My God, that question makes me feel so bad for you! If you have to ask, then I can’t explain it. 
My gf stopped at the turkey farm, ordered and paid for our turkey. He will be dispatched thanksgiving morning and we have an appointment to pick him up on our way to my MIL’s house.
It’s a bit odd handling the still warm turkey.
I would find it more than “a bit” odd. I like anything I eat that was once living to be disguised as much as possible!
When I was a child my grandmother would lay out a spread for twelve or fifteen people with her own mother’s hand-tatted lace tablecloth (which I now own but do not risk using), the special gravy boat in the shape of a turkey only used on that day, three kinds of pie, her never-equalled dinner rolls, the turkey, the gravy, two kinds of dressing, six or seven sides in cut-glass bowls only seen then and at Christmas …
After the meal was cleaned up the grownups played Schafskopf (a German style of bridge) and the children played things like chinese checkers, on the floor. Television was never a part of our Thanksgiving from that day to this.
The whole thing began about ten in the morning, and we went home after dark, the children falling asleep in the back of the car.
Of the adults at that feast, only my dad is still living, he’s 96. The children then are the old people now. I remember those Thanksgivings nostalgically, mostly because of my grandmother. But they are gone, gone. Along with so many other things.
Where, may I ask?
Marginally trumpy Mesa/Gilbert?
Freethinkerville Apache Junction?
Full on MAGA trumpistan north, Prescott?
Waiting to die and keep your liberalism out of my town, Sun City?
As for me, despite what I said earlier about having an orphans TG, the last several years has just been my wife and I.
I was effectively an only child growing up, and we didn’t have a lot of family coming over. So TG has never been a raucous affair. And now that our folks have died, and friends have drifted away, it is just a nice nostalgia for something that, effectively, never existed in the first place. So it can be perfect.
We get a precooked turkey breast and watch Packers football, no matter if they aren’t on. I have DVDs. Now every TG is perfect.
There. Paul Gosar Country. It’s as bad as it gets.
Used to be a nice town, once. MAGA Californians that thought it was too liberal took over the town. Like a motorcycle gang. 
Not safe for liberal folk.
And that’s exactly why I won’t spend Thanksgiving there. Well, that, and the fact that my Dad can’t overlook any opportunity to take snarky pot shots about my politics. I’m just done with it.
We used to have large, generally enjoyable Thanksgiving dinners, but over time everyone in the family either died or moved far away. I haven’t celebrated it in probably over ten years now. The nearest relative I know of lives in Wisconsin and I live in California. Same goes for Christmas.
There are some relatives not too far from here that we will probably go see. I do not think it will get ugly (I do not think any of them are full on in you face MAGAts), but even dwelling on the awfulness of the situation sympathetically is not enjoyable. We have an out and will definitely not hesitate to execute it. “It was nice to see you, but we have to go now.”
As a kid, thanksgiving was great. Got to visit a great uncle and aunt down in Arlington, have some great food, and try to avoid getting stuck with the crappy “candy” my aunt would make and give out to everyone to take home.
At some point after I moved to FLA, my immediate family started having “Fakesgiving” where I’d come up the week before and my parents and sister would celebrate along with a few friends. It was way better because we avoided so much of the hassle of the holiday.
For a few years, I had a group of friends down here and we’d get together for “Friendsgiving” which was in addition to the regular holiday. The idea was that you got to have the awesome dinner, but with people you like to hang out with instead of the assholes you’re related to. That was good until the group started breaking up and everyone going their separate ways.
It’s not as fun now since dad died and mom and my sister have moved to Alabama. Flying up to Huntsville for three days just isn’t the same as flying up to DC. I’d be happier just staying home and cooking something for myself.
After they opened the Wegman’s near me I used to shop there regularly. It’s been a while since I’ve been there, mostly because I’ve been cutting back on my grocery shopping in an effort to clear out my freezer and pantry instead of adding to them.
I’m done with Thanksgiving, at least for this year, because it was last month. Had a smallish non-turkey (pulled pork buns and various salads and roast veggies) family get-together at my sister’s. Fortunately no major political disagreements in our family, nor people driven to discuss politics at such affairs.
I am 67 and haven’t had a decent holiday in 30 years. This TDay I am visiting my sister and BIL in Gulf Shores AL. My nephew and his family, and my niece will be there. My BIL has Parkinson’s and watches Fox News all day every day. I am staying at a hotel because he gets sundowners and my sister doesn’t want me to have to witness it. I dislike the South intensely. I hate MAGAts. Thank goodness there are several beachfront bars.
I have a large extended family on my father’s side (my grandparents had nine children), and they all live locally. We get together on each Thanksgiving, and around 20 to 30 people attend. They’re all Trump supporters. Every one of them. I will attended, as usual, and I’ll just have to tolerate the political talk.
I’m sad that the Wegmans near me closed. They had a terrific produce section, and their berries were fresher and cost half as much as at other local places.
But I’m in the middle of placing a giant “fall meat order” to stock my freezer. That will be delivered along with my fresh heritage turkey, which I’ll cook on Thanksgiving.
I love Thanksgiving as I get to cook for my parents, sister and nephews. These memories will be ones I remember when I’m an old man someday.
When our son was five and started nursery school, I was teaching at the University of Chicago away from both families so we were by ourselves. We didn’t want a whole turkey so we opted for Chinese from the restaurant at the corner. When kiddo went back to school on Monday, the teacher asked all the students what they had for Thanksgiving. All of the others had had turkey. Our son came home and asked “When are we going to be like NORMAL people.” He’s found out that’s not happening and now enjoys it.
Awesome!
This will be a weird one. Usually my mom/grandma’s household hosts, but Grandma just died. Mom is going to join my aunt’s family, gathering close to her, and we’ll be staying put, inviting our kids. Might be nice.