Always with family, with 4 exceptions in my life. I finished college in 3 years and spent Thanksgivig with my best friends’ family in that period. In 2011 I was in Amsterdam over Thanksgiving. Otherwise Thanksgiving always is at my aunt’s house (previously my grandmother’s house, when she was still with us).
Growing up, Thanksgiving was always at my Aunt and Uncle’s house. There would be between 18 - 25 family members. When my Uncle died, my mom and dad started hosting just for our side. Then my dad died. My sister took over, until last year. Family issues have divided us. Last year and this year my mom, TheKid, and I will be celebrating with my best friend’s family.
The plus side of it - in the past it was always women in the kitchen, men watching TV. At my friend’s house, her husband is the cook and us women will be watching TV.
Other.
Our core group decided 30 years ago that as far as Thanksgiving goes, fuck family. We celebrate with each other. Wives have been added over the years, and certain members have come and gone, but the core three are still there. Thursday will be Year 30.
Hard to think of all possible cases, and I can’t assume there is only one standard answer per respondent. All in all, I can see that it’s family first, unless circumstances prelude (or if your name’s Silenus.) I also like the concept of “No strays allowed.” Those alone, who cannot celebrate with family, are adopted for one evening.
We always spend the day at my fiance’s parents’ house. His sister, brother-in-law, 3 nephews, and grandmother also live there so they’re always there too. His brother, sister-in-law, and their 4 kids occasionally make it but they’re unreliable. Either they say beforehand that they wont be there or they say they will and then cancel when we’re all sitting around waiting for them.
I love them so it’s always a wonderful day and I’m really looking forward to it.
Thanksgiving was always with family, along with occasional friends who were like family, usually because they weren’t going to be able to go with their family that year.
This year, most of the family has other family to celebrate with, so it’s just the immediate family (mom, dad, sis) and my only living grandpa. Normally we only do Christmas with that side of the family, and Thanksgiving with the other half, but, since they are all busy, I asked grandpa to come down, since I haven’t seen him in so long. (I haven’t been able to travel for Christmas.)
When I had no biological relatives in town, I ate with friends who are like family. Now that it’s my father and me, we eat together at the truck stop.
Thanksgiving is a bad time for me. In years past, we used to go visit relatives in Westchester County and stay a couple of days, go into the city for shopping, sightseeing, and a show. Now, well, most friends and relatives are dead or have moved down south. What’s here for me? A drunken husband, irritated daughter, an ancient mother with dementia, and a severely mentally ill brother. (I have another brother with a lovely family and scads of friends, who lives in Florida. They have an annual Thanksgiving clambake on the beach for about 2 dozen people.) So I take my mother and brother to a buffet on T-day, and stick a turkey in the oven for my husband (who doesn’t demand much, just turkey and a couple of sides and crescent rolls, lots of crescent rolls). I hate Thanksgiving and turkey. It’s all depression, sadness, and failure. I do, though, enjoy pitching the stinking turkey carcass into the trash two days later, after husband declares he’s had enough and wants to get a pizza.
^
Is it too rude to say, “I don’t believe your story”? 
The fact that you still celebrate means a lot.
I’ve spent Thanksgiving with my family, with others’ families, with SOs, with friends, with all these in combination, and there have usually also been acquaintances and colleagues invited. We used to have lonesome young sailors here and there, too, as my dad was career Navy.
Can I just get one Thanksgiving alone? Okay, I don’t mind the holiday in general, but right about now I wish I could fast forward the whole thing. I have three family members who all for some reason thought it would be a better idea to crash my one bedroom apartment for four days rather than spring for a hotel. How much would it have been to split it three ways? I’m not sure I’m going to escape this week with my sanity. Pray for me.
Oh, in answer to your question, mostly with family, sometimes with friends, a few times with the spouse, once alone.
^
You are so well-liked you hate it.
With one exception, I’ve always spent Thanksgiving either with my own family, or my in-laws.
That exception was my sophomore year in college. A week before Thanksgiving, I came down with mononucleosis. I was running a 100+ degree fever, and was in no mood nor state to take a three-hour car ride back home. I wound up staying with my girlfriend while I was sick; she made sure I took my meds, and made Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us (though I didn’t eat very much, having very little appetite).
With family. It’s typically my mom and dad, and my sister. My sister has a few friends that don’t have family in town and can’t afford to travel, so sometimes we’ll have an extra. This year I also invited a former co-worker - his girlfriend just had bilateral knee replacements, and is in a rehab facility. He doesn’t cook much, so I’m making enough that he can take some leftovers home. And maybe make a plate up to take to his girlfriend, too.
My Mom and I used to swap off hosting duties, but the past four or five years, I’ve been hosting it at my place.
ETA: There was one year that my parents were in California, and I wasn’t as good in the kitchen. My sister came down from Tampa for the long weekend, but we didn’t really do Thanksgiving. I think we had PBJ sandwiches or something.
Moved Cafe Society --> IMHO.
Well my family is obligated to like me, so that doesn’t really count.
No poll option for staying home by yourself playing video games and watching movies.
I suppose you could consider yourself family.
Oh god, I think I might just make it through this week without strangling. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I can see the end. Pray for me.
Family.
For the last 10 yrs or so it’s been just me and my husband. We go out somewhere nice and then have a drive around. The last 3 years we’ve gone to a lodge in the NC mountains for a few days. Fantastic food, small # of guests and generally all over 30, beautiful scenery, and a cozy lodge living room (with a giant fireplace) to hang out in.
It’s where I am right now