Anonymous wrote:I think the common thread here is a thanksgiving DINNER, not a 2pm meal. Early meals make it stressful. A 5 or 6pm dinner is great because there's no hurry. We eat a good breakfast and then have snacks out all day, drinks around 4pm, dinner at 5:30.

When my kids were little, early meals were great -- big lunch followed by a big nap, and it was clear when everyone needed to leave because we were taking the kids upstairs to get them settled down.

My husband would clean up while I (who did all the cooking) napped, too

Now the spouse and kids clean while I sleep, but that's because I've turned in at 9

We all stay at my parents house - 7 adults, 4 teens. There's a bedroom for each adult or adult couple, and teens have a big sleepover in the basement family room. It's perfectly comfortable.

We get up and start cooking around 9 - there are 2-4 people in the kitchen at any one time, each with our own dishes to make. Our big hack is spatchcocking the turkey and cooking it on the smoker/grill, so the oven is open all day for pies, rolls, dressing, etc.

We eat around 3, take a break for a walk and clean up, then dessert around 6. Late night snacks of either dinner or pie. Lots of wine, cocktails, board games, jigsaw puzzles, storytelling, and laughter.

I think the common thread here is a thanksgiving DINNER, not a 2pm meal. Early meals make it stressful. A 5 or 6pm dinner is great because there's no hurry. We eat a good breakfast and then have snacks out all day, drinks around 4pm, dinner at 5:30.

Anonymous wrote:It was indeed awesome! We had 18 people - my kids, a son-in-law & his parents, my mom & some siblings, plus my FIL in his wheelchair getting a break from his assisted living place.

Lots of laughter and good food from 3:30-7:30 PM, and then after everyone left, my DH and I chatted & cleaned up & generally relaxed.

Now DH is in bed, and it's just me and the dog. I'm giving her some turkey. Right now I'm her favorite person, and all is right in the world.

Happy Thanksgiving, DCUM!

I'm OP and this sounds delightful! Enjoyed hearing about everyone's day that they enjoyed and the variety

Ran a 5k with DH in the rain.
Had cranberry bread and doughnuts while watching parade.
Had hot dogs for lunch.

Cocktails at 4:45, dinner at 6:15. Different dishes handled by different people. Mom made mashed potatoes and gravy, Sis made stuffing, I made GBC (from scratch) and Cranberry Sauce, DH smoked a Turkey and had baked a pecan pie.

Because I'm not making everything its pretty chill.

Kids came home and slept past noon, so breakfast wasn't an issue. Lunch was leftovers or scrambled eggs.

I did some prep Tuesday and Wednesday: spatchcocking and dry-briding the turkey, prepping the stuffing add-ins, making stock, partially baking the pie shells, making roll dough, making cranberry sauce.

On Thanksgiving morning, I made pies, baked rolls, made syrup for glazed sweet potatoes, assembled the dressing. Turkey went into the oven around 1:30. Turned my attention to getting sides ready about 2:30. Guests arrived around 3:30 and we ate about 4:15. Took a break, played some games, had pie. Guests left about 8.

Day before--collard greens
7-9am pies baking
9-1:30 turkey (19 lbs)
1:30-3:30 ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes (prepped while turkey in oven)
3:30--guests arrive (10 people total); make gravy/heat up rolls
4pm --eat
6:30pm--everyone gone and clean up

1. No guests
2. Pancakes at 11.
3. Began cooking a little more complicated than usual meal at 4.
4. Warm salad at 5, all veg prepped by my partner
5. Protein (not roast, not turkey) and 2 sides, all of which cooked in an hour. Dinner at 7.
6. Picked up premade dessert, ate that at 9.

I’m visiting family out of state and we got here Wednesday. Staying with my parents.

On Thursday I made 3 dishes in the morning with the parade on in the background. By 3 pm went to my cousin’s house. 12 people. Simple apps - veggie tray, 2 premade apps. Sat at the table by 4. Food was very good - traditional menu. Everyone behaved. It was nice to catch up with the college kids. My own tween with special needs, ate the table food for the first time (I mean, it was a corn muffin, but it was the first year I didn’t have to use goldfish or pb and j as backup). We were back at my parents and in PJs by 8. It was lovely.

We had no guests and didn’t travel! Just the 4 of us . I made the meal, we ate around 1, then took a nap and saw Wicked as a family. Came home and ate pie. Very relaxing- no stress, no running around, no hosting.

It was indeed awesome! We had 18 people - my kids, a son-in-law & his parents, my mom & some siblings, plus my FIL in his wheelchair getting a break from his assisted living place.

Lots of laughter and good food from 3:30-7:30 PM, and then after everyone left, my DH and I chatted & cleaned up & generally relaxed.

Now DH is in bed, and it's just me and the dog. I'm giving her some turkey. Right now I'm her favorite person, and all is right in the world.

Happy Thanksgiving, DCUM!

Good day. Dinner at 5:30, 1 guest, DH, myself and 2 teens.

About 4 pm, Teen1 made mashed potato’s, cut up veggies
About 5 pm Teen 2 made apple crumble, laid the table
I made gravy, salad, stuffing on and off during the day
About 5 pm DH deep fried the turkey

We then played board games and chatted until close to 10pm.

I think I'm missing the idea of thanksgiving! We did apps at 5 and dinner 6:30. And my youngest just fell asleep 😬. But we had a blast. Though I was a little tough on my oldest about their behavior- I feel bad but I'll try to be better.

Kids home from college. Cooked together, at around 12, cleaned up, went for walk.
Leftovers for dinner.
A very nice day.

Anonymous wrote:We’re diving in Grenada. It was a beautiful day.

Troll. Yawn. Btdt. And you must be bored if you're here.