Thanksgiving

I will have to do a trial run of the hot apple juice.  Can't wait.

I will hide my turkey hairband until the day.

Hubby American, I'm British.

Any clues as to what to do for Thanksgiving?  Do you decorate the house?  Do you invite people?  Do you give presents?

Food wise hubby is an excellent cook.  He has made pumpkin pie for me before and it was fabulous.  I know we can get tins of pumpkin from Amazon.

What is the difference between Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas Dinner?

We have not been living in the UK, or in the USA, and he often worked shifts and so Thanksgiving is still a bit of a mystery to me.

Any help on this would be appreciated.


Very little difference. Turkey or ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes or yams if you like them, veggies, and your favorite pie (pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie & pecan pie are considered traditional).  We sometimes do roast potatoes and mashed potatoes so you can incorporate British roast dinner favorites to make a hybrid meal.

Presents are not exchanged and we've never decorated the house. American football is a staple but with time difference and not widely available that is more difficult in the U.K. We would delay dinner to coincide with kickoff of the first game (5 pm UK time) when we lived in England

I'm hungry now!

Blossom, I love that you are doing this.  But you do realise it's still August, right?     We still have Halloween before Thanksgiving!   

Yes - I went for the original red hot cinnamon candy.  They are expensive!

They are over here.  In the US, they're cheap.  It's really annoying knowing it's so overpriced over here, but unable to do anything about it.

I wanted the original ones, not a substitute, so am really looking forward to it all.  Trial run on Halloween I think!

Yes, I am a tad early, aren't I!  It is hubby's fault.  He has been over in the States to see his mother so I have been left to get into mischief.  And I am a planner.  It gives me enjoyment to map things out.

Hubby went on the 1st August.  Because we came here from another country he had things he needed to sort out in the States, as well as see his mom who is in her 80s.  He is on a plane right now on his way back. 

He will land at Manchester Airport about 7.20 tomorrow morning. 

Blossom, I love that you are doing this.  But you do realise it's still August, right?     We still have Halloween before Thanksgiving!   

OMG YES! We can't skip Halloween! It's the best!

This whole thread has genuinely put me in the excited fall spirit! Thanks for that Blossom!

And holiday movies!

Maybe a classic like Casablanca or Gone with the Wind  or something.

Can you see  us with mulled apple and cinnamon in a mug in one hand and a Thanksgiving butty in the other?

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like "It's a Wonderful Life", if you like classic films.

I don't care how many times I've seen "It's a Wonderful Life" - I still cry.

The Spouse House had that very sad posting about the person who was resentful for giving up everything up to come to the UK.  I hated seeing that every time I logged on.  This is a much happier thread.

I've had a lovely day chatting and planning - and I have learned a lot.  Thank you everyone.

And I now have a turkey hat to look forward to!

Would it be acceptable to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" at Thanksgiving? 

Am I allowed to watch it with a turkey hat on?  Whilst sipping hot spiced cider and eating a Thanksgiving Butty?

Don't you feel sorry for my poor husband, being married to me!

I think if you want to have a blending of the holiday season with Thanksgiving and Christmas that weekend, it's totally appropriate.  Maybe wait 'til later in the weekend, put up the Christmas decorations/tree, and then watch the film to kick off the Christmas season.  Or you could save the film for Christmas Eve (which I think is a common tradition, actually).

As the American who gave up everything, and who misses some of those things, I can understand that sad post, somewhat.  But I also keep in mind that this move was a choice I made, as a tradeoff for getting to be with the person I finally found after looking for him for three decades.  It wouldn't be fair to resent someone because I made a choice to move.  If I love him, and this is what it takes for us to be together, then this is what I am happy to do.  And because I love him, I will never deliberately make him feel guilty for "making me" give up my home, because he didn't.  I chose this life.  And every day, I am glad that I did.

I think if you want to have a blending of the holiday season with Thanksgiving and Christmas that weekend, it's totally appropriate.  Maybe wait 'til later in the weekend, put up the Christmas decorations/tree, and then watch the film to kick off the Christmas season.  Or you could save the film for Christmas Eve (which I think is a common tradition, actually).

We watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation EVERY year on Christmas Eve/Christmas (as well as A Christmas Story but Vacation is prioritised haha).

We watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation EVERY year on Christmas Eve/Christmas (as well as A Christmas Story but Vacation is prioritised haha).

I haven't watched that in years!  My family used to call my dad "Clark".  He didn't compete with neighbours to have the best display of Christmas lights, or anything like that, but he had an oafish social awkwardness to him.  In a nice way.