I defer to the wisdom of Dem Mods to place this thread elsewhere if they wish ... I wondered what rituals, of both food and habits of the weekend, that your family practices on Thanksgiving... The food seems obvious, but then, everyone has a certain menu. What is yours? Maybe some of you guys are far more interesting than I am (you better be - I'm boring). Plus, what about activities? Anyone play football in the yard? Watch the Lions game like you give damn? Sing songs around the fire? That sort of thing ... Anyway, as my daughters are still young, we've established simple traditions - turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry sauce. That is all. No vegetables, no salads, no other sides. We have punkin and apple pie for dessert, and shitloads of wine and booze for grownups. We simplified that menu after we first got married; we get strange looks from her side of the family. They always had 20 things to pick from. Then they'd toss 90% of what they prepared. So, I'd rather keep it simple, and wife agrees. We also flick the light switch on the house lights on Thanksgiving night, so the house is lit for Advent and Christmas. When I was in high school and college, my buddies all played a Turkey Bowl pickup tackle football game at the local public high school. Here in Anaheim, it was the Catholic school kids vs. the public school pukes. Some of those games drew blood. It was pretty heated. Now, I'm old and fat, so we play "cornhole" in the backyard (God only know what @irish will do with that sentence, so here's a link to the game). When we were very little, my folks took us to the drive-in on Friday after Thanksgiving. We'd take turkey sammies and hot chocolate and watch the movie from the back of the station wagon. I recall watching M*A*S*H and Deliverance that way. So ... happy Thanksgiving, boys. I wish we had a Dodger WS ring to be thankful for, but otherwise, it has been a good year for my world.
fun game we used to play it before/after a local poker tournament sometimes more money changed hands there than in the tourney
I usually fry a turkey. Gets me outside for a good hour before dinner and away from the guests. And I get to channel my inner white trash. Next day I use the the leftover stuffing to make a stuffing and American cheese omelette. I know it sounds disgusting, and totally unhealthy. But it's delicious...and totally unhealthy.
I actually like to cook, an Thanksgiving is like the only time I am in full control of everyone and they do what I say, or else they get crappy food. It's also an excuse for me to drink copious amounts of booze as I prepare the meal. Kill two birds with one stone.
Shit ... I know I'm having a stuffing omelette on Friday now ... thanks, man. I mean, if I can't make regrettable dietary decisions on the day after, then kill my Irish ass ... Yep. This. I have two full bottles of tequila and Irish whisky each to drink over the weekend. I'll drink at least three of them, and that'll be it until Christmas weekend ... I plan to get my man card on ...
used to be all about turkey and family then one day someone in the family decided it was better for us to celebrate the holiday on fridays i think thats where things started going sideways but anyways its not much of a holiday around here i'll take my kid out for sushi tomorrow night and come back and hang out w mom when my judgmental group of gossipy siblings (not all) get together i'll be doing something else they need time to share about what a narcissistic arrogant self centered pig i've become funny thing is idgaf what any of them thinks and am grateful for everything i have in my life even if its less of them my dogs are awesome and they're fairly non judgemental done living my life for other people a long time ago funny how scary that is for others to digest
i think we all have family members like that i do... my cousins used to get together with them periodically to placate the parents but now that all the parents and aunts/uncles are gone there's no reason doubt i'll ever see/talk to them again and that's okay don't hate em, just don't have anything in common with them
Yep. I've come to dread the family get togethers. I even get along with pretty much everyone, but there's always the little passive aggresive comments and judging between the people there and I just get sick of the bad energy. This year my wife and I are spending the holiday in Australia away from everyone. No stress no worries.
its crushing if you let it get to you but its there all the same and as the years go on it gets worse for the people who can't let go and be happy w what they have i remember having a lot of fun and telling stories and laughing thats been replaced by people of both sides of the political spectrum being unable to leave that garbage outside its just a seething cauldron of ugly ready to spill at a moments notice in my case its just the women in the family (sans mom of course) deciding i need a lesson they can absolutely go fuck themselves now its even come to my kid telling me stuff people have leaked to her about me and my past she's 22 and loves me but now i face her giving me sideways glances its like they have no life of their own so lets fuck w this guy once my mom goes i can see making an occasional phone call and that makes me a little sad but not willing to do what they want me to thats never going to happen
this hits home like you wouldn't fucken believe btw, someone gave me jameson for thanksgiving two swigs and i'm faded... then again i haven't eaten since last night so i'm not a complete pussy...@Finski love u man [homo]
This reminds me of my family a little. Not necessarily towards me but my dad. What do they want you to do? Just curious and you don't need to divulge if uncomfortable. My situation is a bit crazy with family living really close but yet we're so far apart. Mostly I'm good with it because I get caught up in my own shit and don't like calling or going out of my way to be involved etc. but also it sucks... I see families that are close and I feel like that could be cool. Anyway happy thanksgiving fkucks...
I made it about five pours into my first Jameson bottle last night. Slept like a rock. Wasn't good for much today. Wonderful but sad posts in here. I'm sorry if I touched a nerve. Shit ...
You know what man... I'm sorry to pry.. just sounds a lot like my fam... no worries and hope you have a wonderful holiday
The last thanksgiving where I felt a sense of community was when my mom passed away the day of at the age of 40. This will be 9 years. Grateful for the 16 years I got and will pray everyday that I won't lose my Dad suddenly. That would kill me. I hope we can experience a WS together. The joy and content that c would be special. Everyone pretty much does their own thing now. My siblings, who I get along with great, left this disaster of a state a couple years ago. So I won't see them or their kids. Just gonna go to my Dad's tomorrow. Everyone else (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) is out of town or doing something else. I'm thankful for God's unfathomable grace, my wife, friends, home, job and much more.
Thanksgiving and Christmas....There is a reason why a lot of suicides occur during this part of the year. Supposed to be this happy go lucky time of year....a sacred passage through time. But this is the time where family dysfunction and general sadness reach a peak. Perhaps it's the tyranny of the ideal smashing against reality. If this was called "Family Throwdown Day" there might be better adjusted expeditions... but whatever. I try to compartmentalize my experience.....shut out the mom or dad (depending on the day), try to ignore the noise or ugly looks from the wife, distract younger people with TV, and just try to enjoy cooking on my own terms with my own rules and focus. If the kids want to help, let them do simple things...and if they screw up, you're fired and go and watch TV.... Win Win. None of my holiday times with family have ever been smooth. But I am convinced this is what these times are really for. Meet people you may not like, but may never see again. Do something for a larger gathering even if you don't like them or arguments start because of them. When we were young...we probably experienced the same things that were the same thing with different players....people we didn't really know but it didn't matter because FOOD! Great FOOD!. But yeah, as we grow older....food is not ebough. I miss all of us living in the same house....arguing but still working together for this great feast. With so many of us with our own families.....issues.....stresses......schedules....it's not quite the same. Not sure where this is going other than to say Happy Holidays and Happy Thanksgiving...wherever and however you choose to send them.
