Thanksgiving -- is this lame?

[hillview]

My parents are going to see my sister for Thanksgiving so that means Turkey day will be just me, DH and the boys. I just cannot get myself geared up to do a full on Thanksgiving (I imagine myself in the kitchen all day barking at the kids to behave while I cook -- not fun). I am thinking of going out. Is that just pathetic? You can say yes :)
/hillary

[kristac]

I don't think it's pathetic. This year I will have a newborn so there will be family in town and I told them that they are in charge, but if it was just us I think we would likely go out or I would have DH get a fryer and have him do the bird and then maybe make 2 or 3 sides and a frozen pie.

[SammyeGail]

Its Thanksgiving, you don't have alot of people to feed, go out! Enjoy a great dinner that you don't have to cook or clean up after ;).

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, it's not pathetic. Though, I think even better would to have it catered and delivered so you could chill in your PJs all day. :)

My mom has done a turkey breast before when there hasn't been a crowd to feed. At Whole Foods they have these turkey roulades with stuffing in them- yum! You could make those and serve up 1 or 2 of your favorite sides to go with it.

Beth

[MoJo]

Not lame. I may do the same thing myself. My sister isn't coming up this way this year, and my mom really isn't into Thanksgiving right now, so I'm considering staying home with my family instead of travelling to my mom's. . . and if I stay home, I'm definitely considering going out. DH and DD won't care. DH might prefer it to watching DD for extra time while I cook, actually. Although DH does like my turkey and stuffing, so maybe I'll cook but just not the whole meal.

Do what your family will enjoy!

[MamaMolly]

My mom served Domino's pizza until a 'friend' of hers found out and shamed her into a huge Thanksgiving with all the trimmings. I actually kind of hated Thanksgiving after that. My parents always fought, and I think my mom did this whole passive-aggressive thing by putting out really weird things we *never* ate any other time like pickled peaches. And let me tell you, pickled peaches are the most unappetizing thing to look at. Shriveled and gray~ICK! We had to take one of everything and couldn't have seconds on anything until we'd cleaned our plates. It was a miserable meal as a kid.

When we got together as a huge family it was always with my mom's bumpkin relatives and the adults were bombed on CheerWine (like cherry cola) and Jack Daniels. And we had to fend of the creepy Great-Uncle's grabby hands. Not fun.

DH and I have a pact that we only serve what we love and nobody has to eat anything they don't like. So I'm starting to enjoy the whole Thanksgiving thing with my little family!

But you have my signed, sealed and delivered permission to do what ever the heck you want. For the love of all that is holy, ENJOY your Thanksgiving!!!!!! no matter what is served or where you go.

[belovedgandp]

No lame at all. Do whatever you want.

Just because going out is almost more stressful with a 2 year old, I would probably opt for the packaged meal from the grocery store. Or quite honestly chili and munchies for a lounge around the house all day.

Instead I'll be going to huge meal Thursday and painful meal on Saturday. Enjoy!

[karenj2]

There was one Thanksgiving when none of my siblings were able to make it on the actual day, so my mom just cooked up a small turkey breast. We had Thanksgiving on Saturday instead.

There's a restaurant near me that is booked solid for Thanksgiving, so obviously you're not the only one to go out! :)

Do what makes you happy.

[Jen841]

Go out, or order in. I have had Christmas dinner at a random chinese or mexican restaurant.

For Thanksgiving many stores offer for you to buy the meal and eat it at home. Here in PA I know I can get the full meal at Super Suppers, Giant and Wegmans. If you want to just lock yourselves in the house that could be a good option. I confess, eatting out with kids is not always a pleasant experience for us unless we are at a sports bar with TVs all over.

Our neighbors go out for Thanksgiving annually!

DH and I have had pizza on our china for our anniversary in the dining room.

[ThreeofUs]

My DH is gone for the next 6 weeks or so, and I just can't imagine getting too geared up for T'giving, either. But I might have to make the effort for the boys.

I think going out sounds great. Do whatever it takes to have a wonderful day!

[hellokitty]

Not lame. It's a lot of work to go all out with a big holiday meal. I have hosted almost every single thanksgiving and christmas in the past 6 yrs for both sides of the family that I am burnt out! So, I think last yr, we ended up doing Christmas on our own, b/c nobody else could come and I didn't even prepare a fancy meal, it was just regular everyday stuff. My kids were still little, they didn't care, I was pregnant with hyperemesis, I was so sick. It was fine. Now that my kids are older, I'd probably just get some sort of meal to go deal from the grocery store or something, so it's still holidayish, but I don't have to slave in the kitchen for two days for one meal.

[ourbabygirl]

I would totally go out or order in if I could! Target (Archer Farms) has great Tgiving meals you can order ahead and pick up if you want the actual traditional food. Otherwise take advantage of the opportunity to go out and enjoy the stress-free meal!

[gobadgers]

I'm totally jealous of your Thanksgiving already. Go out, stay in, order in... but definitely relax and enjoy!

(And think about those of us at awkward family get togethers, wishing we were home in comfy clothes!)

[egoldber]

It's not lame. :) Amy is terrible in restaurants or we would have done that last year. We had just done a big extended family vacation 2 weeks before, so we skipped the big family Thanksgiving last year. It was just us and honestly it was really nice.

We roasted a chicken and did some of the traditional sides and it was great. :)

[HIU8]

Completely not lame. Heck, for the past 4 years we have gotten a full turkey dinner and brought it in. This year I think we are getting it from Balducci's. I just cannot be the end all be all holiday maker (my house is the only one where family celebrations occur). I love not having all the fuss and being able to relax with family.

[misshollygolightly]

Sounds good to me! If you are interested, supermarket delis usually offer pretty good deals on prepared holiday meals complete with fully-cooked turkey or ham and all the fixins'. It's a good way to enjoy the "traditional" foods without all the stress.

[bubbaray]

I"m loving the pizza idea.... That rocks.

[vonfirmath]

Growing up, Thanksgiving was NOT a big meal with all the trimmings. My mom made ham (none of us liked turkey much) and mashed potatoes and green bean casserole. And pumpkin Pie with cool whip. So there was traditional food --but not difficult stuff.

I don't remember Thanksgiving as being a day we spent with fmaily or anything. It was just a day off school where we could play games, etc. and spent it as a family.

I NEVER remember my mom slaving over the stove all day and that frankly doesn't sound like much of a holiday to me! I know we made the pumpkin pies ahead of time. Ham doesn't take much. Nor does green bean casserole, so mashed potatoes would be the other. And we never had gravy with mashed potatoes.

[elizabethkott]

Not lame at all!
The year I was pg with J, DH and I were going to go up to visit his family, but I was feeling really awful, and so we skipped it. This happened to be the same year that my uncle and his family decided to not have Thanksgiving for the first time in like 25 YEARS, and my parents, brother and grandmother had simply made reservations at a really nice place for dinner. They just added us on to the reservation!
It wound up being really great, especially for DH who doesn't really like turkey (he's weird - multiple food aversions, specifically to "mushy stuff" like mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole - you know, the ENTIRE Thanksgiving dinner menu!) and was able to order ham instead!
Now we just host the day ourselves so we don't have to depend on my wacko uncle anymore!

[hillview]

Thanks all! We will order take out and eat at home! And I won't feel guilty :)
/hillary

[KpbS]

Thanks all! We will order take out and eat at home! And I won't feel guilty :)
/hillary

Sounds like a plan but you might have to do some explaining to your DS1 about how your Thanksgiving meal will be different this year. Sometimes preschools like to really talk about all of the traditional aspects of Thanksgiving--which is great, but not always applicable ;)