The Holidays - what are you doing?

[Nik+Heather 121]

So I saw a similar thread in Canada and I thought, "Hey, I'll ask my UK friends"

Thanksgiving is a bit of a special day for Nik and I because the first time we met was on T-day when he flew in on his first visit!

As we have been newly showered with nice plates and spent some of our wedding money on a new dining room table and I have moved out of my itsy bitsy apartment kitchen and into a house with an oven which can hold a turkey and two caseroles, I said that we should do thanksgiving at our house this year!

Oh, and Nik keeps going on and on (and on and on) in what I think is half-tease half-pleading about roast potatoes ever since I told him T-day includes mashed potatoes - so I said if we were going to demand changes to the menu then we should cook it.

So, we went shopping yesterday for all that we needed, learned how to find a good turkey (dad says go for the cheapest per pound then the pounds you want - hah, guess it wasn't so hard after all), and visited two stores to find fresh thyme and THREE stores to find sage sausage for the stuffing...I'm rather excited/nervous - should be interesting - hope I don't mess it all up!

My sister's coming in tonight, and I only have two days of work! yay!

So, what are you all doing? How do the British halves like T-day, and for those of you still apart, are you planning any special trips during any of the holidays?

[Amanda and Tony 0]

I love Thanksgiving and the whole American holiday season...It just seems more magical than the long run up to Christmas in the UK. Thanksgiving is lovely. You get to eat a great meal with family or friends, sit around watching football all day and then on black Friday we put up our tree. It pains me not to be in the US this year but I know that once "approved" there will be many more years in which to celebrate. This year Tony is coming to me to be with me at my interview so we'll be in the pub having a carvery on Thanksgiving and he's going to meet my old high school friends for the first time! I can't wait

[*julez* 124]

We are hosting my family for Thanksgiving. My husband loves Thanksgiving! Any reason to eat turkey, I guess. But he also has stated that we must have roast potatoes with it this year. I told him it's an American tradtion, so he doesn't have a say! Really wound him up - but we will have the roast potatoes this year. I like them and have gotten really good at making them.

I also make a sage sausage stuffing. Love it! I bought the sausage a few weeks ago since I know from experience what a pain it can be to find the closer to Thanksgiving it gets.

Right now we are planning to go to Best Buy on Friday as they have a great deal on a laptop. Hopefully, we'll get it! Plus, there are a few bits and pieces that my kids want, so I think we'll e camping out!

[Nik+Heather 121]

Any reason to eat turkey, I guess.

A turkey sandwich with slices from dinner earlier that day was the first thing I made for Nik to eat!!

Right now we are planning to go to Best Buy on Friday as they have a great deal on a laptop. Hopefully, we'll get it! Plus, there are a few bits and pieces that my kids want, so I think we'll e camping out!

We have been looking at TVs for the bedroom, and pretty much settled on one from Best Buy. I think we will try visiting and see how the price compares... I'm not sure I feel compelled to camp out, though...

[Lisa and Ian 7]

So I saw a similar thread in Canada and I thought, "Hey, I'll ask my UK friends"

Thanksgiving is a bit of a special day for Nik and I because the first time we met was on T-day when he flew in on his first visit!

As we have been newly showered with nice plates and spent some of our wedding money on a new dining room table and I have moved out of my itsy bitsy apartment kitchen and into a house with an oven which can hold a turkey and two caseroles, I said that we should do thanksgiving at our house this year!

Oh, and Nik keeps going on and on (and on and on) in what I think is half-tease half-pleading about roast potatoes ever since I told him T-day includes mashed potatoes - so I said if we were going to demand changes to the menu then we should cook it.

So, we went shopping yesterday for all that we needed, learned how to find a good turkey (dad says go for the cheapest per pound then the pounds you want - hah, guess it wasn't so hard after all), and visited two stores to find fresh thyme and THREE stores to find sage sausage for the stuffing...I'm rather excited/nervous - should be interesting - hope I don't mess it all up!

My sister's coming in tonight, and I only have two days of work! yay!

So, what are you all doing? How do the British halves like T-day, and for those of you still apart, are you planning any special trips during any of the holidays?

Ian's really looking forward to his first Thanksgiving. We're cooking for my parents who've just arrived in town for our wedding.

Good luck with your dinner! I'm sure it will be wonderful!

[Damian&Kelly 16]

This is my husband's 2nd Thanksgiving in the US. Last year my mom hosted T-day in her new house, was a bit of a fiasco for her but all went well. For the last 10 years before last year, my aunt took the family to Holiday Inn and rented a banquet room and we all had the T-day buffet and watched Football or should I say NFL. It's gone back to that tradition this year. My husband's a vegetarian, his parents raised him that way. His siblings all started eating meat after moving out but no one can break my husband. Everyone's hoping he tries turkey this year. But that's very doubtful.

It will be a busy week well 2 as we're leaving for England for a month on Dec 4th. First time back for my husband in over a year and a half.

[Gemmie 142]

This is my first Thanksgiving, as I always had to go back to the UK for uni.

I'm so excited! We're having the turkey dinner here (at my in-laws) but it's very small this year, as Bill's grandfather lost his wife this summer and also has advancing Alzheimers. They didn't want to overwhelm him.

Black Friday, I'm going shopping with my MIL, getting some Christmas gifts in, and also buying stuff for our apartment before we move out.

Then I'll ask if we can put the Christmas decorations up this weekend. I'm painting some wooden decorations and animals to put up, which are cute.

I agree that the Americans have the holiday season DOWN... I love it after Halloween, going into Thanksgiving, going into Christmas, going into the new year. I'm going to be so depressed in January.

Edited November 25, 2009 by Gemmie

[Allie and Nigel 2]

Well its me and my 15yr old daughter here for thanksgiving....told the family we're live on ol' Skypie all day....got a 12 pound turkey and everything else that goes with it.........! I hope to have Nigel and his dad here for Christmas if all goes well....make THEM do the cooking.....!! LOL....

Edited November 25, 2009 by Allie and Nigel

[Justine+David 218]

Unfortunately, I have to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year because I'm still on the low end of the totem pole of the nurses here for seniority. I'll have them both off next year though! It's better this way for me, in any case, because next year I'll be married with my hubby!

We're planning to fly to my home in Seattle where my family and relatives are for Thanksgiving and then to England (Sheffield) for Christmas to see his folks.

[pdcvcc 0]

Unfortunately, I have to work on Thanksgiving and Christmas this year because I'm still on the low end of the totem pole of the nurses here for seniority. I'll have them both off next year though! It's better this way for me, in any case, because next year I'll be married with my hubby!

We're planning to fly to my home in Seattle where my family and relatives are for Thanksgiving and then to England (Sheffield) for Christmas to see his folks.

Yep, this year I stayed home for Thanksgiving to save money and b/c going to England for Christmas. But next year will be just like you guys Florida for Thanksgiving with the family and then England (Chatburn) for Christmas to see his family.

[Gemmie 142]

So I think I started an argument between two co-workers today at Kohls during Black Friday.

They asked if I wanted to sign up for a store card and get an extra 10% off. I said sure, and confirmed that I'm able to do so even with a sale AND a 15% discount card. Another woman then proceeded to tell her that it wasn't allowed, but that I could sign up for the card anyway. I said sure. They argued a little about whether I was allowed the extra 10%.

They asked for my license, and I told them that I don't have one. They looked at me like an alien (ha.. ha) and then asked for my SSN. I told them that I didn't have it with me, so not to bother with opening the account that day. I could come back another time when I had my stuff. They continued to talk among themselves, and again asked me for my SSN or a driving license. After trying to explain that I didn't have it with me but could come back another day, My MIL, who was standing next to me at the time then decided it would make the situation better to say loudly "SHE'S FROM ENGLAND, SHE JUST MOVED HERE, SHE'S GOING THROUGH IMMIGRATION" which caused everyone else in the store to turn and look at me like a sick puppy.

I told them I had nothing on me but a passport, so I could come back another time, and they said they would take it because it would have a passport number. They they argued about whether a non-US passport was OK. The moment they began talking about the SSN (again), my MIL pretty much pulled the plug for me, and told them bluntly that we're not interested anymore. As we walked off, we could hear them talking about the situation, and one of them specifically stated that the other was starting to annoy her.

It was entertaining.

Edited November 28, 2009 by Gemmie

[Justine+David 218]

Ugh, I detest black Friday in all of its consumer-driven-crazyness.

Last year a fist-fight broke out at the Wal-Mart in Washington state (my home state) over a tv since they had listed a great deal on it but only had the one tv. Saw it on the news...

[Nik+Heather 121]

Ugh, I detest black Friday in all of its consumer-driven-crazyness.

Last year a fist-fight broke out at the Wal-Mart in Washington state (my home state) over a tv since they had listed a great deal on it but only had the one tv. Saw it on the news...

Yeah, they sorta create that craziness, don't they by not having much stock.....

[Justine+David 218]

Yeah, true, but I wouldn't punch someone over a couple hundred dollars...