Nest Filling for Thanksgiving?

Our daughter and son, who are both away at college, will be home for four days. We'll have a full house again and I can't wait.

How about you? Who will be coming home for the holiday, or are you traveling?

This year we are taking a huge new step. My DIL is having surgery on the 12th so she will be recouperating and in no condition to do any cooking. I would rather not have all the muss and fuss either so we are all going to The Boulder Station Casino buffet, family style. We'll dine on lobster, prime rib, leg of lamb and of course turkey with all the extras one gets with a Vegas buffet. I am excited. I am making my signature dressing the day before so my son will have a big pan full for the next day to eat with the turkey 'breast' roast I will also prepare. They'll pick it up when we're finished eating and they drop me off at home. I have a turkey roast for me too and will have dressing the next day as well. We just decided on something different this year...Guess you could call it 'the best of both worlds.' We'll all be together, and yet someone else cooks and someone else cleans up afterward...

I recall a Thanksgiving as a child where all of us went out for dinner. I can't recall why. Perhaps Mom had just had surgery. Anyway, we had a fantastic time. I recall it with fond memories. SOemtimes change is good.

We are changing tradition this year too. We'll see how it goes. It's here instead of beign at my FILs. It's a little sad because he lives on a big, gorgeous farm where entertained as many as 40 people. Everyone brought something. It was typically one of the big evetns of the year. The sad thing is that the majority of the people who once attended are no longer with us.

We are ready to begin a new tradition with those remaining from the Greatest Generation and all the boomers and younger folks. My wheels are turning on ways to make the tradition a memorable one. I love the holidays.

My best friend Sandy and her husband and daughter are going to also join the party on Thanksgiving. I spoke to her tonight. I wonder how many more will decide to join the festivities. The more the merrier...

chatty, sounds like fun. It's easy to invite others when you have no space restrictions like in a restaurant.

My daughter gets home today and youngest son arrives tomorrow night. I'm trying not to have high expectations because I know they like to be with their friends when home for such a short period of time. I plan on making myself available anytime they are home.

Being Scottish I have never been to a Thanksgiving celebration.It is so interesting to find out about this.
Tell me what happens and if you decorate your home..
Also what food is usual for you.

We have St Andrews Day...30th November
Burns Birthday 25th January.
Hogmany...The last day of the year and New Years Day were special for most Scots.
Christmas Day ...I worked on that day when I first started working..Then Scotland became more like England and now Christmas is bigger for parties.
Christmas was alway a Holy time but less materialistic when I was small.
Mountain ash

My partner and I will be home with a Tofurkey roast. We have our own traditions, sort of. We'll listen to "Alice's Restaurant" on our local alternative radio station, then go to the local Humane Society to give all the cats and dogs a "Thanksgiving" dinner: dogs get turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes; cats get tuna. All of the food is donated and cooked by volunteers (Trader Joe's donates canned tuna for the cats!)

I was able to get a 23 pound turkey donated by one of the Vons stores here and after dinner with my family its off to the shelters to visit and help feed the animals. One of the other volunteers is cooking and shredding it. They also got donations of canned ham and crab meat for the cats.

Yonuh, you and I think alike. My son and grandson usually go and help feed the homeless but this year Jason, my grandson, who this month turned 17, is coming with me to the animal shelters. I am so pleased.

Are all the same people, children, coming for Christmas that were with you for Thanksgiving or did they just stay with you, going back after New Years.

Yes. One finishes school next week and the other doesn't finish until the 22nd and will come home that same day.

I liked it better when everyone came here to my house instead of going to my sons. I hate that long drive, going isn't bad but coming home is miserable, watching for all the drunks on the streets and then there have been a rash of car jackings of women alone in cars. Pretty bad to have to carry a .38 in the car on Christmas...BUT better safe than sorry!

Chatty, can you psend the night and travel when it's light out? How far away si your son's home?

We stay home Christmas day and it's one of my favorite things about Christmas. It's one of the only days of the year we dont't jump in a car and head somewhere.

We picked our daughter up Friday night. Now we're waiting for our youngest to get home next Saturday night. Can't wait to lay eyes on him at the airport. Last time I picked him up, as he was walking towards me, he chuckled and siad, "Ha, we match." We both had on khakis colored pants and a brown shirt. I thought it was such a cute comment.

Whaaaaat Chatty? You carry a gun on you? I agree with Dotsie. I would stay overnight as well. No matter how uncomfortable that may be for you; it is probably the lesser of the two evils.

Do most of you have guns and carry them on you or in your cars?

Hannelore, I have no idea what or who "most of you" consist of.

I carry my gun in the car with me when I know I will be out after dark, which in the winter here is 5:00 PM. I have a carry permit, you need one and they aren't that easy to get. I got mine because I was called out sometimes in the wee hours for an animal rescue in the desert or other dangerous and deserted areas.

My son is about an hours drive away, he is in a beautiful area, but some of the city I need to travel through is, well, less than safe. Places I would never venture into in the daytime, let alone at night...

Hannelore my dear friend, its called "better to be safe than sorry!"
There isn't any room at my sons because my DIL's family is coming in from Utah and bunking there, thats 4 extra people already. Not that much room either.

No problem I will take my chances, have before and nothing bad has happened. I am aware of my surrounds and thats half the battle. If anybody bothers me, I'll throw cookies at them, he, he!

Chatty, by “most of you”, I was asking the Boomer sisters here.

I can understand why you bring a gun with you. And I agree whole heartedly with the “better safe than sorry” thing. I always thought if you have a gun, you are allowed to keep it at home, but not take it with you. So that sort of surprised me, and truthfully I find that to be a frightening thought. That means people who are a bit off balanced can bring their guns with them as well. In that case, I would probably have one with me too.

The whole thing has escalated so. If guns weren’t allowed at all that would be the ideal situation. You know, like in the 50’s.

Only some people who have a VERY GOOD reason are given carry permits. I got mine because I was/am on the retrival end of the animal industry here and out at all hours in some dangerous areas. We usually travel in pairs but sometimes it's necessary to be there alone.
Not just any citizen can carry a firearm. Plus I had to take training and qualify at the target range.
I have always been a good shot so that part was easy for me.