favorite holiday of the year! i actually do take more than a little time to reflect on all those things i have to be grateful for and there really are a host of them! but i see that a number of you are having to change your "traditions" this year and that can be hard. i've said this before but by way of encouragement, maybe it will help some of you look forward to the changes a little more.

when we were newlyweds, we lived about 6 hours away from our families. we'd drive home and spent half of the day with my folks and less than an hour down the road was ted's family, so we'd join them for our 2nd feast of the day :) a couple years later, ted was transferred to the other side of the country but fortunately, my favorite brother and his wife were about an hour away so we made thanksgiving dinner for them. about 2 years later, we got transferred to germany and had to make some changes again. all of us were a very long way from home and both ted and i had some single folks working for us and we decided to invite them in for a traditional dinner, both then and for the christmas holiday. we'd play charades or cards or whatever and then feast on those things that we would have been sharing with our families if we were home. it worked just great for all of us--we had fun and it helped to keep all of us from being homesick.

several years later we wound up at pease afb in nh and it was impractical if not impossible to get home for both holidays and we started sharing thanksgiving day with a couple down the street we became close friends with and that worked out great too!

10 years ago we sold that house and moved to our little cottage and the first year here, ted asked me what i wanted to do for thanksgiving. i told him i wanted to stay here and have a relaxed day but i didn't want to make too many changes... tonight we'll make the stuffing and tomorrow i'll turn on the macy's day parade and put the bird in the oven while ted sets the table with a few of our favorite things. the silver is polished and the china and crystal are ready to go. when it's time to make the gravy, we'll dress for dinner and sit down when it's ready. it is really much more relaxed than trying to figure out how to time things perfectly so that our guests aren't sitting around waitng to be fed, etc. it just works out really well for us and while i didn't intend for that to turn into our newest tradition, that's exactly what happened and i wouldn't change a thing. for those of you who are missing your parents or your kids or some special friends, i know it can be hard. but it might be a perfectly good alternative for you too. i do hope you'll be able to enjoy what the day has to offer!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and those who are doing something different for the first time in a long time, it can seem strange approaching it but embrace and enjoy the change and you're sure to enjoy yourselves.

I did something akin to tradition pretty much every year I lived in the midwest, then the first year I came here I went to spend it with friends in Arizona. I drove to my destination in shorts and flip flops, and we enjoyed our Thanksgiving dinner the next day on the patio. I think that was the best Thanksgiving holiday I ever had. I'm headed there tomorrow and we'll do a Friday dinner. My mom did Friday dinners for years because my two sisters work and it was easier for them not to have to run around on Wednesday or they could visit other family or friends Thursday if they wanted.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

San - thanks for the reminder to stop and be grateful. Not that I'm walking around ungrateful, but it's a nice reminder to take stock of the positive.

I am happy to spend the holiday with my in-laws and cousin-in-laws who are all nearby in Northern Virginia (DC gal here). It's nice to be with a big family (my mother-in-law is feeling a bit sad that this year it's only 12 - and that is small for this family - where gatherings are usually 15-22). When I was growing up our largest gatherings were 8 - and by my teens it dwindled to 5 or 6, and then by the time I was an adult, only my parents and sister (if we even flew across country for Thanksgiving). So often kind friends took me into their celebrations - which I really enjoyed. I just love the holidays and enjoy being with family (even when it was my friends' families).

Again, Happy Holidays.
Lynn.

New plans for us too! I will update asap - but suffice it to say we will be having a blast and I hope all my forum friends have a great holiday too...

Alexa

Wishing all my American friends a Happy Thanksgiving. If I wasn't right in the middle moving mode I'd be roasting a turkey and celebrating right along with you.

Ann

Michelle

It'll be just the three of us, and maybe a neighbor who's alone (if we can talk him out of his way-back-in-the-woods cabin). There's loaf of herb bread in the bread machine for stuffing and that's as far as I got... we'll spend tomorrow cooking. Not sure what...as long as there's turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, some sort of sweet potatoes and Aunt Margaret's rolls we'll get creative with the rest.

San, you made me think of past Thanksgivings, which made DH and I tell Liana about the first Thanksgiving in our new and unfinished house. We had maybe 20 people...the walls were bare insulation and the turkey resided on the radial arm saw. It was at our house because we had the warmest, most finished house on the mountain, lol.

Personally, I have lots to give thanks for this year. Happy Thanksgiving, all.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We are hosting, a small for us group this year, ten people in all. We woke up to six inches of snow, after a high of 79° on Monday in Boulder. It's very lovely, but I'm glad there isn't more snow on the way since DDIL's parents have a two hour drive to get her.

I'll be checking in around this time tomorrow night to read about your celebrations.

Lee, wishing everyone a wonderful day tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends! I always say once you break bread together you share so much more than the food - even virtually.

I am always very reflective and melancholy this time of year. At the same time it is my favorite holiday since it is just about being together. We all have our ups and downs in life and I think about the Thanksgiving I spent at my mother's hospital bedside and the one I will celebrate tomorrow with my brand new daughter and my boy and I think of those we lost this year and those we gained and everything in between.

I am hosting 8 with some additional stragglers coming for dessert. I always start my day alone in the kitchen at the crack of dawn; frying the onions and celery for the stuffing - before I have even had my coffee and having myself a good cry and not even pretending it's the onions. Then I'll end the day sitting around the table and laughing so hard at my Aunt Barbara and Uncle Bill who are the funniest people on the planet and then the tears will be of laughter.

For those that are struggling this year - hugs for you. My favorite song from Santa Clause is Coming To Town...

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon youÂll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon youÂll be walking out the door

If you want to change your direction
If your time of life is at hand
Well donÂt be the rule be the exception
A good way to start is to stand

Put one foot in front of the other
And soon youÂll be walking cross the floor
Put one foot in front of the other
And soon youÂll be walking out the door

If I want to change the reflection
I see in the mirror each morn
You mean that it's just my election
To vote for a chance to be reborn

Here is a link that might be useful: Put One Foot in Front of The Other

Well said san.

We usually head up to my father's house for Tday - his wife has an extensive friends and family network that extends to about 30-35 people. Its sort of an organized potluck. I used to be asked to bring the mashed potatoes because I seemed to be the only one who could make them taste great, dairy free.

This year we politely declined and we're doing it at our house - my inlaws are joining us, and we asked two ladies, a daughter and mother who are sweetly and sadly growing old together, and who wouldn't have another place to go. One of them pulled her back so hopefully she'll be mended enough to come. So it will be just 6-8 of us. I'm going to try to find my fine china in the rafters, lost after the remodel LOL, and use that.

DH is looking forward to cooking, he's been working too hard to enjoy himself in the kitchen. We'll have the usual (but no GBC :( ). I made the cranberry jezebel today, everything else will be done tomorrow.

I'm thankful for much - health, happiness, and humor!

Ahhhhh, I have sooo much to be thankful for this year. Don't know where to begin...but my life is good. I will be missing some very special people in my life that have gone before me.

Our Thanksgiving will be a totally different one this year. For 20 years it has been the same, never changing, but always very good. The children have lives of their own now and they have other people that are as important to them as we are. So, guess what? I'm doing hot turkey sandwiches with homemade bread, a fresh salad, cranberry jezabel, White Chocolate Spiced Pear Trifle, corn meal pies, french apple tart and choco truffles. I'm preparing way more desserts than I am food :-) I needed to have food prepared that could adapt to our changing family and this is what I came up with. I hope it works. I'm ok with the changes in my family...been preparing myself for a loooong time.

THis year will be a little different for us too. You may recall my sagas of holidays with my crazy family, so this year we decided to see even more family LOL. This is the first time we haven't (me) been at my folks the night before Thanksgiving ever waking up to the smells of turkey and watching the parade and munching on things while mom shoos us out of the kitchen. We are first going to my DH's family, parents, step brothers wives and brothers, SIL and nephews and niece at the community building. Not sure how that will work, with 3 under 4 they want to run and play and nothing to play with there. In the afternoon we are going to my folks house where all my aunts uncles (6), cousins and their spouses (11) children (14), and siblings and spouses (10) nephews (2) and our family of 5 and my folks:) and possibly some extras to share the holiday:) This is all for my mom's side. I made 8 pies and apple crisp for the deserts and I can't wait to get there lol. Then on Saturday will have my mom's side grandma, aunts uncles, cousins and kids so will be 2 big days of eating. If we like we will go to my mil family's Thanksgiving dinner for close to a 75 of my mil's aunts, uncles, cousins and miscelaneous family members. Too bad I am not pregnant this year and can't wear the fat pants (maternity pants) this year. Last year at Thanksgiving dinner my sis got engaged and I realized that I was pregnant so a little thoughtful today. My sis and I have taken turns being pregnant for the last 5 years. I have a 4,2 and 4 month old and sis has a 3 and 1 year old and is expecting in the spring. Also my sis in law is expecting in January so next year will have even more babies. We tease that no one gets to stay the baby long before another grand baby comes along.

Stacie

hsppy thanksgiving to everyone! this is my most favorite day of the entire year and if it was just me, i'd still go through all the preparation and cooking! there are a few less at my table this year, but that's fine - people i love and care about most will be sharing my meal and that's what matters - who knows if they will be here next year, right?

i've already spent a few hours in the kitchen. and i just noticed that i forgot one place setting, so instead of being frustrated in having to reset the table, i am taking a break to come and wish you all a wonderful day, full of (new) memories, laughter, tears and a full belly!

happiest of days!
maryanne

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Just had to pop in here for a minute to see what all my friends are up to and read about all the prep, recipes, and new ideas.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends.

David

Hi everyone. I'm enjoying reading all your plans.

Gina -- I know how you feel about the "shrinking dinner table". We used to have the entire family, about 18 of us, together for TG and Christmas. Times have changed so it's just my mother, my son, his girlfriend and me. Having the girlfriend there makes it nice. I feel bad for her since she has no family and holidays are hard.

I miss the mob scene at the table but it got to be impossible to coordinate and too much commotion for my 90 year old mom -- who still does ALL the cooking!

So far this morning I have worked cleaning up leaves in the yard. My muscles will be screaming in the morning.

My best friend's mother died yesterday. I plan to savor the time with my mom while I can. She is amazing and going strong, quite independent at 90! Mmm mm mm -- I am looking forward to her TG dinner!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We broke tradion this year also, as we are guests at some good friends. I am bringing the appy, Spinach Balls.

Mom is still in the hospital, but doing much better. Hopefully they will move her out of ICU tomorrow, as she wants the plate of turkey and stuffing we are saving ofr her.

Enjoy and eat well!

Another Canadian wishing all our CF friends a wonderful thanksgiving! I wonder how many of us Canadians celebrate your Tgiving as well, I know I'm certainly hankering after a nice roasted turkey!

Catherine

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I'm sneaking a moment at my in-laws' home to stop in here to give my regards. This is my first TG with my grandson, which is fun. My dil is with us while my son is out to sea. He actually just returned to his base near Seattle the other day. My daughter is spending her first Thanksgiving in her new town, Portland, and is feeling lonely. Hopefully, they'll (ds and dd) be able to spend today together, but the last I heard, ds is having to work today. I can't wait till it's late enough to call them. Anyway, life is definately good, and I'm very thankful. I'm very glad to have my virtual friends here.

Sally

Lots of stories, here- I feel for you who are alone, but I encourage you to do something fun, just for you!
We're a small family, always as I'm an only child, but happily my parents, DD, DS, and dear grandsons will all be together at my friend's house tonight! She always does the holiday and this year we're a small group of only 17. It's fun and different, sometimes a bit chaotic, but nice to have some different people in the mix. I'm bringing roasted veggies and a mashed potato dish that everyone loves!
Oops, DSIL is still over in China, but it looks as if he'll be home on Sunday or Monday!