# Favorite thing about Thanksgiving? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2018, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575 "2018-11-15T18:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/21 "2018-11-16T00:23:07Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Watching **Planes, Trains and Automobiles**. One of these years, I’m going to put it on mute, and Mr. Rilch and I and whoever might be with us will recite all the dialogue from memory. Instead of mute, try it on one of the foreign language audio tracks (if available). We did this with **The Princess Bride** and it was great fun. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/22 "2018-11-16T00:34:22Z")
I’ve always liked Thankgsgiving because it comes with 3.5 days off of work. There are no other holidays on my workday calendar that allow me to chillax that much. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/23 "2018-11-16T00:41:06Z")
Chinese food, of course. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/24 "2018-11-16T00:43:13Z")
Definitely the four day weekend. In fact I almost always have vacation days to burn before the end of the year and so this year I have a five day weekend for TGiving. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/25 "2018-11-16T01:37:12Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Chinese food, of course. One Thanksgiving, neither my sister or I felt like cooking and we decided we would do the Chinese food thing. Boy, were we shocked to find almost all the restaurants were closed. We had assumed that Chinese food on Thanksgiving was a thing. After driving through a couple of towns, we finally found a Chinese buffet place. We were the only people in the whole joint besides the staff. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/26 "2018-11-16T02:11:39Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > One Thanksgiving, neither my sister or I felt like cooking and we decided we would do the Chinese food thing. Boy, were we shocked to find almost all the restaurants were closed. We had assumed that Chinese food on Thanksgiving was a thing. After driving through a couple of towns, we finally found a Chinese buffet place. We were the only people in the whole joint besides the staff. Same thing happened to us. Ended up ordering pizzas from a local bar and picking them up. I was sort of surprised. I thought it was a thing too. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/27 "2018-11-16T02:57:43Z")
Gravy. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/28 "2018-11-16T05:29:52Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Same thing happened to us. Ended up ordering pizzas from a local bar and picking them up. I was sort of surprised. I thought it was a thing too. I could be wrong, but I always thought the Chinese food on a Holiday was usually at Christmas, for those who don’t celebrate. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/29 "2018-11-16T13:35:10Z")
Alice’s Restaurant. Not that it’s so great, hearing it once a year is sufficient. Other than that, I do want to see the family but dread some of the possible interactions with them. ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/30 "2018-11-16T13:48:31Z")
Yeah, Chinese food is Christmas. It stems largely from Jewish people in Manhattan’s Lower East Side around the turn of the 20th century who obviously did not celebrate Christmas but couldn’t find anywhere to eat that was open. Chinese immigrants also had no tradition of celebrating Christmas, so their restaurants were frequently the only ones open. Chinese people and Jewish people were the largest immigrant groups in the area at the time, so there was also a bit of camaraderie about being minorities together. Chinese food (non-pork dishes anyway) also isn’t obviously non-kosher like many other ethnic cuisines of the time, so it ended up being a match made in heaven. Thanksgiving never had this issue because quite a few places were and are open on Thanksgiving since it is not a religious holiday. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/31 "2018-11-16T14:00:03Z")
Turkey and dressing and cranberry relish, always. This year, the fact that I’ve just moved 3000 miles from my extended family and will be celebrating it with only my near and dear – six people instead of two dozen plus, a 20 minute drive on a country road instead of an hour on an 8 lane freeway. There’s no tradition of television or shopping in my family, instead there is the customary long chatty walk. I think we all hate shopping and sports. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/32 "2018-11-16T14:23:51Z")
Everyone else goes off to do the Turkey Trot in the morning, so I get the house to myself to bake pie. It’s the most relaxing part of the weekend, and there’s pie at the end of it! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/33 "2018-11-16T15:18:07Z")
The 4 day weekend - this year 5 days (I’m taking Wed off too!) We’ll be hosting the meal for the family, as usual, so it’s always fun to get together with everyone. I LOVE having the Macy’s parade on in the background while I’m doing whatever needs to be done. I rarely sit down and watch it, but for some reason listening to it gives me a good feeling. I do not participate in anything Black Friday. The Friday after Thanksgiving is dedicated to putting up the Christmas tree and the rest of the decorations. I usually do everything but the tree during the day and then in the evening the grandkids come over and decorate the tree, we have pizza and watch either Rudolph, Home Alone, The Christmas Story or some other kid Christmas show. It’s always a great weekend. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/34 "2018-11-16T16:23:17Z")
When I was a kid, my brother and I both loved the tail of the turkey. One year, when a big-ass bird was brought out, we were arguing about who’d get the tail, when some woman took it. I don’t even know who she was. But all she did was pick at it, and left most of it on her plate. 65 years later, we still hate that woman. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/35 "2018-11-16T16:45:39Z")
My favorite thing is being with family. The food is runner up. i like to visit with everyone. I’m from Kansas but I spent three very different Thanksgivings the years I lived in Michigan, for work. On one my folks came up, as the family back home had had to make other plans(long story). Instead of turkey I did a German sauerbraten. The next year I hosted friends who were too far away to get to. It was wonderful, everyone bringing something for a side, while I did the bird. One guy, a grad student at MSU, had no place to cook so he brought wine and good quality disposable tableware. The latter was a BIG help. The third year I was alone, and too proud to hint around and cadge an invitation. So I ordered takeout from Red Lobster. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/36 "2018-11-16T17:50:45Z")
Usually it will be the food. This year most likely the food will be some sort of frozen dinner because I’m working. Or I could go to my ex-wife’s after work. She is a great cook. Frozen dinner it is. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/37 "2018-11-16T17:53:38Z")
I don’t get too many of them off anymore ( work in a 24/7/365 industry ) but the best ones were held at an aunt/uncle’s house. Lots of good food there, as well as brought by others. What I liked about the food though, wasn’t just the standard/cliche turkey etc, but the other delicacies as appetizers ( like smoked salmon, varieties of marinated olives and mushrooms…stuff like that ). Prevalent alcohol but nobody got fucked up. I also liked the conversation at dinner: pleasant and varied. After dinner people would go into groups and chatter up a storm: women in the kitchen, sports-heads to the living room, me and a couple of others and have fascinating conversations where 3 hours can go by in the blink of an eye. Best part of it all. Anymore, now if I have it off, it’s with either of my two ( divorced ) parents. One would be with my mother at my sister’s house, the other at my father’s or one of his nearby friend’s place. Mother/sister setup very chaotic with small kids running amok with my sister hardly sitting down owing to her overly doting to her kids. BIL is OK but he’s a sports-head and we haven’t got much to talk about. Father/friends/relatives setup is better “on paper”, as they say, but too much talk goes into politics, which is further inflamed by alcohol. Too much “pumping” disguised as conversation. Too much overfeeding at the host’s absolute insistence, because he’s worked so hard preparing this feast. Anymore, I like working thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/38 "2018-11-16T19:11:15Z")
Wait, I would like to change my answer! [This turkey was killed by hand with a sharp knife](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=638206) Thanks, **TruCelt**! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/39 "2018-11-16T19:35:59Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I hope this isn’t considered a threadshit, but I can’t think of a thing I like about it. … Pretty much is. Sorry. We do love turkey and stuffing and I do it well, and the leftovers! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2018, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575/40 "2018-11-16T19:58:38Z")
Stuffing. All other things are secondary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-thing-about-thanksgiving/824575.md?page=3)