Leaving town or staying put for Thanksgiving?

[Markintosh]

Heading to the coast for some rock fishing early in the week. On T-Day itself, we always go out skiing with another family and then come home to a simple turkey dinner. More skiing on the other days. Our family knows to not mess with the start of ski season. Our family season is now.

[Jack D.]

My wife and I and the 3 dogs are going out to her brothers place in Owego, NY just like we've done for the last 30 years. There's lots of family on his wifes side so they rent the church hall and have everybody there. It works out nice because they have a full commercial kitchen with all the big pots, china and serving utensils we need. Works out nicely because there's usually 30+ people to feed.

Everyone pitches in on the cooking and I'm the gravy and stuffing guy. Almost everyone brings some type of homemade favorite dish or desert so there's always plenty of food to go around and everyone gets leftovers for the trip home.

[OWC Jamie]

We now all live within an hour's drive of each other.
Except for a nephew who now lives in Hartford.

Thanksgiving dinner was at Mom and Dad's for 52 years, now it's at my neice's.
15 minute ride for me. I've been buying and cooking the turkey since my grandmother stopped about 20 years ago. Winter squash, carrots, a few beets and onions come from my garden. Just about everyone cooks or brings something. Anywhere from 20 to 30 people.

[mikeylikesit]

I'm a grandfather married to a grandmother for low these 42-years. I'll coach a team but I ain't hosting nothin`.

[Mac1337]

We were planning on making it a family affair but a few friends invited themselves. Not bad.

[AlphaDog]

The closest extended family is almost 4,000 miles away, so it will be the usual small gathering at my house. My son and daughter in law will come, bringing a side dish for dinner and one of my daughter in law's yummy desserts. I think it'll be pumpkin cheesecake this year. I'll cook the turkey and trimmings, although I no longer do as many side dishes for only three people. Louie will be totally exhausted at the end of the day from all of the kitchen duty. His job is to stand by, ready to pick up anything that might accidentally land on the floor. I'm a pretty tidy cook, but, dang, a chunk of turkey always manages to fall from the counter during the carving.

[dmann]

Very lucky that my sis and her family, both our parents (who have been divorced for over 30 years but are still great friends) and our grandmother all live in the Chicago area. We usually end up with a few random stragglers- friends or coworkers or neighbors who join us.

Every few years we go visit friends in Michigan but this year we are staying put. My mom doesn't cook (by choice), so we usually use her house as the gathering spot and the rest of us (including my dad and my stepmom) bring the food. I'm in charge of stuffing and a snack for football watching.

In an ironic twist, my mother is remodeling her kitchen (again, remember that this woman doesn't cook!) so we'll probably go to my sister's instead.

I LOVE Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday, hands down. And if anyone in the Chicago area needs a place to go for turkey day, PM me.

DM

[Grateful11]

Immediate family members are within 30 miles so we always dine at someones house within the family.

[mrthuse]

Truckin' 2 hours west w/ the mater familius, daughter and son and heading to sister's place for dinner. Mom (86 yo) and Aunt Rosemary (97 yo!) will be in attendance. Turkey, nouveau beaujolais. creamed chestnuts, pecan pie - yum. Think I'll have a sandwich.

[space-time]

we don't have any family...

...here in the US. both I and my wife are first generation immigrants, all our families are in Europe. We usually stay home and sometimes invite friends over, and rarely we travel to see other friends. This year we'll stay put.