Are you hosting Thanksgiving?

[Skywalker3]

We haven't finalized plans, but I hope not. I have to work that Wed before, and probably the Friday after. I think we're doing what we usually do, and going to my in-laws. It'll just be them, and our family of 4, so it's never a big group.

 

[fla4fun]

There is just me, my sister, and my BIL, and they come to my house because I have a larger kitchen and dining area than they do. We all pitch in with the meals though, so it feels more like a casual get together than me hosting them. If they had the larger kitchen, I would be going to them.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We host every year because we have the biggest house and not to toot my own horn lol but I’m the best cook. We’re having 25 people. We don’t sit at the table as people traditionally do, we set up a buffet and everyone just kind of eats wherever. And the most difficult part of thanksgiving is that we always leave the morning after for our yearly 2 week Disney trip. So we can’t keep any leftovers and we have to make sure everything is packed before thanksgiving because there’s no time on that night, we’re busy cleaning up after dinner.

 

[hertamaniac]

I'm in charge of making the stuffing this year (first time attempt), but not hosting. Ordered some sides from Publix too.

 

[hrhdhd]

Nope. DH and I will enjoy the Thanksgiving plate at the Grand Marlin in Panama City Beach. No cooking, no cleanup, no annoying relatives. Win, win, win!

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Does it count as hosting if its only me??? I can only get home to my parents at Christmas so Thanksgiving is just me in my pjs making a small turkey breast and fixings. Oh, and homemade Chex mix. That's my solo person tradition.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I don't really think of it as hosting when it's just the members of our household. I'll spare all of the drama of one side and the geographic location issues of the other side. Still, it's kind of ironic that our holidays involve such a small crowd when I'm well equipped to host 2-dozen or more (due to an obsession with dining stuff) and we have been known to stock up on turkeys and hams when they drop in price for the holidays. More leftovers for us

 

[AustinTink]

I’m hosting! Starting to get recipes together and plan the tablescape.

 

[lifesavacation]

I am hosting. We’ll end up with about 20 people and several extended family staying with us for the week. I am definitely not excited about that aspect of it and I need to learn to say no. I need to figure out why I always agree when it stresses me out and makes me resentful.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We haven't hosted a Thanksgiving but we easily could (small or medium sized). We did the first year we moved in we had Christmas at our house with my mom's side of the family and a year or two we've had mother-in-law's Christmas at our house.

I'm wondering if my sister-in-law will want to host Thanksgiving at her and her boyfriend's new house but she may not want to, they just moved in all their furniture last weekend. Her boyfriend goes to Chicago to be with his family as they do not celebrate Thanksgiving (or Christmas for that matter) so I could understand if she didn't want to.

 

[Southernmiss]

Love Thanksgiving and we always host, bigger home, I cook, etc. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas hosting so much so that we built a 25x16 deck addition 2 years ago to have Thanksgiving outside around one table-our weather is most often nice on Thanksgiving Day.

We could have anywhere from 14 to 20 people. I think we're closer to 14 this year as a couple of my own kids cannot make it.

Our menu is the same that we use every year with all traditional foods. I'll start looking at it and double checking my ingredients this weekend.

As an aside about traveling for holidays, a few years ago, our daughter had the opportunity to play soccer with an out of state traveling team at Disney's Wide World of Sports over Thanksgiving weekend. So we were out of town without our 3 sons. I hated it. The sons were home from college and we were not together. Our sons went to my in-laws for Thanksgiving, but it was weird. While I loved being at Disney, it still bothered me that I ghosted them for the holiday. Ironically, they are the 2 who cannot make it home this year as one lives out of state for school and the other works holidays in a hospital.

Years ago, we were able to take all of our kids to Disney for Thanksgiving. That was a great week. To see the magical transformation from some Christmas decor to all Christmas decorations when you wake up the day after Thanksgiving at Disney is a fond memory.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

We are not. We travel to my brother's for Thanksgiving since he has a little one and we do not. It's an hour and half drive each way so it's easier for us to do it. He'll probably have around 10-14 people total. I bring the cheesesteak bread (appetizer), sweet potato casserole, and dessert if he needs it (sometimes yes, sometimes no depending on how many and who is bringing what). He makes a great Thanksgiving dinner and I am looking forward to it.

 

[easyas123]

plan the tablescape

I don't go wild, I just clip some branches from my evergreens/juniper/holy/whatever floats my boat Thanksgiving morning and put some along the center length of the table with a few candles and maybe a few small gourds.
Of course, I'm not very good at decoration/crafting so I'm sure I'm only doing the bare minimum - my decorating style is best described as 'less is more'.

cheesesteak bread (appetizer)

I'm intrigued! I've not heard of this, is it something along these lines?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/n...onspiracy-theory-goes-viral-social-media.html

https://therecipecritic.com/philly-cheese-steak-cheesy-bread/

 

[soccerdad72]

We almost always host, but it's usually a small group (6-8 of us), so it's not much different than making a regular dinner.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Not hosting this year but am making a meal to ship to a faraway family member.

Already finished putting the spices together for the turkey brine, blanched/flash-froze green beans and chopped aromatics, minced soft herbs and froze them as well. Not buying turkey until the 15th and having the butcher do all the boning and special cuts this year. Purchased TDay appropriate paper goods and aluminum foil pans a month back.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Who else is hosting? Have you started prepping?

Well, our big hosting days are over. There's only the 4 of us still at home, everyone else lives too far away.

Only "prep" work I've done is think about it.

 

[tvguy]

Yes. 5 people total. When we were working, we always shifted Thanksgiving to the Saturday after because Thanksgiving was a normal work day for DW and I. And it allowed our friends from out of town to have their Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving, and join us for a second celebration.
We're retired now, and we are still shifting Thanksgiving to Saturday after because Thanksgiving is a normal work day for our daughter, and it is still easier for our out of town friends to travel on Saturday versus on Thanksgiving.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

I don't go wild, I just clip some branches from my evergreens/juniper/holy/whatever floats my boat Thanksgiving morning and put some along the center length of the table with a few candles and maybe a few small gourds.
Of course, I'm not very good at decoration/crafting so I'm sure I'm only doing the bare minimum - my decorating style is best described as 'less is more'.

I'm intrigued! I've not heard of this, is it something along these lines?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/n...onspiracy-theory-goes-viral-social-media.html

https://therecipecritic.com/philly-cheese-steak-cheesy-bread/

Not exactly (your first link didn't bring me to anything food related...I'm referring to the second one). We get it at our local bakery (link below). We are the only part of the family that lives in Philadelphia and everyone requests we bring it for any party and an extra for their freezer to eat later. We usually bring the plain cheesesteak and one of the other varieties. It's basically a stuffed bread that you bake in the oven.

Sidenote: You could probably make it homemade but everyone just gets it from the bakery below. At Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Eagles Superbowl the line is down several blocks. They have a DJ outside. They hand out coffee, hot chocolate, and shots of liquor. It's a really fun tradition. Everyone is in such a good mood and gets you in the holiday spirit.
http://www.marchianosbakery.com/breads.html

 

[easyas123]

(your first link didn't bring me to anything food related...I'm referring to the second one

Sorry, I musta fouled up the link.
My technology ability is not great ha ha!!

I'll have to check this out - I'm from South Jersey but never heard of it (not that that means anything ) but we may pop up to Philly for the Christmas Market this year so maybe I'll check out the bakery or have one of my cousins in the immediate area stop in for me.
Thanks for the recommendation, much appreciated!

 

[tony67]

We hosted for years and years - pretty much all holidays as my parents got older - it was a ton of work and for last last several years we had to pack it all up and bring it to their house. My brother was no help at all - cheese and crackers on a paper plate was the most he did.

Now that they are gone we don't really do much of anything for the holidays - and its great - no stress - no cooking food packing it reheating - total PITA.
Sounds terrible I know - but if you have been through that I am sure you understand.