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This year we are going out. It costs more in groceries and sweat equity for two than to go out. In Vegas we can go just about anywhere and eat just about anything! I might just cook a small turkey just for the leftovers. Not having cold turkey sandwiches later is the only drawback!
I used to get invited out for Thanksgiving all the time when I was working because people would feel sorry for me living alone with no close family. I hated it. I'd have to go out and buy something to bring with me, get up early on my day off, get dressed up which I did every day of the week anyway, go be social to people I didn't know, and eat food I didn't like (greenbean casserole - YUCK!). And I always went home tired with a headache.
One day I got a little backbone and said no more! I went out the evening before Thanksgiving and got a large pizza and stayed home the next day just lolling around watching TV. I didn't even get dressed. No stress, no anxiety, no fuss, no muss, and on Friday I went back to work actually relaxed.
And that's the way I've been doing Thanksgiving ever since. I love my stay-at-home-by-myself holidays.
It really is too much additional work for women. The only holidays that shows men "preparing" a meal Are the summer ones where they BBQ after someone else does all the prep. The meal itself is easy, but the shopping, cleaning, prep, dishes, babysitting, histessing and entertaining, etc, are a drain and is expensive! I have been to TG potlucks which work well. That seems to be the way it worked before commercialism took over, if there was ever a time that it hadn't.
I'm getting ready for a move, so I hope my daughter and son-in-law will offer to take us to a restaurant. My pots and pans are all packed up. The person who suggested Cracker Barrel and the chocolate pecan pie got a rep--thanks so much! Very good idea.
Through the years, I've come to dread the holidays that seem to require a lot of work (for us wimmin-folks). Maybe some people's families pitch in to make a big traditional meal, including extended family members, neighbors, and coworkers, and help with prep, cleaning the house, decorating, and the clean-up, but none that I personally know. This is a holdover from a time when most wives didn't work outside the home. I've heard some women say they actually enjoy and look forward to the responsibility of doing all these things, providing all the dishes and experiences that each family member remembers and loves, so I will respect their point of view.
Also, seems I've read somewhere recently that there isn't any proof that the Pilgrims had a turkey at the first harvest celebration. Maybe some seafood--that seems like an authentic T-giving meal to me--yummy!!
I used to get invited out for Thanksgiving all the time when I was working because people would feel sorry for me living alone with no close family. I hated it. I'd have to go out and buy something to bring with me, get up early on my day off, get dressed up which I did every day of the week anyway, go be social to people I didn't know, and eat food I didn't like (greenbean casserole - YUCK!). And I always went home tired with a headache.
One day I got a little backbone and said no more! I went out the evening before Thanksgiving and got a large pizza and stayed home the next day just lolling around watching TV. I didn't even get dressed. No stress, no anxiety, no fuss, no muss, and on Friday I went back to work actually relaxed.
And that's the way I've been doing Thanksgiving ever since. I love my stay-at-home-by-myself holidays.
Oh, geeze. I've always liked being invited to a holiday dinner. I never felt that I had to dress for the occasion. Everyone was wearing comfortable clothing.
The last one was Thanksgiving 5 years ago. The turkey was done three hours later than expected, no stuffing or cranberries, and cake for dessert. It was great! Someone liked me enough to invite me to their house on a holiday.
It's mostly the men who like to cook--everyday, not just the holidays--in my family. Usually lots of different foods at Thanksgiving that way, so it's been a kind of hybrid traditional/non-traditional menu. Though lately not as much. We get tired of it too.
But really it's turkey, ham, grilled steak, shrimp, regular sides...a full table to start. Then anything else we want or can think of. If we feel like having a rib roast too, we'll make a rib roast. Potstickers? Enchiladas? Crab boil? Sure, sure, sure. But the kicker is if one suggests it, one is responsible for it. So no extra burden for anyone.
(I never overeat BTW. And if I do, it's with good strong vegetable sides so it's not so bad. Took me years to figure out portion control and balanced meals, or at least unbalanced on the side of veg or grains.)
I am vegetarian, so every Thanksgiving is nontraditional lol. I am not a fan of mock meat so my dishes are usually offbeat.
The only traditional dish I will be making this year is a sweet potato pie (but with an almond based gluten free crust on behalf of a family member that eats gluten free). I am also bringing along (visiting family) a spaghetti squash casserole with a tomato based sauce/basil leaves; Greek yogurt and cantaloupe; and roasted Brussels Sprouts, parsnips, and carrots in coconut oil and carmelized with maple syrup. I have no idea what others are bringing or making. We just bring what we want and share.
Oh, geeze. I've always liked being invited to a holiday dinner. I never felt that I had to dress for the occasion. Everyone was wearing comfortable clothing.
The last one was Thanksgiving 5 years ago. The turkey was done three hours later than expected, no stuffing or cranberries, and cake for dessert. It was great! Someone liked me enough to invite me to their house on a holiday.
It is great if you like people, but I don't and I worked in customer service 40 hours a week. When I was off, I didn't want to see, hear, or speak to anyone for at least 24 hours. Especially people I didn't know.
Besides, I suspect a lot of the time the invitation wasn't so much for me as it was for the people doing the inviting, as in "Aren't I a wonderful person to invite her?" The first time I decided to stay home, I simply told others that I had plans and thank you very much. However, one woman was incensed and said, "We WILL see you at my house!" What if I really did have other plans - did she expect me to break them and go to her place instead? I don't know, because I told her again not to expect me as I had other plans and she was furious with me for the rest of the time I worked with her.
I always remember my mom complaining about all the work and all the time spent cooking and all the dishes to do when I was little, and when I got older, I asked her why we still had the holiday if she hated it that much. She told me it was because that's what people do. I don't know why - she certainly wasn't making any happy holiday feelings in our family and so not celebrating the holiday is fine with me. I wouldn't want to spend 6 hours of work for a half hour of eating and hours of cleaning afterwards either.
You can roast the giblets and maybe an extra turkey thigh or drumstick or two to make some real drippings.
Why don't you want any fried turkey leftovers? Assuming you normally like turkey leftovers, they should be just as good for sandwiches, etc. I've had fried turkey, it's jucier -- but I'm still a roasted turkey fan also.
No, I have nothing against it, except for the stuffing and gravy issue. I stuff the turkey, roast the turkey and make the gravy in the pan. I don’t really care to deviate from the usual program. Also, how long does it take? If I’m roasting, i know everything will be ready at the same time.
What aggravates me is my son is a spur of the moment type, while I plan ahead and make lists. He might arrive on Wednesday, and has changed his mind about frying the turkey.
"I don't know, because I told her again not to expect me as I had other plans and she was furious with me for the rest of the time I worked with her."
Yes, something was going on with her, certainly! She probably felt she offered hospitality and you were supposed to gratefully accept--some people just can't handle those that, for whatever reason, wish to be alone at times--even major holidays. You need recharging and that's just not possible in a large group of noisy people, no matter how well-intentioned and nice they are!
Reminds me of when I was very sick in bed with flu one Thanksgiving and a coworker's family had invited me for dinner. I had accepted until my bout with flu. I had to call and say please don't be offended, but I can't make it, so sorry--sick. They came by my house and dropped off a plate of rich food, even when I protested. I did eat the mashed potatoes and ended up over the next couple of days having to throw everything else out--a waste of food, their time and gas. Even wondered if they were "checking up" on me to see if I had been telling the truth--one look at my haggard face should have convinced them.
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