Janie Grace Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I have hosted Thanksgiving for extended family for years. They all travel by plane to get here so I have cooked everything. That, along with hosting overnight guests for 4+ nights and just continuing to run my own large household, is exhausting. Last year, I got really sick the day after Thanksgiving and didn't get better until after Christmas. This year I have said that I need a break. We have kids in school and they are only off for a few days... I want our time to be fun, I want us to reconnect as a family, make memories, and not be exhausted at the end of it. What would you do for dinner? I have some kids who don't even really like traditional Thanksgiving dinner (dh is in this camp too). But some of them (including me) really do -- or are "traditionalists" and worry that it would feel funny not to have turkey and stuffing and cranberries on Thanksgiving. I have looked into local buffets (where both camps could be happy) but they are SO expensive (like $50 for adults, $25 for kids). I'm not sure what to do. I'd love to hear any ideas you have for how to spend this precious time... food, activities, whatever. If you have gone outside the box for Thanksgiving, did you regret it? (You have to understand, my personality is VERY defend-the-traditions... so it feels weird and a little sad to be changing the plan at all. At the same time, I am desperate for this to be a joyful, restful time and not wipe me out before it's even December.) Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Many grocery stores here will offer a Thanksgiving in a box option. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Yup. Tgiving in a box. Go pick it up and enjoy it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Look around and find a place that sells a meal ready to go. They're out there, I promise. We did that a couple of years ago and it was a lifesaver -- around 11:00, dh picked up our meal -- hot turkey and sides. You can add a couple of homemade sides that are important to you if you want to. I don't know how to help with the overnight guests. Suggest a vrbo unit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted October 28, 2015 Author Share Posted October 28, 2015 Look around and find a place that sells a meal ready to go. They're out there, I promise. We did that a couple of years ago and it was a lifesaver -- around 11:00, dh picked up our meal -- hot turkey and sides. You can add a couple of homemade sides that are important to you if you want to. I don't know how to help with the overnight guests. Suggest a vrbo unit? Oh, they are taken care of. I asked them not to come!!! That sounds terrible but one family couldn't travel anyway (late in pregnancy) so I just begged off... "let's take a break this year..." Cannot WAIT to just be our immediate family. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 When I was a kid I didn't really like turkey, so we would have the regular Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, cranberries, etc... and a lasagna for me :) Kelly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4ofus Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Yep, we got T-giving dinner from Fresh Market a couple of years ago. My guests said turkey was delicious (I don't really eat T-giving turkey). I thought the sides were fine, but of course, not the homemade flavors I love. It was totally worth it. Another idea is to just get a turkey breast - already cooked - & let everyone pick one favorite dish & prepare it. Last year, we were alone for Christmas for the first time ever. We went outside of our traditional meal that really is best shared with family & friends. I asked everyone what they wanted & that is what we had. It was totally silly - we ended up with 4 dishes that were a complete mis-match but everyone at the table had exactly what they wanted. It turned out to be pretty special & memorable :). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Years ago we stopped trying to see everyone on Thanksgiving and made our own tradition as a family. For our meal, we like some of the traditional side dishes so we kept those but dumped turkey and pumpkin pie because none of us like them. We make a point of making certain things each year. We ended up with our own tradition. I've heard good things about the meal in a box things. For a year about rest that sounds like a great option. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Costco usually has a turkey hunk o meat that is not a whole turkey, like a rolled, stuffed, bound roast, or a marinated turkey breast. All you have to do for that is pop it in the oven for a set amount of time. Easy peasy. Cranberry sauce you could make right now and freeze. There is a recipe on Pioneer Woman for mashed potatoes that you can reheat. I have never tried it but have heard good things about it. IIRC it involves cream cheese. Gravy, for that you buy beef 'better than boilluon' (no idea how to spell that, sorry) and every time you make poultry from now on you simmer the bones and bits in the broth, then freeze it. Repeat about 4 times and you end up with a thick, very flavorful base that you can make gravy from. Then all you do in the moment is add a 50/50 mix of cold water and flour, whisking it in, heat to a slow boil so that it thickens, then take it off the stove and strain it, and you have gravy. Buy pumpkin pie at Marie Callendar's. Voila, you have Thanksgiving. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Our local bakery has thanksgiving dinners you can build yourself and order. I think Whole Foods and other places make it very easy as well. Holidays should be fun, not stressful. Glad you are taking a break this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Well, I will just throw out a few thoughts. First of all, the year my MIL had a stroke (she wanted to throw the typical Thanksgiving she normally did, but it was impossible for her) we decided to go to a super fancy buffet at a fancy hotel. The cost was really expensive. WAY more than what we've ever paid for a dinner. But, you know what? It was so much fun! It was so fancy.....the decor was beautiful..........the food was delicious........they had all kinds of fancy desserts. People still talk about how much fun that year was. MIL didn't feel sad because she couldn't do what she normally did in the past. It was just.....fun. Yes, expensive. But, if I was in the same situation I would make the same decision about the costly restaurant. For us, no way would we go every year. We have gone back to the traditional Thanksgiving, but for that year, it was just different and fun. You might consider it just for a year. Memories can be made in all different ways, and for our family, that year was a happy memory. Or, you could JUST pick out your favorite things to make. Is it the Sweet Potato Casserole, or something else. Pare down to the basic favorites, and then buy pre-made the rest. But, in all cases, whatever decision you make, take care of yourself this year. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Ivy Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 We had a last minute emergency one year and had to order a Thanksgiving dinner from Cracker Barrel the day before Thanksgiving. It was much cheaper than buying all the ingredients and it was pretty good. It was also more than enough for the amount of people we said were eating. We've also gone to some hotels/convention centers that have a Thanksgiving buffet. I actually prefer this - a bit more expensive and no left-overs, but already made, lots of selection, and no clean-up for me. ETA: One year, we ordered a smoked turkey breast from a local deli. Easy breezy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I would do as Carol in Cal said. Start now and build your dinner ahead of time. Rolls now, put in freezer. Mashed potatoes now, put in freezer. Turkey is no big deal EXCEPT for the cleanup. Maybe just do a turkey breast for the traditionalists. Gravy can be made ahead of time. What do them on traditionalist like? Ham, lasagna? Ham can be done with the turkey breast, anything else make it ahead and freeze or buy it pre made. Costco has tons of dishes to pick and choose from. Start by making a list of what you normally have, and see what you can do in the next couple weeks, and go from there. It will be completely easier than you are used to as you don't have the added pressure of out of town guests to prep for and entertain. We just love the thanksgiving leftovers here, so going out wouldn't be the same even if we could justify the cost. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 We straddle the land between traditionalists and non-conformists here. :) Our plan this year: -Turkey in a box. Well, turkey breast. We don't eat a whole one anyway, and a nearby caterer smokes them and turns them into deliciousness. Pick up the day before, reheat. -homemade cranberry sauce to go on top. It's a tradition, made with thyme and chicken stock. -premade desserts. We like cooking these. :D We'll cook them a day or two ahead of time. -mashed potatoes. Made while the turkey breast heats. -random vegetables, whatever's handy. -Bakery-made rolls. -an appetizer buffet. Meaning, I'm buying presliced cheese, crackers, salami, and olives and such from the deli bar. In previous years we've done chicken, breakfast-for-dinner, Chinese food..we've learned a few things over the years. We like holiday dinners to be as simple as possible. We cook from scratch pretty often. I'm good with holidays being off the shelf because dh and I want to enjoy our time, too. We also end up going to several holiday meals and so we make the foods we like best for there (homemade mac & cheese, savory sweet potatoes..). But we'd rather take the days dh gets off of work and center it around family. Our day will be spent watching football, playing board games, looking at the black friday ads, watching old movies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 There have been years when it was just the 5 of us. I just pared down the dinner to a regular dinner plus an extra item or two. I cooked a turkey breast, made dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon and onion, cranberries, and a dinner roll. Dessert was a pumpkin pie from Costco. It wasn't much more work than a regular Thursday night dinner and still had the T-day vibe. Only my husband really likes turkey (the rest of us can easily skip it), so other years we had ham instead. It is a favorite and and makes cooking for the weekend easy. One year for Christmas we had T-bone steak, another year we had Cornish Game Hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Me? I'd probably go to an Indian restaurant for tandoori turkey. ;) If you want the traditional meal, buy a precooked bird and either buy the sides or put the kids on sides duty (to make this a break, you need to stay parked on your favorite chair and let them mess it up without interference!) If it's just the immediate family and there's a traditional or fancy buffet you want to try out, I say splurge guilt free if you want to. No clean up for anyone! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Growing up, we had ham for Thanksgiving. Ham, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole were the three staples. And ham and cheese sandwich leftovers My husband LOVES turkey -- so we do it once (He cooks it). But I'd be just as happy with ham. Another year we had roast beef. My in-laws have served prime rib roast for Thanksgiving before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I would poll the family and put together a buffet that has something for everyone. If someone just has to have pumpkin pie for it to feel like Thanksgiving, have pumpkin pie (and I decided a year or two ago that store bought is as good as my homemade). If someone really wishes pizza was part of the buffet, get a pizza. If you want some healthier options, have a nice salad, or fruit/veggie cornucopia. We did roast chicken for several years when the girls were young as we couldn't eat a whole turkey and didn't want leftovers. These days dh's brother's family joins us and dh smokes a turkey which everyone likes. We're more traditional than we used to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 A chicken, a can of cranberries, gravy, potatoes, stovetop stuffing, pulsbury rolls, and a bought dessert. Call it mini-thanksgiving. Make tiny decorations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 We've pared down our Thanksgiving meal and had small celebrations with just our little family. When my kids were younger, my biggest challenge wasfinding a balance so I wasn't the one spending the whole day cooking while the rest puttered about as if it were a regular day off. Sometimes we've gone to the movies. Other times, we've planned movies to watch at home, or I've pulled out board games, puzzles, etc. One year, we went to the zoo. Along with that, I've been able to pare down a large traditional meal to something smaller that works for us. Everyone gets one favorite request, and we've also gone from a huge turkey to just a bone in turkey breast. I love that we spend the day quietly together! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Have a family meeting and brainstorm what each of you wants to eat and do. Everyone picks a food they really, really want. Pick a game, plan a nap, choose an outing. Make your own plan - celebrate the way your family wants to celebrate!! Anne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I'd just make a quick simple Thanksgiving dinner, with the entire family involved in the preparation process to make cooking itself a fun event I am not quite sure why cooking a Thanksgiving meal has to be stressful. We only cook what can be accomplished within 3-4 hours the morning of Thanksgiving. We have breakfast together and then cook together, making it fun and not a chore. This gets us a turkey, mashed potatoes, rice, sweet potatoes, two more veggie sides without stress, and dinner is ready between 1 and 2pm. The only thing I make ahead is cranberry sauce. If DD is inclined to bake a pie, she may. If not, ice cream is a perfectly fine desert. And honestly, nobody needs desert after that meal. Aside from one morning in the kitchen, this does not create stress or chores for the rest of the weekend, and we have enough food so we don't have to cook anything the next few days, which frees up time then. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Just a quick comment on gravy: Trader Joe's. It's ready-to-heat and it is good. Well, I guess I should say good enough for my family. One year we made the turkey a few days ahead but didn't eat it. We just used it for leftovers and stock. One of the leftover meals was turkey meat, mashed potatoes, gravy. So good. I remember my mom making that and despising it! But either my taste, or the gravy changed. Maybe both. :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2samlibby Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 http://www.30daygourmet.com/products/holiday-freezer-cooking/ Fill your freezer now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I'd get Thanksgiving-in-a-box from a grocery store and a lasagna (Stouffers or DIY it). Easy peasy and you'll have a variety of leftovers for the next couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I'd do the box thing from one of the better grocery stores in your area. And then let people make what they want to add to it. Flying in from elsewhere just means they go to the grocery store when they get there and make it in your kitchen. Doesn't mean you have to do it all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 My SIL bought the Cracker Barrel Thanksgiving dinner one year. It was nice, we were all together, we enjoyed it. I made some little stuff like cranberry sauce, relish tray, etc and some pies. I wouldn't send an out-of-town guest to the grocery store to make a dish. It's not something I feel comfortable doing. Unless they offered and/or wanted to make something special, (like they have a special dish they just love to prepare) I wouldn't even bring it up. And if they DID have a special dish, I'd get the ingredients for them ahead of time, to the best of my ability. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Oh, and if you do get Thanksgiving Dinner To Go...order early. I know our Wegman's has a limited number of meals, and they do run out/reach their limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I'd order all the sides and desserts from the local grocery store or Honeybaked Ham or some such. Maybe seek out a special bakery even for the pies. Add some yummy ice cream to go with the pies. And then make JUST the turkey yourself. That way you have the traditional turkey smell in the house, and really, once it is in the oven it's easy anyway. But none of hte chaos of getting all the sides ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 If you're looking to make it a special day but not as much work for you, either going out to Cracker Barrel (where traditionalists can have a turkey dinner and nonconformists can have whatever they want) or buying most pre made would help. Maybe just cook one dish- your favorite one or something, but buy the rest. And Thanksgiving morning you can make a special dessert to enjoy later that evening. We always watch the Macy's parade and there's usually a bingo card online so when the kids were little or the grands are here the bingo cards can be fun. When we do that I usually pick up some little candy treat (enough for everyone) and when you get a bingo you get your treat. Then we either play a family game, do a puzzle, or start on holiday decorations. All low key but family fun. And then that night we watch Christmas Vacation (which is probably not appropriate for many families!) So...think of things to make it fun and memorable but also 'low work' for you. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 If you're looking to make it a special day but not as much work for you, either going out to Cracker Barrel (where traditionalists can have a turkey dinner and nonconformists can have whatever they want) or buying most pre made would help. Maybe just cook one dish- your favorite one or something, but buy the rest. And Thanksgiving morning you can make a special dessert to enjoy later that evening. We always watch the Macy's parade and there's usually a bingo card online so when the kids were little or the grands are here the bingo cards can be fun. When we do that I usually pick up some little candy treat (enough for everyone) and when you get a bingo you get your treat. Then we either play a family game, do a puzzle, or start on holiday decorations. All low key but family fun. And then that night we watch Christmas Vacation (which is probably not appropriate for many families!) So...think of things to make it fun and memorable but also 'low work' for you. I love your ideas, Annie. We also watch Macy's parade in the morning and funny Christmas movies on Thanksgiving night. Christmas Vacation is awesome! The Santa Clause, Elf, the Grinch (cartoon). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I say do what makes you happy. Neither of my kids have ever liked turkey and dh has a sodium restriction now. We make a meal of things each of us love and spend the day enjoying ourselves together. I hope your holiday is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Another thing...you can always do the "doctored" route. I guess today it'd be called semi-homemade ala Sandra what's her name? So: potatoes: Simply Potatoes with extra butter and whole milk/cream Cranberry: whole berry ocean Spray with chopped walnuts and orange zest Dressing: Stove Top: save some sausage from breakfast to add in with (maybe) onions and/celery. Frozen Vegetables: Add bacon from breakfast to green beans, corn or broccoli. Sprinkle slivered almonds on gr. beans or broccoli, chopped roasted red pepper (jarred) on corn. Pies/Desserts: Skip the crust. Make Apple crisp. Impossible Pumpkin pie (just add 1/2 c of bisquick to your regular pumpkin pie recipe ). Top with canned, pressurized whipped cream Oops, I forgot sweet potatoes. Instead of a casserole, Bake whole sweet potatoes and top with butter and cinnamon sugar. HTH! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 BTW, if you do decide on the meal in a box, be sure to order it a week in advance or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FriedClams Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 Ine year DH got really sick so we went to Barnhill's Buffet. (Southern people we'll get it...) NOT recommended. LOL!!!! I'd do fun food (chips, dips, appetizers and desserts), or maybe pizza, or go out, or do the "pick up a meal". Easy. No stress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 <snip> I wouldn't send an out-of-town guest to the grocery store to make a dish. It's not something I feel comfortable doing. Unless they offered and/or wanted to make something special, (like they have a special dish they just love to prepare) I wouldn't even bring it up. And if they DID have a special dish, I'd get the ingredients for them ahead of time, to the best of my ability. I agree with this! Although I think the OP said out-of-towners were not coming. But just adding on to the conversation, 'cause this might be something someone else is interested in - if an out-of-towner is coming, and they ask if they can bring the stuff to make a favorite side dish, try to let them if it won't be a hassle. I asked my MIL one year if I could bring the stuff to make my son's favorite corn casserole. She said not to worry, she'd get it from the store. I told her something from the store would not likely be right and that I could easily bring everything including the dish to bake it in. But she said no and bought some anyway. Well, her stuff was terrible. Nothing like what I make. Now my kid was old enough not to have a fit about it; he was a good sport and choked down a little of the nasty stuff, as we all did. But most of it got stuck in the fridge and stayed there till we left. (My MIL doesn't throw anything away.) The day after we got home, guess what was on the menu? :lol: Of course this was a family member so I felt comfortable asking. Well, I know better for next time. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 YMMV, but I've always felt funny eating particular foods on a particular day just because tradition says I'm supposed to. ;) When my mom was alive we did non-traditional things for Thanksgiving. Some years it was fried chicken, sometimes pizza. A couple of times we did the meal-in-a-box. Sometimes we went out, but usually nothing fancy at all. Lots of local and chain restaurants are open on Thanksgiving. One time we went to a locally owned cafeteria. One time we did IHOP for brunch. In the years since she passed away we've kind of settled into a Honeybaked ham, mashed potatoes, store bought yeast rolls, green beans and pumpkin pie. It's no more work than a normal dinner (and much less work than some!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I think you'll find cooking for just your family a lot easier and more fun. Each of my kids makes one thing and they love it. Pumpkin pies are made earlier in the week by DS. One child loves to make crescent rolls (from a can!). I only make turkey and mashed potatoes. We only make food we really want to eat so a lot of sides get skipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4ofus Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 If you're looking to make it a special day but not as much work for you, either going out to Cracker Barrel (where traditionalists can have a turkey dinner and nonconformists can have whatever they want) or buying most pre made would help. Maybe just cook one dish- your favorite one or something, but buy the rest. And Thanksgiving morning you can make a special dessert to enjoy later that evening. We always watch the Macy's parade and there's usually a bingo card online so when the kids were little or the grands are here the bingo cards can be fun. When we do that I usually pick up some little candy treat (enough for everyone) and when you get a bingo you get your treat. Then we either play a family game, do a puzzle, or start on holiday decorations. All low key but family fun. And then that night we watch Christmas Vacation (which is probably not appropriate for many families!) So...think of things to make it fun and memorable but also 'low work' for you. This sounds like a perfect Thanksgiving Day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I wouldn't send an out-of-town guest to the grocery store to make a dish. It's not something I feel comfortable doing. Unless they offered and/or wanted to make something special, (like they have a special dish they just love to prepare) I wouldn't even bring it up. And if they DID have a special dish, I'd get the ingredients for them ahead of time, to the best of my ability. I really meant if there was just something they had to have that wasn't in my repertoire or skill level.......... and with advanced notice, I'd pick up the ingredients for them. But I've had a relative, the day before Thanksgiving, look at my list of "to do's" and say "but where's the X? We have to have X" so I sent her to the store to buy the ingredients for X and she made it. It was all done nicely :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 what if you all vote to cook something completely different/fun for Thanksgiving? If the day after you all really miss not having the traditional meal you now can go buy all the supplies on SALE ;-) Then cook away on Sat night for your traditional meal. You may find you like doing something new/special just as a family. We rotate traditional with fun 'other' meals. Dh wants traditional this year. But it means Christmas will most likely be homemade pizza LOL Don't let the food be your tradition. Find activities to be tradition. We had lots of food traditions, but then DS was diagnosed with tons of food allergies. We had to shift our thinking about holiday meals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted October 29, 2015 Share Posted October 29, 2015 I would see ask each kid what their top three choices are for a meal. It sounds like some of the kids are coming home from college or being away? I wasn't sure. I remember at that age really looking forward to home cooked food and especially the tradition. Then I'd try and find a way to have at least one dish that everyone wants, whether or not it's traditional or not as a group is fine. You might find no-one wants turkey so don't have it. Or if everyone loves mashed potatoes make sure to have those. I'd give preference to dishes that more than one person wants and that are easier to make. I'd then let them all know what the meal plan is and if anyone really wants something not on it they can help cook it. We do Tgiving as a potluck anyway so it's often a bit of a mish-mash and that's fine. I'd then figure out what to cook and what to buy prepared. So for me that would be making mashed potatoes because the boxed ones are gross to me but buying pie crusts because the prepared ones are ok and I'm not that good of a pie baker. Have everyone help cook. If it's just your own family let go of having the house look all perfect, just have it be whatever normal cleaning you do. We have had a tradition of volunteering at a Turkey Trot 5K for the past 10 years. This year we will all run or walk it. We also do a long walk in the afternoon that is usually a highlight. Board games or card games. One year dh made a Jeopardy style game with all family trivia. That was fun. SIL used to buy crafting materials and have everyone make an ornament together, that was more when her kids were little. One year we did a gingerbread house making contest. Someone bought the premade Gingerbread kits from Michael's and icing and supplies and we divided into groups and had a contest of who could make the best house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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