For the first time in a little over 30 years I only live an hour or so away from my best friend. We're going to have Thanksgiving together this year.

For the first 15 years of our marriage my husband always had to work the day before and the day after to get paid for the holiday so we couldn't go anywhere more than about 2 hours away so I always cooked dinner. My mother lived about 6 hours away from us all those years. Once in a while she'd come to our house but we never went to her house.

Then about 3 years ago my mother moved to within 2 hours of us. So we had to go to her house for Thanksgiving. OMG. What a pain!! She made a huge production about doing everything and grunts and groans around the kitchen doing anything and to top it off her food is just not good.

We're 4 hours away from her again. I have already told her my girlfriend and her husband are coming to my house for dinner. If she wants to come here for dinner that's fine.

Or she can go have Chinese or pizza with my sister. That's a whole other story.

We go to my parents for dinner and then to my MILs for supper.I feel as stuffed as the bird.Then go home to sleep it off.[he-he]

Either I will go to a certain friend's house (unless she has other plans) or I will stay home and have Stouffer's turkey dinner.

Will be just my hubby and I here for Thanksgiving this year.

I spend Christmas home alone, so at Thanksiving I go to my sister's house.

I guess this year it will be just me since mom passed this year. And hubby is on road. I guess mine will be a restaurant or fast food!

When we lived in Michigan we would take the kids to my mother's house. My brother would come from Chicago, and my other brother who lived near my mother, and we would all celebrate at my mother's. Then after we moved to PA I always had dinner for us. Now that my kids are all married (except for my youngest son) we each take a holiday. My daughter has Thanksgiving. My DDIL comes to my house and bakes the turkey, gravy, and stuffing here. I make the pies the day before. Then we drive the 7 minutes to my daughter's with our part. She supplies, hors d'ouvres, wine, mashed potatoes, and all the veggies. The men supply all the stories of growing up.

The sad news is that many of us will not have the Norman Rockwell /Hallmark greeting card perfect Thanksgiving. To those of you who will, how wonderful! For the rest us, treat yourself to something you enjoy, if nothing else.

No plans here! My sweetie's oldest son and daughter-in-law don't celebrate ANY holidays so we can't ask them to come -- trust me, we've tried several times. His other son will have to work. He is the manager of a CVS that's only about 1/2 mile away from us. He works so his other manager can have the day off. I will take him a thanksgiving meal via "Patty's Carry-out Cafe"!

I would love to go to visit my Mom and stepfather in Virginia, but I'm not sure if we can swing that. Money is just too tight right now. :-(

Even if it's just the two of us, we will still enjoy the time together. :-)

Not certain what me & my family is doing yet. My DH will more than likely be gone on a job (Oilfield) so I will probably cook for any of the kids that want to come eat. If it were up to me, I would rather take them to a buffet somewhere, but they are so adamently against that. Since they just come & eat & leave, I personally don't see why they would object to "where" they do this. LOL Oh well. I am always so tired & in pain by the time they all leave & I get my house back in order.

Thanksgiving and Christmas will be at my house this year. In the past we have gone "home" every other year. Now that the kids have jobs, that won't be possible. One works at a grocery store, and the other two work at a theater. They will all have to work the holidays. We will schedule dinner around the kids work. My mom and sister will come to us this year, and maybe my brother too.

Not sure yet. One DIL and I alternate having Thanksgiving but last year we all went to DIL's sister's new home about 2 hrs. from. Guess DIL and I better starting thinking about our holiday plans. May in Jersey

I have already started planning the whole Holiday season out thanks to a friend of mine getting me in the spirit already! In fact I have made the test run for Thanksgiving dinner last weekend.

Every year we have the dinner at our home and every year a couple of weeks ahead of time I will do a smaller trial Thanksgiving dinner to see if I have everything and to make sure it will go smoothly. This is when I will try a few different recipes and see if my wife and kids like it or not. I already pulled it off and I think this years will be the best we have had. All of the family will be coming in for it and my house will turn into a flop house for the week and we will have lots of commotion and Black Friday sales to hit.

My SIL and I have already planed out some of the stops for the sales this year because we have already started getting the Black Friday ads in my emails. This is the time of the year where I turn into a kid again and have a blast!

Billy

Billy, You really have your Thanksgiving planned out and seem to enjoy it, wish my DH was more interested in planning Holidays. After reading the first post here I've began doing a little planning; been adding points at my local supermarket so I can receive a free turkey and plan to try out a new broccoli casserole recipe to see if it is tasty enough to be part of our Thanksgiving dinner.

I do have a bit of a jump on Christmas gifts, ordered a book that I'm sure my best friend will enjoy, about growing up in the 1950's in Brooklyn. Also have a Thomas the Train book for grand nephew Mario, he just loves Thomas. Just made him a Thomas the Train pillowcase requested by his Grandma, my sister Pat. May

Twisted sheets, where do you live? You could come here, really......I hate to hear you would be alone?????
We are going to my Moms. Sadly my oldest DD isnt coming, she will be going North to her BFs family. I am okay with it, I have to learn to share, lol!
I love the Holidays....I am already looking at Christmas cards. Makes my boyfriend cringe...

First we will drive down to Texas and pick up our daughter going to grad school down there, than drive back to NE for a BIG family dinner. My husbands family is large and their are 6 of his aunts left and Thanksgiving is a huge family dinner in a rented hall. The host family supplies the turkey and drinks and the rest bring dishes to pass. Lots of fun, gossip, catching up and yes, stuffed tummies!!! We always have people join us who are not family but become family by osmosis! My daughter in law's first encounter with this very large group was WOW! She comes from a small family and this was foreign to her.

We have spent Thanksgiving by ourselves a couple of years, (Weather and pregnancies too close to go anywhere), and it is just not the same for us. However, if someone can't make it we've been known to make a phone call from the dinner hall and everyone says hello. We have several members of our family in the state patrol and other law enforcement and if they are near they will drop in.

For those of you who can't have this kind of holiday invite someone to share it with you whether at home or a restaurant. One of the communities near us in Adel, Iowa has a community thanksgiving dinner which is great. If you can't get there someone delivers dinner to you or picks you up.

:)

I'm going to South Carolina to spend the week of turkey day with my kids. My daughter needs someone to watch the 2 year old.....or will she watch me? I bet she has more engery than me!!!!!!!

We have always had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. But now I just dread the day. I really can't cook a splendid dinner. My husband is a diabetic and eats very little, I have microscopic colitis and can eat turkey and steamed veggies, can't eat stuffing and mashed potatos, pie, cake or cookies, and my daughter is a vegetarian.It will be a individual needs preparation. I think quilting dreams give me happy thoughts and hours that replace the delight of Thanksgiving.

No big thrills here for Thanksgiving this year. My kids do not live close enough for a one day trip. I have a date with my sewing room on Thanksgiving day :)

Just staying home, my son is 9 hours away without any weather problems and can't get away from work for 3 days.

Since several of us work TRF (Texas Renaissance Festival) and the final weekend is Friday, Saturday, Sunday after Thanksgiving, we will be doing ours at DD's home so we don't have to drive back 2-3 hours to be at work early Friday morning.

Never know how many we will have as there are lots of friends from Faire that won't be able to go home. Last year I think we had about a dozen or so non-family members at one time or another as well as those of us who were family.

DD's home is not large, but we brought in lawn chairs and folding tables and filled up the whole living area and even sent a few to various bedrooms...the sewing machine table even got called into use!

She tells everybody she'll do the cooking if they'll do the cleaning up!

Yes! Whoever cooks doesn't clean up. That is a rule with our family at holidays! We have many pics of guys doing dishes!!

Weather permitting, my DH & I will drive to Boise, Idaho to spend the week with our son (college student there) and my oldest brother & SIL. I will probably cook, because my SIL doesn't - but she cleans up! Good deal in my book! We will spend lots of time playing cards.
Any Idaho board members want to meet up in Boise???

My parents have passed. My MIL goes to my SIL's house, so it's just DH and all 6 of our children. We make a big production out of dinner. China, crystal, the whole shebang. My kids help with cooking. Most of them have their special dish they make. All that work, for about a 1/2 hour of eating. But the smile on the faces of my kids because they get to use the good stuff is worth it. Kids are 25, 17,15, 13, 12,&12.

"All that work, for about a 1/2 hour of eating. But the smile on the faces of my kids because they get to use the good stuff is worth it."

But think about all those leftovers for the rest of the week.

I don't like turkey all that much but look forward to a hot turkey sandwich and picking on leftover veggies, rolls and desserts all weekend.

Day after Thanksgiving usually finds us at my cousin Toni's Turkey Soup and Sandwich Party, runs anytime from 4pm til 11pm. She holds one every year and at times there can be 60+ people in her house at the same time. Great way to catch up with my extended family. May in Jersey

So far, I always cook. Just purchased a plane ticket for my son so he could come home from college for Thanksgiving. My other son and DIL live in town. They got married last year. I'm hoping one of these years they will volunteer to make the dinner, but my son loves my cooking, and so I'm not sure if that will ever happen. I like trying new recipes, but my family wants it exactly the same every year. Now I make one new thing each year in addition to the old favorites.

We go to my daughter's house. She has darling 10 y.o. boy/girl twins. Her husband is a super SIL! They invite another couple and their two teen boys who have no relatives here. It is always a wonderful time! I bring some of the food and so does the other girl.

Thanksgiving is my most favorite day of the year, possibly in part because I am a pilgrim transplanted from another place. When Pat and I get the chance, we stay home - just the two of us, and we create the day just the way we want. No overeating this year though.

Most people don't understand that I am not too keen on going to places houses for the holiday and feel compelled to invite us. Some got offeneded when I didn't take their invite. Sometimes, I get a weird bug and do accept an invite. We'll see....

We used to spend it with all the family, but everyone has sort of scattered and the younger ones work. Sooooo, our best friends (45 years now) and my DH and I made reservations at a really nice restaurant and go together. This year we are going to a place that overlooks a lake and has a buffet type serving. Really looking forward to it this year.

Can't wait for turkey day! Drive about 4hrs to SW Ia., to have Thanksgiving with aunts, uncles and cousins. Afterwards we play bingo with everyone bringing some sort of gift to win. Last year a PIG was introduced and now is the mascot for fun and family The following wknd I cook Thanksgiving for my dh, mil,fil, and our 2 daughters, their husbands and 1 single daughter. Can't wait.

I'l be on my vacation, so
I will let someone else cook,
but I will help.
J J

Yes we are planning to go to St. Ausustine for a week while
school is out as our grandson lives with us.

DH and I do the cooking for our 4 kids, but don't mind. DD will pop in for dessert as she goes to MIL for actual dinner. I have encouraged her to create a good relationship with her MIL as mine wasn't always easy. 3 boys will probably be home. A couple of years ago they all asked for homemade pizza instead of turkey as we have that on Christmas, too. Who knows what we will be eating this year. Just have to wait and see what the consensus is. The day after, DD, my best friend and I go shopping. We leave home at about 3 am. It is the only time that I am willingly up at that time. I usually don't even go to bed.

I cook : ) All of my girls, mom & sibs live within 20 minutes and they all come to my house. My kids also know that any strays are welcome : )

yes mine is planned out as it is every year.
MOST IMPORTANT...lay out Black Friday Sales Ads on the
floor in the order in which you intend to hit which store first..
Joann's is always the first...some times we do a split down of one person goes one place and the other goes to Joann's.

This year's Thanksgiving will be different. My oldest will be getting married on Nov. 6th. She had originally planned on having dinner at her house. But with the stress of the wedding she has decided to "punt" dinner to someone else. Not sure exactly where that will be. Probably to my house. Which is ok, but life is changing and kids are getting married and moving out. I have learned to go with the flow. Just because that is how it has been done for the last Upteen years doesn't mean it stays that way. Make new tradition, and who knows, you might find something you like doing better.

I am really looking forward to after Thanksgiving. DH and I are going on a cruise. Can't wait to spend some alone time with my sweetie :-)

I have always cooked Thanksgiving dinner but decided after last year to turn it over to one of the kids. They decided that my son will do the cooking although I still have to do the pies.

We do dinner here.... Just DH, me, dd#1(6) and dd#2(4). I make the whole huge meal and we just hang out and do whatever all day. DH has to work (yay for holiday pay) so not a whole lot for us and that's the way we like it. But I'm boo-hooing a little because I can't do black Friday because DH works overnight until 7:30 am. All the good deals will be gone before then.

I will be having Thanksgiving at my house. I only do the Turkey, dressing and scalloped corn. My daughters and daughter inlaw will bring everything else. I also have Christmas eve and Christmas day. On Christmas eve we just have a light lunch as the kids are to excited to eat much. Christmas dinner is my husbands job. He either does a whole tenderloin or a prime rib, but with my big eaters it is now 2 tenderloins or 2 prime ribs. We also did New Years day dinner until I put a stop to that. I think we do enough with the other 3 holidays

Plans.....NO NO NO....One DD is a vegatarian an she and DH stay home and cook TOFU TURKEY....

Other DD doesn't even invite us over.....I did it for more than 30 yrs and finally said enough!

So DH and I will put a Turkey Breast in Crock Pot....Yes, you heard me right.....It is delicious!.....Very tender.....

Neither girls said anything about Christmas, so I guess I will do it again for a total of 39 yrs!

Maybe after I have my 7 vertebrae fused together.....they will do it!