Let's see. Dean's family is having dinner on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The guys think they are expert smokers so they'll be plenty of ham and turkey so I'm fixing BBQ meatballs for those folks that don't really care for the traditional.
On the actual day, they'll be just the two of us plus Mom plus our friend, Erma, so we're having soup. Not very Thanksgiving-like but still a good meal to be thankful for and to share with family.
We are going to keep Thanksgiving more simple this year.It will be my husband and I,daughter,son-in-law and granddaughter. My son's girlfriend will probably stop by for a visit as she usually does each holiday since he passed away. I will make the traditional turkey and trimmings dinner. I usually have about 18-20 guests for the past 30 years and just wanted a break.
Friday,my daughter has convinced me once again to go shopping with her! Last year we were at Walmart before 5:00 AM! Oh,I surely must love her!
Saturday,I hope to finish most of my decorating and hopefully find time to relax a little!
Katie, You didn't answer your own question! I will be hosting our 16th annual dinner for both sides of the family, usually anywhere from 15-20 folks. Everyone brings covered dishes & my BIL deep fries a small turkey on my patio, I roast a big one in the oven...everyone eats his!!!! not mine!!!! All the usual/traditional dishes & desserts will be consumed on my folk art dinnerware.
Oh I see you did answer....sorry we posted at the same time. Good luck shopping on Black Friday. I've done that twice before, but not at 5 a.m. My daughter on the other hand has been bundling up & going with my SIL for years & they love it. Me, I like to stay cozy & warm in bed until the sun rises!
-- Edited by sonnja on Wednesday 18th of November 2009 06:05:32 PM
Amazing how family traditions change. my grandmother had the two sides of the family in the 50's and 60's. Then, Mom took over and had people until her death in 2000. In the early years there were so many relatives..with as many as 25-30. Dwindled thru the years to less than 10. Bascially, its just me and Dad left. He's at his facility with Altzheimers and doing ok. This will probably be his last Thanksgiving and Christmas with us as his health is steadily declining..so its a small turkey dinner with the trimmings served at his facility, that i'll be joining this yr, as I have the past three yrs for all the holidays. We'll be eating with the rest of the residents in his ward, most whom have different phases of Altzheimers and dementa. Proves to be a very humbling experience eating with these different folks and being appreciative of what I have, more. Some very sad cases. However, they're eating and doing the best for celebrating in this unit. i'm just grateful that dad is still here for a while. However, we all know that his time is coming soon for his peaceful sleep. So..that makes this yr's holiday even more "meaningful".
Susie,I remember so well my Mom's and my son's last holidays-we knew with both it would probably be their last and it made them all the more special and heartbreaking at the same time. I am sure there are some in his facility who have no family to spend time with them-you are wonderful! It goes for all of us though-we need to be thankful for each day together,we never know when it will be our last. Have a wonderful holiday!
Our Thanksgiving will be small. We will have a traditional dinner with all the trimmings and about 6 of us will be there. My husband and me, son and his girlfriend and couple of other close friends.
this year my husband lee and i will be going to my sister in law's .she is a pastry chef so i always look forward to holidays at her house. i work every other weekend at a large hospital in the pharmacy dept so i am used to working holidays and having dinner with my co-workers but i have thanksgiving off. after dinner at my sister in law's we will go to our daughter's house for dessert. we all spend christmas together when i get out of work.its always fun and we have added two more to our small family.i have a new granddaughter from my oldest daughter and my youngest daughter just got engaged.we have alot to be thankful for this year.. as far as decorating i have started already!!! i have a primitive country theme throughtout my house. i love my feather trees and have one in every room.i decorate my spare room for my granddaughters with all my muffy vanderbear teddy bears.they are all dressed in christmas outfits. i also put out the american girl dolls that were my daughters/they are also dressed for the ocassion. i do my bathroom in silver glass ornaments and a few snowmen . i have quite a few snowmen and i display them throughtout the house.i have a tree in my kitchen with old miniture kitchen utensils and tiny mixing bowls on it.(its my favorite on). i try to use some fresh greenery also.oustside i hav lifesize victorian skaters that look great as long as we have snow(otherwise they look like they are skating on grass).wreaths on all the windows and candles in each.
Since our cousins moved to Nantucket 6 years ago, I have inherited Thanksgiving. The crowd keeps growing as both of my children are married and I have a one year old grand daughter. We have also added my daughter in laws grand parents. My daughter's best friend and her sister also attend as they lost both their parents to complications of smoking several years ago. My daughter's mother in law and brother in law are coming up from Florida mainly to see the baby, I think. The Nantucket folks are visiting their daughter and sil in Norfolk, Va and they are all driving up to us in South Jersey. Their other daughter, sil, and little girl Hana are driving down from Queens, NY. So, if my math is correct, I think we have 20 people. Almost forgot our 90 lb 11 yr old Lab mix, Maxwell, and my daughter's beautiful, but nutty flashy brindle boxer dog, Stella. Welcome to my zoo, but I do love the holiday!!!!! Best wishes to everyone.
Three years ago, my dad attended our dinner. He had valve surgery a week later and although was doing well for a while passed away the day after my birthday in April. Luckily for us mentally he was very sharp until the end.
Find last years William Sonoma's recipe for a sweet potato casserole as it is one of the best dishes I have ever tasted. The rest of the stuff is pretty traditional. Since most everyone is coming from out of town, my husband and I do most of the cooking. We have it divided up perfectly. He makes the turkey and stuffing. I make the sweet potato casserole, sauted baby string beans, pumpkin breads, spinach dip and veggies, and apple pecan cake. I buy the cranberry sauce from Boston market-it has nuts in it and I really like it. My sons new grandmother by marriage brings chocolate mousse and my daughter get pies from a famous NJ farm market called Delicious Orchards. Her school sells the pies for a fund raiser.
