The Thanksgiving Mega Thread

Might do.  We're flying to Kansas the Saturday before (to see my mom), and then we're not actually flying into Atlanta until Thanksgiving Day (morning).  I have no idea what they're doing --  his schedule is so erratic, he's a pilot.

Oh I see.  You won't be able to have much input if you're arriving Thanksgiving Day.  Sorry about that.  I hope your brother and his wife rise to the occasion and at least do a turkey.  Have a good trip anyway!  I envy you being able to go see your mom as well.  We have family all over the US but can barely afford the one flight, from here to Atlanta.

OMG... I'm so not ready for this discussion yet!     I absolutely love Thanksgiving and it's my favourite holiday.  This year it looks like we will be at my dh's best friend's house.  His mom is American, and she's kept the tradition for her kids, and I think it's dh's friend's turn to host it, so he invited us.  I'm really excited, but haven't asked what to bring yet. 

I envy you being able to go see your mom as well.  We have family all over the US but can barely afford the one flight, from here to Atlanta.

We usually do 3 different destinations in 2 weeks - this time is no exception.  Mom in Kansas, brother in Atlanta, my storage unit (and the beach) in Tampa Bay.  This time is the cheapest time we've had in the last 3 trips!  Only £583 each -- includes transatlantic flights & all the internal/domestic flights within the US.  I didn't think that was too bad.  We never book it through any of the 'cheap flights' websites though -- either they don't give a good price and/or they 'can't compute' the complexity of the itinerary.  We end up getting the best deal (and least hassle) booking directly with the airline, with the multiple trip legs on a single itinerary.

Even so, there will still be some disappointed friends & family members in Maine and in Baltimore.

I looked at going on other autumnal dates -- checked September & October time frames, thinking around Thanksgiving would be more expensive.  Not!  It was more expensive to go Sept/Oct than the dates we booked in Nov.  Of course, I've gotten pretty good at plugging in different travel dates to get a better price -- a bit fiddly & time consuming, but worth it all the same.  (Helps to have a pilot in the family who can coach you on when do more people travel, when are better days to travel -- for instance, being willing to travel on Thanksgiving Day itself -- it'll be less crowded, relatively speaking, and cheaper than on the dates surrounding it.  Stuff like that.)

I'm really hoping we have a our own place by Thanksgiving but it's unlikely.  If we do, I am going to make a huge meal and have my family over.  This would be the first time I entertain my family and I can't wait!

If Thanksgiving doesn't happen, then Christmas!

June

My MIL recently offered to send a care package from the States, are there any Thanksgiving food items that cannot be purchased here? 

My MIL recently offered to send a care package from the States, are there any Thanksgiving food items that cannot be purchased here? 

I've not been able to find pumpkin pie or pumpkin pie mix (and know im not capable of making it from scratch).. I'd suggest that.. unless anyone knows where to find some over here?

I've never made pumpkin pie from a mix?

Tinned pumpkin (Libbys) is available from Waitrose -- if not right at this moment, certainly around Thanksgiving.  (Do they carry it all year long?)

The pumpkin pie recipe is right on the can usually - now saying that, is it on the can over here?  (Always used to be in the US, but I'm sure you can find Libbys pumpkin pie recipe online too!)  And you can buy ready-made pastry.  It's not too difficult - honest!

You probably won't find that stiff jelled cranberry sauce over here.  You can buy a kind of soft & runny cranberry sauce from M&S (and probably other places) - works/tastes fine.  You can also usually buy cranberries in the supermarket at some point (I've seen them before) & make your own cranberry sauce.

Sorry, I mis-spoke... by 'mix' i meant 'tin'.

Thanks carolyn, theres no Waitrose near me... but I'll have a better look around the shop closer to the time. 

There's one in Merseyside & surely Manchester.  I know - not very close to you, but surely worth a trip in a pumpkin emergency!

you may struggle to find karo syrup if you make pecan pie. only howells sells it as far as i know.

you may struggle to find karo syrup if you make pecan pie. only howells sells it as far as i know.

Some were mentioning on another thread you can substitute treacle or golden syrup for Karo syrup.  I would probably tend toward using golden syrup.

Some were mentioning on another thread you can substitute treacle or golden syrup for Karo syrup.  I would probably tend toward using golden syrup.

That was me!  I made it in July for a friend who was leaving work and the pecan pie turned out perfect.

My mate, also from the Bay Area, and I are joining families and having a Thanksigiving dinner for 8. Think this is the 4th time we've done this. We normally split the dishes up - she always hosts as she has a massive house...and I insist on doing my homemade stuffing... and we have pie battles.

...and we have pie battles.

Do you eat it or throw it?  Or does it depend on the quantity of wine consumed?

Do you eat it or throw it?  Or does it depend on the quantity of wine consumed?

Reminds of me a Jerry Springer show..wasn't it Thanksgiving with the KKK?

Reminds of me a Jerry Springer show..wasn't it Thanksgiving with the KKK?

Probably so!  Actually, my ex-b/f's family always ended up in a horrible row mid-dinner on Thanksgiving Day (Christmas, Easter...) - complete with swearing, shouting, slamming doors, etc.  It was interesting.  I think some families are best not getting together.   (He has since disowned the lot of them.)