I think this year I'll deliberately burn the turkey

[punkin]

Maybe then my in laws would agree to someone else hosting Thanksgiving for a change.

 

[skhermsmeyer]

We just decided to move out of state!

DH and I decided to just get a chicken from Sam's for our Turkey day since it's just the 4 of us.

 

[HeatherC]

You can do what I did this year.....booked a 9 night Thanksgiving cruise for dh, myself and our 3 kids! Will feel strange to be away. But I will try to enjoy being on a beach in the Caribbean on Turkey Day. LOL!

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Or you could serve tofurkey...

 

[NHdisneylover]

I like the move to another country approach myself

 

[N&B'smom]

We have always done our own thing for holidays even if my parents and others didn't approve. Tough apples (as my grandmother would say), it's our choice!

One year we did go away, Turks and Caicos for Thanksgiving was WONDERFUL!!! We had dinner with our feet in the sand....no one even had turkey!

 

[HM]

My DHs family celebrates Thanksgiving together every year. We take turns hosting. Everyone gets a chance to make the turkey. We also do it pot-luck for most other side items. No one person has to bear the whole load.

You need to have a family discussion on what would work for your extended family.

 

[tlbwriter]

Maybe this is the year for a vegan Thanksgiving!

 

[threecrazykids]

Maybe then my in laws would agree to someone else hosting Thanksgiving for a change.

Do they really expect you to prepare EVERYTHING on your own for Thanksgiving? If they are joining at your house the least they can do is offer to help make something. If they are expecting you to foot the bill for everyone that really isn't fair to you.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Both side of my family are large and most have a small houses. We have a large house so I tell both sides, if we are having it at my house I will supply the meat and you guys will supply the rest. All a really have to do is clean house and pop a turkey in the oven.

Everyone is very receptive to this idea and it has worked for the past 6 years.

 

[design_mom]

Maybe then my in laws would agree to someone else hosting Thanksgiving for a change.

My MIL always hosts Thanksgiving. I have said that I will be happy to host, but if I do, I will be serving a menu that I am thankful for (like lasagna!) I do not care for most Thanksgiving food. (I am always in charge of bringing the green bean casserole. I can barely stand to look at the stuff, much less eat it!)

Anyhow, nobody has taken me up on the offer. Perhaps you should decide to "do something different" this year and don't cook a turkey at all!

 

[okeydokey]

Or you could go the other way and serve it undercooked.

 

[akcire]

OP--Do not worry you are not alone with sucky in-laws/family.

My personal favorite was the year I cooked for Father's Day. At my Father-in-laws request I made a standing rib roast from the butcher (meat alone $150), because I made beef their 3 other kids refused to come. After the meal, which was probably my best ever, in-laws asked for containers for leftovers--of course no problem. They took all the meat (pretty much wrapped it in tinfoil and left)--like the remaining 8 pounds, and left me with vegetables, potatoes, etc. My own Father was so shocked he just sat in stunned silence--which is a rarity.

Since that "experience" I never commit to a holiday. Due to an illness I have cooked a Thanksgiving, but I try to make sure we have other plans. A couple of years ago I said we are going to Great Wolf and they were welcome to meet us there--surprisingly they did.

Now for "normal years" I invite them over for desserts--I provide fruit and coffee--if they bring nothing it is slim pickings.

I have also stopped shopping for Christmas presents for them. They always buy us gift cards. I now purchase the exact same amount for them in gift cards. I have tried to "stop" exchanging but they want to continue. Previously I purchased them wonderful, thoughtful, beautiful gifts including the fancy jeans and handbags the kids wanted (I had a part-time job at Bloomingdale's for 5 years), now gift cards to Target. After I found out some of the "kids" were selling the Christmas gifts I purchased them--I also went through a phase of monograming everything buying them stuff from LLBean. Now I just don't care, they want to give thoughtless gift cards--I will do the same.

It will be interesting how these things change, since I am pregnant with our first. I am thinking a new tradition of traveling holidays--where we travel to exotic locations.

 

[punkin]

Thanks for the support (and the laughs). Maybe next year I'll plan a Disney vacation on Thanksgiving. Maybe they could all join me for dinner at Boma and we could split the check.

 

[postage stamp]

I had 30 people for Thanksgiving last year, and will probably have the same this year. But that's the way I LIKE it. If I didn't want that many people it would be a nightmare!

 

[Imzadi]

OP, didn't you get the email that you have an new, long lost relative from Nigeria, who suddenly has to show up at all the holiday events held at YOUR house fron now in? So what if he has no table manners, speaks like he as turrets, and pushes everyone out of the seats they were sitting in? You can't turn him out of your house on the holidays. What kind of host would that make you?

 

[GeorgeG]

My in-laws ruined my appreciation for all holidays years ago. My wife's family is large and must control every holiday. Moving away when I retired did the trick. I still don't like holidays, but at least there isn't 35 noisy and obnoxious people crowded into a small house. We're having a handful of friends for Thanksgiving and going to Epcot for Christmas.

 

[cm8]

Maybe then my in laws would agree to someone else hosting Thanksgiving for a change.

, wow, don't burn the turkey! What will the rest of the family eat? Just tell them that if they want turkey next year, it will be at there house...... or maybe you can fry it or bbq it and hope they don't like it

 

[punkin]

OK. I don't actually hate my in laws. The problem is that MIL offered to host (great by me - I agreed immediately) and then BIL offered to host instead so only MIL would have to travel (we live close to each other and I have hosted every year for the past 7 years because I had the biggest house) and I was looking forward to being a lazy guest (maybe I might bring a side dish ), but this weekend he backed out (too much going on...like my life is so easy). MIL has already made plans to travel down to us (non refundable).

I'm stuck. So that's why I'm venting.

 

[SandrA9810]

That's an evil trick. So is it only your MIL coming?? I mean, your BIL is too busy Thanksgiving to join for dinner...