When is Thanksgiving dinner served in your house?

[HeiressofBickworth]

91. Thanksgiving is pretty casual around our house

First, my daughter, her husband and my granddaughter usually go to Disneyland or Disney World (they alternate) the day after Thanksgiving and will be gone a week or so. I don't want a lot of left-overs so we don't cook a lot of food. This year I was willing to settle for a small turkey breast but daughter insisted on a whole bird. A friend of mine brought over a huge 2 foot stalk of Brussels sprouts so we cut it in half -- she took one half and I have the other. I bought one sweet potato as son-in-law and I are the only ones who like them. Stuffing is right out of a box -- no muss, no fuss and it always is edible, if not actually good. Handy little packets of turkey gravy powder -- never a lump. Maybe/maybe not make instant mashed potatoes. Costco's pumpkin pie ends the meal. Last year I made a couple of jars of cranberry sauce and one is left -- so I don't even have to make that.

Secondly, they are all football fans and I really don't like watching it, so we don't actually sit down for Thanksgiving meal. When the food is finished cooking, everything is lined up on the counter top and everyone makes up their own plate. They go to the family room and watch football while they eat and I go to my room and watch, well, anything other than football or I go to my desk and cruise the internet. Hmm, come to think of it, this describes dinner every night.

In prior years this process started mid-afternoon, but this year, granddaughter doesn't get off work until 5:45 so it will be a later dinner.