All this sounds like a lot of food. I generally don't eat much because I really want to have room for the stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc...And the ovens are usually really needed all day. Why not just serve a platter of "Call your Mother breakfast sandwiches" cut up into quarters and a fruit salad?
The sandwiches heat up really well in a toaster oven and the guests can make up a sampler selection for their plate. You don't have to worry about vegetarian, lactose intolerance, carb aversions or allergies, because they can pick and choose or dump the actual bagel if they want.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

Thank you. Why do people need to rush through summer? It is short enough as it is.

I am in a hammock at my family’s lake cottage. We’ve been together and doing activities, and I’m taking 20 minutes on my phone with a glass of wine. I’m enjoying the summer and looking forward to the fall. It’s sad that you think you can only enjoy one moment and never anticipate a lovely future.

Try living in the moment and savoring it. Put your phone away.

Try minding your business, sourpants. Good grief!

These are our T-day morning go-to: https://smittenkitchen.com/2013/11/cranberry-orange-breakfast-buns/ For Christmas, it's cinnamon rolls. I also do a sausage and green chili egg bake. We have a family recipe, but something like this: https://thesouthernladycooks.com/sausage-green-chile-breakfast-casserole/ Both are make-ahead friendly, reheat well, and let people pick their own portion(s).

For pre-meal snacks and apps, if I'm hosting, it's a charcuterie plate, fruit and veg, and some quickbreads (zucchini, lemon poppy seed, cranberry walnut), just so people have things to munch while the mains and sides are going. If it's just my family, we've done veggies with a yogurt dip and fruit salad.

All of this is stuff I can prep ahead so I don't have to really think much about it day-of.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

Thank you. Why do people need to rush through summer? It is short enough as it is.

I am in a hammock at my family’s lake cottage. We’ve been together and doing activities, and I’m taking 20 minutes on my phone with a glass of wine. I’m enjoying the summer and looking forward to the fall. It’s sad that you think you can only enjoy one moment and never anticipate a lovely future.

You sound like me! I would love to be invited to your Thanksgiving day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

Thank you. Why do people need to rush through summer? It is short enough as it is.

I am in a hammock at my family’s lake cottage. We’ve been together and doing activities, and I’m taking 20 minutes on my phone with a glass of wine. I’m enjoying the summer and looking forward to the fall. It’s sad that you think you can only enjoy one moment and never anticipate a lovely future.

Try living in the moment and savoring it. Put your phone away.

We have always eaten between noon and 2pm. People come over, I have a vegetable tray out for those who are starving, maybe some cheese and crackers, then we eat and everything is cleaned up by 3pm. Most visitors leave, maybe a few stay overnight and at dinner time, guests can make leftovers.

It's a casual, fun afternoon & evening either playing board games or watching a movie.

After decades of this, I can't imagine the benefit of waiting to eat until 5pm or later, and worrying about a lunch for guests while I am preparing 10 different dishes for the formal meal.

Sadly, all my older relatives have passed on, but 10, 20, 30 years ago, I know Grandparents and Great Aunts (then parents) appreciated being able to drive home in daylight.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

This is DCUM & Thanksgiving. You can bet people are already preparing food.

Then why not read the 1000 old posts on it?

Your comment could apply to hundreds of threads. Are you suggesting they close DCUM?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

This is DCUM & Thanksgiving. You can bet people are already preparing food.

Then why not read the 1000 old posts on it?

Some of us enjoy rotating in new dishes and traditions. You sound boring.

We do a turkey trot race in the morning and then stop for bagels on the way home.

My aunt always buys one of those giant edible fruit "flower" arrangements and we all love it. There are usually some cheese and cracker platters and a bloody mary bar to round it out.

Anonymous wrote:Why so much food between breakfast and dinner? And charcuterie is fatty crap.

There is a Burger King right down the road.

I would make egg frittatas (probably to order and in a ramekin) instead of hard boiled egg - and cheese would be very optional.

Paging Burger King Lady. Please come out to play. I want to hear about the lovely and abundant meal you're planning before you close your kitchen for 36 hours.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is August

This is DCUM & Thanksgiving. You can bet people are already preparing food.

Then why not read the 1000 old posts on it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like the formality and elegance of dining at 5 or later. When people make Thanksgiving an afternoon meal, it feels disappointing.

Agree and everyone isn’t hungry again a few hours later.

But the leftovers snack is the best part of Thanksgiving!