A Thanksgiving Meme

I saw this at Smiling Sally‘s:

1. Which do you like better: cooking at your house, or going elsewhere?

I like both. We’ve cooked here for the better part of our married lives, but earlier on we got together with friends whose folks (whom we also knew) came down for Thanksgiving, and it was a fun time catching up with all of them. I imagine some time in the next few years there will be daughters-in-law who will take over the main event, and I am fine with that.

2. Do you buy a fresh or frozen bird?

Frozen, whatever’s on sale.

3. What kind of stuffing?

Cornbread.

4. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie?

I like both but my family would boycott if I had sweet potato pie instead of pumpkin.

5. Do you believe that turkey leftovers are a curse, or the point of the whole thing?

I LOVE turkey leftovers!! They’re not “the point,” necessarily, but I love turkey sandwiches, casseroles, and turkey-bone soup after Thanksgiving! But then again, that IS why we only have turkey once a year.

6. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu?

I don’t know. We always have stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy (Thanksgiving is one of the few times we have mashed potatoes), and some kind of vegetable casserole.

7. Do you save the carcass to make soup or stock?

YES!! One of my favorite things.

8. What do you wish you had that would make preparing Thanksgiving dinner easier?

Can’t think of anything, really, except a bigger kitchen so more than one person could work in there without it being crowded.

9. Do you get up at the crack of dawn to have dinner ready in the early afternoon, or do you eat at your normal dinner hour?

I do get up early to get the turkey in. (Preparing the turkey and baking it is the easiest part, I think, but the part I was most scared of the first time. It’s later when all the side dishes are going and I’m trying to get everything ready at the same time that is busy and hard.) I’d rather eat in early afternoon, clean the kitchen up, and then be “off” for the rest of the day while everyone makes a sandwich or heats up a plate of leftovers when they get hungry than do a big meal like that for dinner.

10. If you go to somebody else’s house, what’s your favorite dish to bring?

Whatever they ask of me.

11. What do you wish one of your guests would not bring to your house? What would you like them to bring?

I don’t really expect anyone to bring anything. Perhaps whatever soft drinks they like — there are so many varieties it’s hard to please everyone.

12. Does your usual mix of guests result in drama, or is it a group you’re happy to see?

It’s usually just immediate family and we’re glad for the chance to stop all the other crazy schedules and just relax for the day. That’s one reason we don’t usually have other guests (other than girlfriends now), though I wouldn’t be opposed to it.

13. Is your cranberry sauce fresh or canned? Whole or jellied?

NO cranberry sauce! Bleah!

14. What’s your absolute favorite thing on the menu?

That’s hard to say — I like it all!

15. Share one family tradition.

Nothing really out of the ordinary. Sometimes we do go around the table and share what we’re thankful for. We’re not football fans, so the afternoon or evening might be spent watching a video or playing a game. We also usually get in some long distance phone calls to far away family some time during the day.

Let me know if you do this as well and I’ll come by!

I am linking this to Kelli’s Week of Giving Thanks at There’s No Place Like Home — a festival of Thanksgiving posts — poems, quotes, decorations, crafts, recipes, etc. You can have fun there perusing lots of Thanksgiving inspiration.