^^^That sounds amazing @Nrdsb4 - what a fun way to spend the day - you’ll still be all together!
I’m doing our normal Thanksgiving thing - honey-brined turkey, stuffing (I suppose you’re supposed to call it dressing when it’s not stuffed in the bird), mashed potatoes & gravy, honey-glazed carrots, cranberry sauce & lingonberry sauce, pie & ice cream. We will probably go see Moana at the local movie theater since we are big Disney movie buffs.
I’m starting to feel overwhelmed by Tgiving… even though DH does a lot of the cooking!
We downsized 2 years ago, yet our Thanksgiving guest list just keeps bloating. My now-smaller dining room will barely accommodate the dining room table with the two extensions put in. Both kids will be inviting grad school friends and roommates. An international family of 4 we invited last year probably expects to come over this year, too. Yes, it will be fun and it will be noisy.
We’ll try to do a lot of the side dishes, and desserts, the day before. Still, the work ahead of us seems daunting 
I’m hosting, as usual. My brothers moved to the area in the past few years but they both bought houses with small dining rooms. There will only be 14 total so it’s manageable.
Sadly I’m working through Wednesday of that week and my oldest flies home that evening. I will be making two cheesecakes and rolls that night. Thank goodness for the instant pot!!! (Proofing dough, making both cheesecakes and doing the mashed potatoes in there.)
I’m a list person. I live on lists. I will have an hour by hour list of tasks for thanksgiving day - that’s my survival technique. People marvel at how it all comes together. Lists. That’s how.
I’m thinking about purchasing a smoked turkey (already cooked). Anyone have any recommendations? My S doesn’t like turkey so I’ll also be doing a roast.
I think if I were having 25 people for Thanksgiving, I’d also be having a nervous breakdown.
There’ll be 8 or 9 of us, and I’ve made a declaration: once the hostess turns 65, the main course is officially 2 turkey breasts, because I’m done with wrestling a whole turkey in and out of the brine, in and out of the oven, etc. Though the other parts look pretty on the plate (maybe I can buy some convincing fake legs and wings!), few guests ever eat them, and those that want to will just have to suffer through all the sides instead. I’m feeling mighty liberated by this decision!
I’m also foregoing the pumpkin pie and replacing it with pumpkin pie squares (these: http://www.food.com/recipe/pumpkin-pie-squares-3558), because I’m bored with doing the same thing every year.
The last element of my plans is to bar any political discussions from the table, because I just can’t anymore.
“The last element of my plans is to bar any political discussions from the table, because I just can’t anymore.”
Good idea! My family is all on the same page more or less but it still gets loud as evidenced by a family birthday dinner this past weekend.
Son has to work Thanksgiving in Seattle so he came this week to Tampa for vacation. MIL also here for a couple of months. Much nicer for cooking favorite foods because we don’t have the tons of leftovers like last year and not wanting to cook the days before when he came- plus he has two ladies to cook for him!
So far we three old folks plus an older neighbor for the Thanksgiving meal. This time I plan to not cook all of my traditional foods because I can cook them another day. We often include “strays” so the guest list will be fixed on the day. For the four of us I plan to not make as much of a feast- far too much food, especially since I do both fowl (never turkey as we are not fond of it) and an Indian vegetarian entrée plus appropriate sides and favorites.
We won’t discuss politics, we are all on the same page and won’t waste our time being upset.
I know someone who will travel OOS to be with around 30 assorted relatives/inlaws. They are actually renting the common space for someone’s condo development to have room and all will bring various items. She doesn’t understand our not gathering everyone together and laments that things are changing for her. Growing up it was typically just our nuclear family (one year I recall having neighbors over because a large snowfall meant they couldn’t go and our guests couldn’t come).
I noticed that there were a few foods we only had at Thanksgiving growing up. I later figured it out- some were not that desirable and others expensive. I’m finally learning it isn’t necessary to have traditions followed, especially when combining them or accommodating those who did not grow up with the holiday (neighbor original from Europe, H and his mom from India).
Passing on the family Thanksgiving in Ct this year. S will come home for the weekend and we’re having our neighbors and one of their D’s who will come up from NYC.
H and S will run the Turkey Trot in the morning.
Going to be a very chill long weekend. We need it, tbh, everyone is very tired.
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Time for a good “comfort, warm and fuzzy” holiday, right?? 
What does your day look like? Are you trying a new recipe? Do you have a family tradition? Did you buy the turkey yet?!
Just read these “top 3 things you should buy at Costco for Thanksgiving” - that are not food !
- Folding Tables and Chairs
Costco sells folding tables and chairs in several shapes and sizes. Need a round folding table with chairs? They’ve got that plus a cart for storing it. They also sell small kid-sized tables, buffet tables, and cloth and disposable table cloths for all shapes and sizes of tables.
- Glasses and Dinnerware It is likely that you won't have enough dinnerware to accommodate more than 10 people, let alone the 25 you're expecting for Thanksgiving. Costco sells disposable plates, napkins, drink cups, and wine glasses in bulk for a steal. If disposables aren't your thing, you can still stock up on glassware and serveware at Costco too.
Tip: If you have a large family that gets together regularly, consider sharing the cost of a set of wine glasses, dinner plates, and silverware with a few of your siblings (or in-laws) that can be reused every year whenever and wherever everyone gathers.
3. Chafing Dishes
Chafing dishes might seem like the kind of equipment reserved for caterers only, but if you serve a large crowd regularly, they are worth the investment. Chafing dishes’ main advantage over other food-holding methods (like a slow cooker set to low or a cooler lined with a heating pad) is that they hold a larger volume of food.
I actually just picked up a huge sleeve of Chinet plastic cups at Costco yesterday for like $6. Figured between all the holiday occasions they would be used and appreciated!
H is making a smoked turkey and we are gathering at my younger sister’s house. She has a GREAT house for entertaining and invites some of her friends and her H’s family. It works well for us. Neither of our two kids have said they’ll make it home for this year’s thanksgiving, though they were here the past two years. Oh well, they will both be home for Christmas, which is much more important to them and to us. 
Heading to BIL’s house in NJ. We all cook various things. Probably 10-12 for dinner. S2 will be working over the weekend, so he won’t be coming up. S1 is flying into BOS from CA the weekend before, will work out of the NYC office Mon-Wed, then head to my BIL’s after work on Wed., and will then come home with us for a couple days.
Thanks @MommaJ. I’m going to try those pumpkin squares. They look yummy. Only printed 1st page of recipe–no need for anyone to see calorie counts
I will also make the ever famous Midwestern culinary delight of green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and fried crunchy onions on top. Going to DIL’s. She has our side and hers; about 20 people total.
At the moment, planning to cook for myself. Every year, I go to close friends house at noon. This year, she is eating with parents, just a few people. I told her “no,problem, I’ll be with my cousin.” Every year, I cook sides and the day begins early and ends late. But, my cousin is going out of town. I told her “don’t worry about me, I’ll be with ----”
I plan to relax, watch the Rose Parade, and enjoy a day off from work.
Indian food for late lunch and a movie or two with great friends. No family around this year.
(No, I’m not unhappy about it)
H and I are foregoing the annual family gathering in CT and visiting S and his GF in NH instead. (He has the day off, she doesn’t.) I am cooking, partly here, partly there. We will stay for a few days. I was very, very careful in arranging this to make sure we weren’t imposing, she really wanted me to cook, etc, etc,
They are going to FL to visit her family for Christmas. They are both only children. B-)
Politically, we are on the same page, so that should be safe. The rest of the family in CT will have to be tiptoeing around my sister and BIL, who are not. Better them than me. My sister doesn’t tolerate any discussion at all, no matter how civil.
Someone mentioned how people have to work regardless of whether shopping can be done or not. I still recall being a resident from OOS on call and doing a long case during the day one year (anesthesiologist). My staff gave me a break so I could go to the cafeteria’s turkey dinner. Much better than if I had had the day off! We have hosted families of H’s partners where one spouse was on call- a better deal all around for being able to be with a crowd and not cooking.
The Rose Parade is January- usually the 1st, but the 2nd this time because the first is on a Sunday and they have a rule (google it- something to do with scaring the horses long ago for church goers). Know this because WE’RE GOING TO IT! and the Big Ten traditionally played in the game. Thanksgiving day is the Macy’s parade in NYC and one in Detroit traditionally.
There will be 19 of us at my parents house for Thanksgiving which is down about 5 people from our usual Thanksgiving gatherings. My Mom does turkey and the mashed potatoes and stuffing and the rest of us bring the other side dishes, desserts and wine! Youngest D and her bf will be at his mom’s for the day. We will miss her, but since she lives in the same town as us we see her all the time anyway. We normally stay at my parents for a couple of days, but H has to work on Friday so we are just going for the day (about an hour and a half from our home).
Neither kid is coming, S is going to his fiancé’s family gathering, D never comes home as she’ll be home in a couple of weeks.
H and I are going to his brother’s house, they host every year. Their kids don’t want to go anywhere and they have a large home. I’ve been assigned a chocolate dessert.
Any good chocolate recipes? There will be 16 or more there.
@deb922 I always make a french silk pie. My daughter and I don’t like pumpkin so this is our indulgence. Very rich but very yummy. I use the Pioneer Woman recipe but make a Famous Wafer crust instead of traditional pie crust. Don’t forget the fresh whipped cream! For a large group, I’d double the filling from the recipe and use a springform pan (the kind you would use for cheesecakes) as it would serve more than a regular pie size.