Thanksgiving

[HelenM]

For those in the US, how are you spending Thanksgiving this year? (Anyone else, feel free to comment on what you're doing on Thursday of this week if you want to :))

And, do you think about what you're thankful for, this week? I do; I like to do that at Thanksgiving. I don't necessarily mean "thankful to God" - I know many people here aren't theists. I also mean, thankful to other people, or simply things that are going well, reasons to be happy, etc.

I guess I should start; my Mom is coming tomorrow (from Massachusetts), for a week's visit and her sister and husband are coming for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (they live locally but we don't see them that often). So, we're cooking.

Growing up in England, we (my husband is English also) didn't grow up with Thanksgiving. We've happily assimilated this holiday into our lives - it's fun to have a holiday which is friends/family-oriented and seems so 'simple' compared with Christmas.

I'm thankful that my mental health has been good, my marriage seems fine :) and that my kids are basically doing well. There are other things too but those are some of the big ones for me.

Helen

[livius drusus]

Thanksgiving is my mom's favorite holiday. When we lived in Italy, she would always make a huge production out of it, with particular emphasis on inviting non-Americans so they could experience the joy of overeating traditional New England foodstuffs. :turkey:

Our Egyptian born friend hated turkey, so he always brought his own steak and grilled it up himself. (One of the many joys of Thanksgiving in Rome is that most of the time you can still grill outdoors.)

I'm afraid my mother's enthusiasm, though infectious, was not transmitted genetically, so I don't really do anything unless I'm with my folks. Occasionally I let a friend browbeat me into doing something. Last year a friend of mine who happens to be a brilliant cook, fried a turkey, and that was without question the best turkey I've ever had.

So, this year, no plans whatsoever, but I am thankful that parents, particularly my mom who had some problems a short time ago, are healthy, and that my sweet pets are all still alive and kicking. :ferret: :guinpig:

[Dingfod]

I'm working Thanksgiving Day. I should've had it off because I've worked the last two Thanksgivings. We'll have dinner after I get off work. Turkey, giblet gravy, candied yams with marshmallows on top, tamales and corn (a family tradition), black-eyed peas, hot dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie for dessert (as if the yams weren't pretty much a dessert type dish). We always take a moment for each person at the table to state at least one thing they are thankful for. That's about it. The moaning and groaning over our stuffed tummies and lying on the floor in front of football games comes afterward.

The Egyptian hated turkey? What kind of American is that? Huh? :wink:

[JoeP]

I have meeting from 10-12 on the service catalogue project, and after that I'll probably be reviewing OLAs and assisting service managers draft SLAs until dark. Dinner will probably be leftover whatever we'll have on Wednesday night.

[viscousmemories]

I'm going home for Thanksgiving, but spending it with a friends family instead of my own. That was the tradition for the 5 or 6 years before I moved to California. :yup:

I'm thankful that we made it back to Ann Arbor alive. I hope I can say the same about Dallas in a week.

[Shake]

Well, the MIL has a new boyfriend and will be spending the day with him and his family, so no worries about her and the FIL (her 1st hubby) getting into arguments this year. My sister, her hubby, and son will be out of town with his family, so it's gonna be pretty small this year. In the evening, we'll visit my aunt, uncle, and grandmother, who almost never get out anymore.

The next day, I've got an old HS friend and his family who'll be in town, so we're having a bunch of my other HS friends over for brunch (rather than going out to eat ... we decided it's easier this way).

[beyelzu]

For those in the US, how are you spending Thanksgiving this year? (Anyone else, feel free to comment on what you're doing on Thursday of this week if you want to :))

And, do you think about what you're thankful for, this week? I do; I like to do that at Thanksgiving. I don't necessarily mean "thankful to God" - I know many people here aren't theists. I also mean, thankful to other people, or simply things that are going well, reasons to be happy, etc.

I guess I should start; my Mom is coming tomorrow (from Massachusetts), for a week's visit and her sister and husband are coming for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday (they live locally but we don't see them that often). So, we're cooking.

Growing up in England, we (my husband is English also) didn't grow up with Thanksgiving. We've happily assimilated this holiday into our lives - it's fun to have a holiday which is friends/family-oriented and seems so 'simple' compared with Christmas.

I'm thankful that my mental health has been good, my marriage seems fine :) and that my kids are basically doing well. There are other things too but those are some of the big ones for me.

Helen


well, I thought I would gather together some friends, get them to feed me, give them some shiny beads for their house and then give them some sort of disease.


You know a traditional thanksgiving. Old school. :D


I am thankful for the 3 deepfried turkeys my brother will be making. and the quality thanksgiving green that might be around.

[maddog]

I'm driving to LA early on Thursday morning to see my pal Charlie in the hospital; this is the last Thanksgiving he's ever going to get and I wanted him to see someone he knows on that day. I just couldn't face driving all the way back to Riverside to pick up my aunt, and THEN driving all the way to San Diego to my brother's, so my aunt and I had decided to have just a quiet time ourselves. Then it turned out that my nephew Jed has to work, and won't get off until 2 p.m. So I'm going to book the three of us a 3 p.m. dinner someplace and then we'll have pie and board games at home afterward, and only a short drive home. MUCH better.

I can't even think what to be thankful for, though I know I have a lot. I'm just grateful to have a plan that's executable and I'll think about the rest of it later (when I get to Tara).

#94

[Rene]

I'm thankful that my DH is coming home after being away for 3 months. That's all I need!

We're driving to Nashville to visit my parents for Thanksgiving and so my DH can get in a little deer hunting, and then heading home, happy to be together again.

[beyelzu]

I'm thankful that my DH is coming home after being away for 3 months. That's all I need!

We're driving to Nashville to visit my parents for Thanksgiving and so my DH can get in a little deer hunting, and then heading home, happy to be together again.
I wish I had some venison

[Dingfod]

Deer hunting is dangerous (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=273117), not just for the deer.

[Skep]

Keeping it simple this year. My mom had surgery on her wrist last week so she won't be doing any cooking. But I'm going to go over and throw a pork roast on the grill. :meatcook: I think I'll whip up some wild rice and a vegetable casserole for sides. Maybe I'll make some fried cabbage with apples too; it goes real good with pork roast. Sister hasn't decided if she's coming down yet but I could use the help in the kitchen.

[beyelzu]

T Last year a friend of mine who happens to be a brilliant cook, fried a turkey, and that was without question the best turkey I've ever had.
fried turkey is definitely kickass. Last year I bought my brother a deep fryer for xmas just so he could make a deepfried turkey for xmas dinner. That was one quality investment.

[livius drusus]

But I'm going to go over and throw a pork roast on the grill. :meatcook:

You wouldn't be of Egyptian heritage by any chance, would you? :giggle:

Maybe I'll make some fried cabbage with apples too; it goes real good with pork roast.

What is this fried cabbage with apples concoction you speak of? Is this a Thanksgiving tradition for you or just a good side for pork? Either way, git on over to this thread (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=781) and hook us up with the recipe.

[beyelzu]

Deer hunting is dangerous (http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=273117), not just for the deer.
a guy I knew when I was a child, this great big man everyone called moose, was shot in the groin by a friend while hunting, they had probably been drinking. They left him to bleed to death.


I dont have a problem with hunting, I recognize the dangers of hunting. The danger doesnt mean that you shouldnt go hunting. It means you should be careful. When I have been hunting I have always been careful.

Also, I only drink beer while hunting, for safety reasons. :D

Seriously, killing over a deer stand is just fucking crazy.

[beyelzu]

completely random aside,

continuing to watch old outerlimits on scifi, this one has a very young robert duvall.

crazy weird.

[Skep]

But I'm going to go over and throw a pork roast on the grill. :meatcook:

You wouldn't be of Egyptian heritage by any chance, would you? :giggle:
:D

Maybe I'll make some fried cabbage with apples too; it goes real good with pork roast.
What is this fried cabbage with apples concoction you speak of? Is this a Thanksgiving tradition for you or just a good side for pork? Either way, git on over to this thread (http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=781) and hook us up with the recipe.
The only Thanksgiving tradition we have is that no one is particularly fond of turkey. :eek: The cabbage dish is just really good with pork. It's one of those dishes for which I have no recipe; I just make it. But I'll write it up for the other thread. :)

[dave_a]

I am thankful for an awful lot of things, but in terms of this Thanksgiving I am thankful that it is the first one in years I haven't had to be oncall during. I am also thankful that the company I work for gives us off Thursday and Friday to make a "free" 4 day weekend that I can enjoy for once.

I am thankful that I don't have to host the obligatory family get together as I thought I was going to have to. That's a ton of work.

I am thankful that the green bean casserole we will be making to bring to the aforementioned get together will be made from beans from my garden. The addition of a stand alone freezer has enabled me to enjoy the bounty of my veggie garden all throughout the year, not just during the 4 or 5 warm months we have in Wisconsin.

I am thankful for an awful lot more, but those are the things that I think of off the top of my head that relate specifically to the coming holiday.

[Shake]

Oh yeah, the "thankful" part! I nearly forgot.

I'll be thankful to see some old friends again that weekend, and the fact that the wife and I each have a 4 day weekend! This holiday always reminds me how thankful I am to the grocers, farmers, truck drivers, etc. that make it possible for me to have such a feast.

I'll be really thankful if I can get to the Ministry show on Friday night!

[wade-w]

I'll be going to my parents home for the obligatory feast. I don't go up there nearly as often as I'd like even though it's only about 15 miles. The last mile quite literally takes me as long to travel as the entire first 14. It's on a very bad mountain dirt road, and is not a "county maintained road." Some of the ruts are unbelievably deep, and there are lots of rather large rocks to be avoided. I've gotten stuck on this road before; you really do need a 4wd vehicle to navigate that "road" with any kind of confidence.

As for things I'm thankful for, I suppose I should be glad I'm still alive, though I'm not sure why. I can't think of anything else.

[wei yau]

We're going up to NYC this year for Thanksgiving. However, we aren't going specifically for the holiday. A foolish cousin of mine decided to have a wedding on the day after Thanksgiving. So, as long as we're up there...

We'll be celebrating the holiday with my in-laws. My parents are on a cruise..the friggin' Queen Mary (this is me being jealous) and will return just in time for the post-Thanksgiving wedding.

As for being thankful, it should go without saying that I'm thankful for my long-suffering wife and incredibly patient daughter. The fact that the two of them not only tolerate me, but love me...well, I'm eternally grateful.

I'm also thankful for this forum. At the risk of being overly sentimental, I enjoy reading and posting here. You all are a great bunch of people.

[beyelzu]

am I the only person have a traditional thanksgiving?

[beyelzu]

We're going up to NYC this year for Thanksgiving. However, we aren't going specifically for the holiday. A foolish cousin of mine decided to have a wedding on the day after Thanksgiving. So, as long as we're up there...

We'll be celebrating the holiday with my in-laws. My parents are on a cruise..the friggin' Queen Mary (this is me being jealous) and will return just in time for the post-Thanksgiving wedding.

As for being thankful, it should go without saying that I'm thankful for my long-suffering wife and incredibly patient daughter. The fact that the two of them not only tolerate me, but love me...well, I'm eternally grateful.

I'm also thankful for this forum. At the risk of being overly sentimental, I enjoy reading and posting here. You all are a great bunch of people.
you know I really like reading your posts, dude.

I too am thankful for this forum and all of its many fine participants.

[livius drusus]

Aw... You guys are so lovey. And that's before the triptophane kicks in. :grouphug:

[dave_a]

Aw... You guys are so lovey. And that's before the triptophane kicks in. :grouphug:

So I guess you are thankful for all the illicit and prescription drugs? :D

[Roland98]

I get to spend this Thanksgiving in a hospital waiting room, eatin' goodies catered by the Cracker Barrel, giving me a break from the cookin' for awhile. My BIL was in a motorcycle accident 2 weeks ago and is still in the ICU, and we have been there every night. And since the hospital is mere blocks from my house, and the in-laws live over an hour away, my house has been the resident restaurant/hotel for everyone. I am thankful that it seems he'll pull through, though we don't know yet how much like his old self he'll be. :( I can't really celebrate, however, because a friend from high school was killed just 3 days after the BIL was in his accident, also on a motorcycle; hit a deer just a mile from where my BIL got in his accident, and flipped him off his bike, killing him almost instantly. So while I feel very lucky that my BIL is still with us, I can't help but ponder the unfairness of life, as the friend leaves behind a wife and 2 young daughters.

Is 2004 over yet?

[dave_a]

So while I feel very lucky that my BIL is still with us, I can't help but ponder the unfairness of life, as the friend leaves behind a wife and 2 young daughters.



Yes, life is incredibly unfair. That is yet another thing I am thankful for since there is no reason it shouldn't have been me losing my son or me hitting the deer.

I am thankful that while life is indeed unfair, it hasn't frowned upon me too seriously yet.

[Goliath]

I'll be cancelling my classes on Wednesday* to drive to my parents' place to not only have Thanksgiving dinner, but to celebrate my birthday on Friday.

* - Not only will this allow me to do the 6 hours of driving during the day, but it'll help boost the morale of my students...and they need a morale boost.

[Petra]

I know I should know this, but what's the history behind thanksgiving?



Anyway, I wanna play, too. I give thanks to y'all for being y'all. Y'all rock. :D

[dave_a]

I know I should know this, but what's the history behind thanksgiving?


I think it has something to do with the white man killing the injuns. Like most holidays they can be enjoyed in spite of their origins.

[Dingfod]

From ask.com, the origin of Thanksgiving. (http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/unitssubjhol/a/thanksday.htm) It was a celebration of their survival of a hard winter and adapting to their new environs at Plymouth Colony, Massachusetts.

The Pilgrims' Thanksgiving in his words:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians [came] amongst us and... their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought... And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet BY THE GOODNESS OF GOD WE ARE... FAR FROM WANT."

I think Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird. Mmm, turkey.

[wildernesse]

Mmmmm. Turkey.

I love Thanksgiving and all the yummy food that goes with it. This holiday, I have spent today cleaning our house due to the complete neglect it suffered while school life descended the last couple of weeks. Tonight, RA is going to cook our own holiday meal, and I'm going to do some baking for our big family get togethers. I'm one of the few people on either side who bakes, and I love it. Haven't completely decided exactly what to do yet.

We'll spend Turkey day with RA's family and then go and visit my parents and any extended family that shows up. On my Dad's side, we used to do big Thanksgivings on Fridays with everyone, but that's become harder and harder to do now that we kids are all grown up and stuff. At least this Thanksgiving, I won't have to study all through it like last year. Stupid law school.