Community Chat

[gmkb]

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@dex wrote:

Our community does a dinner for anyone who wants to attend..Volunteers donate the food,cook and serve.It is very popular and I am sure fun..volunteer or just have dinner with many others.

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@dex Our development does rhe same.  Everyone brings a side dish and the community provides turkey, ham, drinks, bread.  They do this for Christmas also.  I'm told it is very well attended.

[dex]

@gmkbi think it is a wonderful thing that I might try one year...just for a change.I know we also have church dinners but I think they might be for the homeless and although I am sure they turn no one away I wouldn’t feel right.I wish that there was an option to pay if you are able.

[AuntG]

For part of the day. I'm making a traditional Thanksgiving meal and we'll eat at noon. DH will then travel to a relative's home for a card party, followed by a 6pm dinner. I'll be seeing his family at another event the following week, so rather than being in a cramped tiny home with 30 - 40 people, I'd rather stay home. Plus, I simply don't want to be tempted by so much good food. I lack willpower in that area!

[vermint]

We're having our smallest Thanksgiving in many years...just 4 of us (was supposed to be six, but one couple had to cancel due to family illness). We'll still cook "the meal", though and enjoy the company and the leftovers. 

Such a change, though, from when my in-laws were still alive and we often had 20-30 people for dinner!

[ShowMe]

This is the first Thanksgiving in a number of years that I won't be alone,  My neighbor that lives over me has invited me to join her and her family at her parent's home.  There will be a large crowd there, and I am looking forward to meeting them.  

But really, being alone never bothered me.  Gives me a chance to reflect on what I have to be thankful for.

[QueenDanceALot]

I am spending Thanksgiving with friends, but I have spent it alone sometimes in years past.  I have no family as they were all gone early in my life, so usually I had a choice of going to someone else's home or just staying home.  Some people assume that you don't want to be alone on holidays (I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "oh, you POOR THING, you don't have any FAMILY!!) so they invite you, but sometimes those of us without family just don't want to go to to another family's gathering.  Heck, some of us didn't even want to spend holidays with OUR family when we had one.   Some people assume you are going to be lonely, but they often assume that wrongly. I have enjoyed a number of holidays alone when, for me, it was a welcome day or weekend to be off from work and do what I wanted to do which wasn't necessarily going to a gathering. 

There were also a number of years where I spent Thanksgiving with a group of friends who were also without families, and we called it the "Orphans' Thanksgiving", and it was always a good time, but we don't live near one another anymore.

[gidgetgh]

My husband and I will be spending it alone. Two family medical emergencies took care of the plans we had with my husband’s family. My sister then invited us, but we’re going to stay home. 

We’re going to have grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips (I haven’t had potato chips in years so it’s actually a treat for me). 

We went to Publix this morning at 8:00 and bought a pumpkin pie for my husband and a piece of their monster cheesecake for me (that’s the actual name of it). 

I’m going to stay in my jammies and read the sale ads so I’ll be ready for Black Friday. I’m hoping for a really quiet, calm day. Don’t know that I’ll get it, but that’s my wish. 

[songbird]

It'll be a sad Thanksgiving.  My sister in law died very suddenly last week.  She was 39. We were all so upset, it's hard on my brother in law.  He's been staying with us.  He can't bring himself to go home.  So change of plans.  Pat (that was her name) was going to host Thanksgiving.  We are going to a restaurant.  I think it will be buffet style.  Jerry said he's ready to back to his house now.   It was hard on my husband who is very close to his brother. First time outside of home or going to another home for us on Thanksgiving..  

[gidgetgh]

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@songbird wrote:

It'll be a sad Thanksgiving.  My sister in law died very suddenly last week.  She was 39. We were all so upset, it's hard on my brother in law.  He's been staying with us.  He can't bring himself to go home.  So change of plans.  Pat (that was her name) was going to host Thanksgiving.  We are going to a restaurant.  I think it will be buffet style.  Jerry said he's ready to back to his house now.   It was hard on my husband who is very close to his brother. First time outside of home or going to another home for us on Thanksgiving..  

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@songbird- I’m so sorry to hear of your family’s loss. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. 

[esmerelda]

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@Dragonflyveb wrote:

I will be at my daughters house, eating a turkey package dinner. Had the same thing last year and it was pretty bad. 

So, when I get home, I am making myself a turkey breast (hard to find this year), some cheese potato casserole, green bean casserole, and the dressing and cranberries that nobody likes but me. I like leftover turkey sandwiches! 

also, a nice bottle of wine!

i guess I am outdated, but I really like the traditional homemade classics on holidays.

When I am alone on holidays, I usually binge watch Netflix or movies that make. Me laugh. Airplane is a favorite of mine. Or I save a favorite author's book to enjoy.

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@DragonflyvebSince you're going to be cooking good food, why not invite your daughter to YOUR house, instead of going there and pretending (?) to like a meal that you don't.  Maybe she'd enjoy the better food.  Maybe she does it the way she does because it's all she has time or energy for.  Does she know that you go home and cook a traditional meal?  How do you think she'd feel if she found out?  

I don't get it.  You don't like the food but you go anyway and let her think you do.  Or you don't like her enough to be honest with her.

The people I'm usually with are with in-laws this year.  I'll be sharing the day with myself.  And looking forward to it!  I will bake a pie.  For dinner...not sure.  No turkey in the house and I'm not going out now!  There are plenty of beef, pork and seafood options.  I won't go hungry.  

May start Christmas cards, definitiely reading, probably some movies.  It's going to be a great day!!