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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday

Posted By: shopaholic on 2008-08-13
In Reply to: I know it's still a ways off but what do you do? - Deer Widow

Actually, it's the eve of my favorite holiday - Black Friday!  Every year, starting the day before Thanksgiving, I begin the preparations:  House cleaned, clothes packed, manicure, pedicure, extra lines worked.  Then Thanksgiving day, the family comes to my house (my parents, 3 siblings and their families plus me and hubs and 3 kids).  We have an early Thanksgiving dinner - 2 p.m. 


By 5 p.m., the guys are all watching football, the kids are playing video games, and we women begin staking out our big day.  We have the sales papers all over the table, the Sharpie's poised and ready to mark our intended targets.  Usually around 6 or 7 p.m., my company packs it in and calls it a day.  My hubs then heads to Wal-Mart (yes on Thanksgiving day) to buy his stock of groceries/snacks for the weekend.  While he's out, I soak in the tub for a good hour.  Then I call my girlfriend, with whom I'll be spending the weekend, and we go over the final plans just 1 last time.  I print out our agenda on the computer and then try to get myself to bed early, usually by 10 p.m.


At 3:00 a.m. Black Friday, the alarm goes off.  I'm out of that bed like a rocket and into the shower.  By 4:00 a.m., I'm at my best friend's house.  We throw her suitcases in the back and head off to our local Wal-Mart for the first finds of the day.  We usually have our stuff checked out and back in the car by 6:15 a.m.  Then we head off to our yearly shopping extravaganza.  We spend the weekend in Lancaster, PA where there's crafting, outlets, and mall shopping.  Our hotel has a hot tub and an indoor pool.  We catch all the great buys at the dept stores in Lancaster and then spend the rest of Friday crafting.  We have a nice dinner and then head back to the hot tub.


Saturday's more of the same, mostly outlets and the mall.  We usually meet up with the rest of our crew -- about 10 of us, all ladies, no kids.  We have dinner and go over all the best buys we got.  Come Sunday, we sleep in a little late and then check out of the hotel.  Not much opens early on Sunday, not even the mall, in Lancaster (home of the Amish).  We finish up our day at the mall and then head over to the Olive Garden for a farewell dinner.  We usually end up making it home by 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. Sunday night.


Okay - now you've got me all excited.  I can hardly wait.  As for my hubs and 3 kids, they usually buddy up and have sleepovers.  Saturday is a definite movie day.  They almost always have a must-see Christmas movie out Thanksgiving weekend.  Sunday, they pretty much lay around and wait for me.  My hubs usually gets the indoor Christmas decorations out for me to get started on.  We usually put the outdoor ones up the weekend before Thanksgiving.  I SOOOOOO CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!!  It is absolutely my favorite holiday of the year, my second fav being Christmas Eve (I love the anticipation of what's to come).  Thanksgiving is only 107 days away!!!!




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Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
Reason being, no presents. Just family and an excuse to eat lots of yummy foods that you don't get to have any other time of year. I have loved it since I was a child.

I like your idea though. Maybe I will do like you said. I can't please everyone and I am working both holidays so it will be hard for me to get time to go somewhere else. I can certainly use my breaks and some planning to make it at our house though.

LOL at your story. Thanks for the tip and encouragement. It's a shame that some people are such sticklers when all it really comes down to spending time with family!
What are your favorite holiday movies

Now that the holidays are just around the corner we'll be seeing more and more holiday movies.  I'm not into the holidays, but I do like holiday movies.  What are some of your favorites.  I like:


1.  Home for the Holidays (starring Holly Hunter) - very funny.


2.  Bed of Roses (with Christian Slater) - very Romantic.


3.  All the cartoon/animation kids shows like Dr. Seusse's Grinch that Stole Christmas and Rudolph the Rednose Rheindeer (DH loves to imitate the abdominal snow man - and we walk around singing we are Santa's elves while we make movements with our arms like the the animated characters - it's a hoot and we always end up laughing).  :-)


4.  Homecoming - Christmas story with the Waltons.


My favorite holiday movies...sm
I love The Grinch with Jim Carey. I also have always loved The Christmas Story since I was a kid.
Holiday Inn w/Bing&Astair and The Holiday w/Diaz&Winslet NM
.
The Holiday does it for me. or Holiday Inn for a priceless oldie.nm
x
Thanksgiving

Do not stress about your house. Celebreate your family and friends.


Last year I looked around our table and wondered how many would be back. It looks like everyone might be.


Our mother is quite ill and no improvement expected (except heaven). One sister-in-law has pancreatic cancer. One brother has prostate cancer  and the hormones caused an MI. Another brother just had AAA sugery. This list goes on.


Last year I did not expect everyone to be alive in November of 2008 so I just choose to be grateful we will be together again.


I think thanksgiving would be the
perfect time to make it clear you are NOT joining in the free for all giftgiving. Maybe you could make their favorite desserts or breads instead or think of some other inexpensive hand made gifts. My sister makes jelly or tamales for the sibs and my brother buys a bottle of wine each (mine is piling up and getting well aged). This is exactly why I tell my 3 boys to buy for their wives and kids. I myself don't (can't) spend much on the kids, but I figure their parents need to have that fun, I've had my turn with my own. And I don't want anything at all, in fact, I wish when someone came over, they would have to take something when they leave! But, like I told one of mine, you are making memories, it will depend on your attitude and not what you spent that the kid remembers later. One might forget that expensive day at an amusement park, but remember years later a plain simple picnic because of the feeling of family fun and closeness. Good luck with your pregnancy, I am sure you are unusually tired already.
I try to have it up by thanksgiving or right after..nm
dd
I try not to even think about it until after Thanksgiving
It annoys me just a little that everyone forgets about Thanksgiving. It it a true American tradition/holiday that has pretty much just a prelude anymore to the commercial, overrated Christmas.

The people across the street have their glitzy white shimmering tree up. I just don't get it...
Thanksgiving
1939 to 1940

Abraham Lincoln's successors as president followed his example of annually declaring the final Thursday in November to be Thanksgiving. But in 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt broke with this tradition. November had five Thursdays that year, and Roosevelt declared the fourth Thursday as Thanksgiving rather than the fifth one. In 1940, in which November had four Thursdays, he declared the third one as Thanksgiving. Although many popular histories state otherwise, he made clear that his plan was to establish it on the next-to-last Thursday in the month instead of the last one. With the country still in the midst of The Great Depression, Roosevelt thought an earlier Thanksgiving would give merchants a longer period to sell goods before Christmas. Increasing profits and spending during this period, Roosevelt hoped, would help bring the country out of the Depression. At the time, advertising goods for Christmas before Thanksgiving was considered inappropriate.


 


I did a lot of reading before Thanksgiving
when we made one - it was rather small - just for the 2 of us - and it turned out perfect. Husband likes very rare and we knew we would have a few slices left over which we would then microwave so wanted them rare also. The best advice I can give is to buy a good thermometer and take out before it reaches the temp you want for rare, medium or whatever - as it does continue to cook for a few minutes outside the oven - which surprised this old cook!!  It actually rose 5-10 degrees (cannot recall right now) and that can make a huge difference in a small prime rib - I was shocked! :))
The weekend after Thanksgiving
We go out and get the tree and decorate the inside of the house.
what are your Thanksgiving favorites that would
never make it to Martha Stewart's table.  My daughter loves my ex-MIL's strawberry pretzel jello!  Not haute cuisine!
Thanksgiving Blessings to all





MT Stars Friends
Deuteronomy 16:15, “For seven days celebrate the Feast to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete.” (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 10:15, “A fool's work wearies him; he does not know the way to town.” (NIV)

Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (NIV)



We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving
Day Celebration - yesterday - Turkey & All The Trimmings -
Our son headed back to Hawaii where is he based, leaving for 6-month deployment in Iraq on Sunday. Again, Have a Blessed Thanksgiving Everyone!!
My worst Thanksgiving
I remember the date well.  It was Thanksgiving of 1978.  I had made the Thanksgiving meal and had invited friends.  We were living in Wisconsin away from family.  Well, some friends and I were putting the last minute touches on the meal, when I heard my dog going crazy outside.  I opened the door and in she came, smelling horribly of SKUNK!  Needless to say no one could eat anything, as the house just "STUNK OF SKUNK". 
Hey thanks, Cat. Happy Thanksgiving and SM
tell your sister I have done just that!  It is a little closer to the TV, but all will work out, I am sure. I am in the market for a neat piece of carpet to put over that area. Have a great day and don't eat too much. I think a cup of  Lipton tea would be great with that pie!
Happy Thanksgiving!

It may have been a very hard year for my family but I have a LOT to be thankful for -- including this wonderful group of colleagues!


We always put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving. sm
we all sing-a-long Christmas songs to CDs while we decorate. I can't stand putting them up until after Thanksgiving. I have to close one holiday before i move onto the next, lol.

The other tradition i started with my kiddos is they always get to open ONE present on Christmas eve. that one present is always and will always be PJs. when they were little and i looked back on our Christmas pictures, i realized they were in whichever PJs they went to bed in. so then i decided every year to get them PJs for a gift so everyone looks nice for pictures the next morning.
Exactly what I was thinking....Thanksgiving
xx
Normally week AFTER Thanksgiving.
x
thanks again and happy Thanksgiving!
nm
This is what thanksgiving is all about...a must read

At turkey time last year, Monique White was unemployed, living in a cramped motel room and pining for the Thanksgivings of her childhood, when dozens of people would gather for a holiday feast.


Today a receptionist at a dentist's office, she has a townhouse in Littleton, Colo. And, thanks to an Internet posting, a list of Thanksgiving dinner guests — strangers all — who will help her eat nine turkeys, four hams, 16 boxes of stuffing and a dozen or so pies.


How did this happen?


White, 36, was feeling a bit lonesome a week ago; her two sons were planning to spend the holiday with their father. And though her longtime partner, Doug White, would be there for her on Thanksgiving, she longed to be surrounded by many more people.


So she posted invitations on Craigslist, the Internet classifieds site. In part, one read:


"Maybe you are someone who is new in town and doesn't have anywhere to go. Maybe you are a small family that wouldn't be able to afford Thanksgiving dinner otherwise. Maybe you are just looking to change up your normal Thanksgiving tradition. ... We have room at our table this year."


She figured four folks, maybe five would answer. But then the replies poured in: People laid off from work. People with no family. People ashamed to bring their children to a Thanksgiving dinner at a soup kitchen.


"I thought: There's was no way I can judge who is worthy of sitting at my table. I have to invite them all," White says.


In all, 32 people are expected for dinner.


When White's boss heard what she was doing, he offered to pay for the food. Then a local hotel offered to provide tables and chairs. Then a professional magician said he would like to perform for the kids.


Certainly a far cry from Thanksgiving 2007, White says. "Last year it was just us two. It was horrible."


Doug White has been busy baking turkeys, putting one in the oven as soon as another comes out.


"People need to stop being so worried about me, me, me, my bills, my life," he says. "You stop worrying, and look what happens?"


 


Who will be working on both Thanksgiving and/or Christmas and why? sm

This was brought up on another board and I wanted to know who was working. If you are, is it because you are "forced" to work on those days? If you are, please name the company so I can make sure I don't apply to that company. Why do people think that just because we work FROM HOME that we are obligated, more so than in house employees, to work on major holidays. I understand we are in healthcare and I know some will want to work while others don't want to. I say that if I CHOOSE not to work on those days then that shows I am prioritizing my life with family coming before my job. I'm sorry if that "hurts anyones feelings" but that is the truth and I don't think any company should ever, ever, ever push you or make you work on those 2 major holidays. You deserve them off - and if you WANT to work on those days then go for it. More power to you.


 


and if you should be in an accident or have a death in the family or have an emergency any other time during the year you have my word that I would cover your shift and take care of turn around times for you any other time, but don't make me work on a major holiday because I am not your slave.


I will not work on Thanksgiving day, but over that weekend -sm
when I choose to work. I will have 90 minutes of work to get done by Monday; so will probably just do 30 minutes each morning and still the day free for the most part. As for Christmas, I am probably have to work on Christmas day but only because I will not have had time to do my work before then. I will only take 60 minutes for that weekend but won't have much time to do it until Christmas night, so that will be interesting. I am going to try to do it Friday night/early Saturday morning of the weekend so I will not have to work Christmas night. It will make me more tired but I'd rather be tired than have to work the night I get back after driving 200 miles. But I don't have to work on the holiday. We are off when the hospital is off, which follows state mandates, so we get all the major holidays.
Working Thanksgiving. Off Christmas. Not exactly
by choice, but because I had to choose one or the other. Christmas is the only day of the year that my whole family is off.
Thanksgiving day treats that start with N

I need help with some ideas for turkey day treats that start with N for my kindergartener's class.  I can only think of the following:


nuts


nectarine


noodles



Tip for day after Thanksgiving shopping deals....sm
check stores on-line as a lot of them are having on-line specials that are as good if not better than in their stores.  For example, I bought a 32 inch LCD TV with dual tuner, extended warranty for 2 years, free shipping and grand total with tax of $717 - on-line offer only, on a major chain's website.  Happy shopping!
Happy Thanksgiving & we thank our military! (sm)

http://www.sgtstrader.org/msg/2006tdm1.html


 


You will have to cut and paste this link I guess - it is worth it - very beautiful and touching!


 


Thanksgiving Warm Fuzzies!
A while back, I posted about boy named Conner who had a bone marrow transplant for NEMO. After being in the hospital in a different state than his own since August, Conner finally returned to his home and family! While he still has a very long and rocky road ahead, he is at least able to be home for Thanksgiving. If you click on the link, and scroll down, you will see the one of the most heartwarming photos of his homecoming taken by their local newspaper:

http://www.caringbridge.org/in/connersmith/index.htm

BTW, Conner is one of a set of triplets!

If you want to send Conner a hat from your state, check out the Hats for Conner site at:

http://hatsforconner.blogspot.com/

There you will also find a photo of my dog Addie who absolutely hates the digital camera.
What was your WORST Thanksgiving? Just lightening up a little sm
I had a few but remember these the best. First was in a snowstorm when my son came down with chicken pox and all we had left (as we were going out) was one pound of hamburg in the freezer, just had to make the best of it. Another was when we unwrapped our turkey that morning and it was bad and all the stores were closed.. This was one we planned to stay home for and have a "just us" memorable Thanksgiving. We ate all the veggies and still enjoyed ourselves, but we have something to laugh at today in our memories.Happy Thanksgiving!
Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. sm
I hope you all have something to be thankful for!!! 
At my in-laws' house one Thanksgiving, sm
my brother in law's dog took a crap right in the middle of the living room. My mother-in-law (rest her soul) walked into the kitchen, grabbed a handful of papertowels, wiped up the poop, threw the papertowels out, washed her hands, and sat back down at the table. She was like it was no big deal! We were all laughing like crazy AFTER she sat back down and we saw she was not fazed by it at all. It was too funny.
Having a totally cool Thanksgiving..!! s/m
Woiken, then havin spaghetti and meatballs, den watchin a flick!!  A good one to all...!!
All these people are coming for thanksgiving...
My house is a cluttered mess.  I just don't know where to start.  I mean, I guess I do...I've been to Flylady.net...but it seems so overwhelming.  What I thought would be fun is giving me heart palpitations.  Any advice? 
Any family fights over thanksgiving
listening to the radio this morning and they were talking about family getting into fights over Thanksgiving and Christmas...my family or my DH's have never gotten into any fights over the holidays .. but I have friends who always gets into some disagreement .. I have a EX SIL who's family always fight .. infact they think our family is so boring because we get along so well..

Will be working Thanksgiving - Not Christmas by choice. sm
I offered to work to keep my account caught up. My choice. It is not that hard to have a turkey in the oven and get some work done. That is the glory of working at home - can work in the morning and then in the evening after dinner. Anyway, my family likes to sleep after filling their bellies from T-giving dinner. Perfect opportunity to get some work done!

Now, Christmas, different story. Have entire family for 2 days including brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and my own 2 teens, etc. That is my family time.

Will work New Years also - my choice. No big deal!
Neither. I work in a corp position and we have Thanksgiving off plus
I love it and would never go back to MT work.

I won a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway and got to be on the news. sm
they filmed me picking it up, etc. won it on website entries where we had to find the turkey everyday for like 2 weeks and then they drew names.
Do you put up your Christmas tree at Thanksgiving for guests/yourself
s
cozy/fire....Thanksgiving or Christmas?
x
Grandson won't eat without ketchup, even on Thanksgiving dinner!
I know my cooking is lousy but he does this everywhere so I can't take it personally, grosses me out!
We get our tree (real) the week of Thanksgiving
My husband sometimes puts the decorations on the outside of the house earlier depending on the weather since we get a lot of snow where we live and he has to go up on the roof to decorate the upper part of the house. I can't wait. I love going out to cut down our tree.
YEAHHH!!!! New Kitty!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Good luck with him.
Holiday coverage.
I have worked on days where the doc would not do surgery on a trauma patient until the ER/trauma examination was typed and in the file, making it a STAT report.  Somebody has to be there to type it and send it back to them in a timely manner, not the next day. 
Anyone get the holiday blues?
For whatever reason . . .  family conflicts, financial stress, lonliness, etc?
holiday giving
What you are doing is a wonderful thing and I understand your hurt feelings. Perhaps next year you could channel your energy into giving where it would DEFINITELY be appreciated. Regardless of whether or not you support the war in Iraq, there are many of our troops there who would love to receive a card or care package for the holidays. There are plenty of needy children here in our country who could use a card or gift for the holidays. Why not give where it is wanted and needed? Your church can give you the name of a needy family for you to help at the holidays. You have many options to chose from. Pick something that will make it feel good on both the recipient and the givers side??
Holiday budgets - do you have one, keep one and ....sm

what works to keep you in budget if you have one?   My husband and teenager went WAY over budget last year for Christmas so this year I've told them that it's cash only for their purchases and no internet shopping (that got them in trouble last year buying too much stuff because they didn't bother to track how much they were spending).


We've got $1300 budgeted for this Christmas.  That includes $150 each kid for Santa gifts (2 kids), $100 each for my husband and myself to get each other something, each of us gets $100 total to get gifts for each other (i.e. kids get $100 to buy gifts for each other as well as we parents), $50 each allotted for our 3 parents, $25/each alotted for each of our siblings  (small gifts always given - agreed amongst siblings years ago) and $50 to get gifts for the kids teachers and bus drivers.  It sure adds up, doesn't it? 


Holiday traditions - what do you do...sm

The night after Thanksgiving, we order a large pizza for dinner, watch Christmas Vacation and Polar Express, and then drink hot chocolate while the kids decorate the Christmas tree and the cats act like kittens again.  What does everyone else do?


TV holiday commercials

Of course, there are zillions of commercials now with Christmas coming up.  I just had to tell you my favorite and see if you have one. This would be fun.  This week, there have been tons of diamond commercials on TV, Zales, etc.  There is one where the family comes down the stairs and somebody is sneaking a look in a present (it should be one of the kids).  All they show is the mom and a close up of her face being caught! Then they say something about diamonds etc.  I usually don't pay attention to commercials but I love that! She looks like a real mom, and I felt like that was what I would do, getting caught at sneaking a look. (Of course it would not be diamonds, but I'd still get caught even if it was a blender LOL).


Holiday tins
You can usually find these in a dollar store for about $1 each and you can line them with waxed paper. I use these when I make fudge for my daughter's teachers.