# When Do Americans Eat Thanksgiving Dinner? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 22, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062 "2002-11-22T01:03:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/21 "2002-11-22T06:34:03Z")
ditto- Thursday 2pm. I’ve never heard of anyone eating on a day other than thursday… “That seems pointless” is the first thought that comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/22 "2002-11-22T06:36:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tlw \* > \*\*I can’t fathom eating Thanksgiving dinner in the middle of the afternoon. It’s dinner. > > Granted, we do eat earlier than usual because we eat more than usual, but that means dinner at 6 instead of 8. Or, when we’re at one of the parents’ houses, 5 instead of 7. > > Dinner at 2 in the afternoon? That’s a late lunch! Oy! \*\* When/where I was brought up, dinner was served during the day. It was a prepared meal served at noon or soon thereafter. ie: after church, weekends w/family, visits w/grandparents Lunch on the other hand, was served at noon also, but consisted of a light meal (soup, sandwiches, leftovers, etc) Supper was the evening meal, it was never called dinner. and: No, we did not have dinner and lunch together, it was one or the other. Breakfast is of course first thing in the morning. Although we might have it for supper sometimes.😃 Thanksgiving Dinner is Thursday afternoon usually around 1:00 and after that the rest of the day and weekend is spent visiting family, playing dominoes, and pigging out. Y’all drive safe and Happy Thanksgiving! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/23 "2002-11-22T06:48:08Z")
Another reason that it has to be Thursday (well, at least couldn’t be Friday) is the old Roman Catholic rule about eating meat on Friday. So all the Catholics would have been left out. But, yes, we Yanks do tend to shut down all non-retail commercial enterprises on Friday, so the Xmas shopping season can begin. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/24 "2002-11-22T12:08:06Z")
At the **friedo** household we feast around 4:00PM on Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/25 "2002-11-22T13:17:03Z")
Just to add a little twist, every year my family has two Thanksgiving dinners, one on Thursday and one on Friday. On Thursday we go up to my Aunt’s in Connecticut where we have a big turkey dinner. Guests usually arrive at around 3:00 and dinner is at 4:30ish. On Friday we go up to family friends in Massachusetts. There we have another big turkey dinner, this one at about 6:00. They have also had a prior Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. On Saturday we’ll usually go to a brunch or two. It really is an orgy of food. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/26 "2002-11-22T13:26:19Z")
I thought this thread would be about midday vs. evening T-day dinners. I can’t even fathom T-day on any day but Thursday. The weekend is for turkey sandwiches, turkey casserole, turkey soup… ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/27 "2002-11-22T13:56:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > \*\*Tradition is the main reason, we all are saying it is on Thursday, but think of this: > > [ul] **Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year** Can you picture the men fixing the meal and then waiting [sup]and waiting…and waiting[/sup] for the women to return for the meal. _I don’t think so!_ :D[/ul] \*\* Friday after Thanksgiving is no longer the biggest shopping day. I’ve heard on the news that it’s now the Saturday before Christmas. It’s attributed to folks waiting for the last minute sales. SNOPS agrees, but says it might be the highst traffic time, but not the biggest sales time: [http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/shopping.htm](http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/shopping.htm) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/28 "2002-11-22T13:59:19Z")
As a kid, it was always on Thursday at my grandmother’s house - we’d eat before all the football games started. I’m guessing it was around 1. My in-laws tend to eat later - towards 4 or so. This year, the kid and I are leaving Florida about 3:30 Tuesday, driving till I drop, grabbing a few winks at a hotel, then rolling into Mom’s about midday on Weds. She’s planning dinner for 1 on Thursday since my sibs all have later engagements with their in-laws. We will _not_ be shopping on Friday. We’ll be part of the mega-crush driving down I-95 on Sunday. There’s a fun time. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/29 "2002-11-22T14:04:51Z")
Halftime? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/30 "2002-11-22T14:08:49Z")
Thursday, definitely, an early-ish dinnertime (5-6 pm). Any earlier, and there’s no way in Hell that my mom would get her act together in time to put the turkey in the oven. I don’t know why the turkey is always such a big ordeal for her, but Mom is very disorganized. (And lest you think I’m just lazy and let her do all the work, I usually cook 2-3 side dishes plus bread and dessert, just not the turkey.) As it is, we always end up eating at least an hour later, more often 2, than Mom said we would. And there is NO game after dinner in the Ms. Eva Luna, Sr. household, thank God. Lots of leftovers, though; there is no major holiday in a Jewish household without ten times more food than could ever realistically be consumed. ---
**Author:** ![Rodd\_Hill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Rodd\_Hill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodd_Hill)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/31 "2002-11-22T14:49:08Z")
Thanks to all for what is clearly a unanimous answer: it’s interesting how culturally important Thanksgiving is to the USA–at least compared to the one here in Canada. I mean, it’s still a fairly big holiday here, but I don’t think that there’s any comparison with the “travel fever” sort of situation that takes place in the US, and I know that while many Canadians do the meal on the Sunday (probably most), some of my friends’ families do it Saturday and/or Monday. Of course, the government moving Thanksgiving from November to October back in the 1920s (rather than have Rememberance Day–which is a big deal in Canada–and Thanksgiving fall within the same month) may have something to do with it. This whole subject came up when a friend and I were discussing eBay strategies; with the bulk of our customers in the USA, I wasn’t sure if it was worth posting any auctions ending on the Sunday evening (as is my normal preference) of Thanksgiving, if that was the Big Meal Day! ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/32 "2002-11-22T15:11:51Z")
Thursday. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/33 "2002-11-22T15:45:42Z")
As a Brit I’ve always wanted to know the answer to this. You have turkey at Thanksgiving, yes? So what do you have for Christmas? Not turkey again? ---
**Author:** ![Zoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6de8d8/32.png) [@Zoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoff)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/34 "2002-11-22T15:59:06Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Sparrow_ > You have turkey at Thanksgiving, yes? So what do you have for Christmas? Not turkey again? Turkey is the traditional Christmas meal as well, though many people have ham instead or in addition. But I think you’d find more Americans who don’t have turkey for Christmas than you’d find Americans who don’t have turkey for Thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/35 "2002-11-22T16:05:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sparrow \* > \*\*As a Brit I’ve always wanted to know the answer to this. You have turkey at Thanksgiving, yes? So what do you have for Christmas? Not turkey again? \*\* A baked ham and/or a roast. Although, I did BBQ a Turkey one year. I cut it in half down the backbone and breast, laid it on the smoker (bone side down) and w/ proper spices and seasoning proceeded to cook it like you would BBQ’d chicken. It was damned good! ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/36 "2002-11-22T16:07:55Z")
My wife’s family has lasagna…need I say more? ---
**Author:** ![CthulhuSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@CthulhuSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CthulhuSpawn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/37 "2002-11-22T16:22:17Z")
I have turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I also have turkey at other times of the year too. I like turkey. _yummy_ ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/38 "2002-11-22T16:42:48Z")
We always had dinner with my dad’s family on Thursday, then had dinner with my mom’s family on Saturday when her out of state siblings/those who have to work on Thursday can make it in. Yes, we make utter pigs of ourselves both days. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, you name it. And we have the exact same menus at Christmas, with the addition of jam cake and various candies people have made. ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/39 "2002-11-22T16:48:04Z")
Our Thanksgiving meal is always on Thursday, usually lunchtime, early afternoon. We eat leftovers for the rest of the weekend, except maybe one meal where we order pizza as a break from turkey. We usually have turkey again at Christmas (along with a ham or roast), almost never during the rest of the year. ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062/40 "2002-11-22T19:28:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sparrow \* > \*\*As a Brit I’ve always wanted to know the answer to this. You have turkey at Thanksgiving, yes? So what do you have for Christmas? Not turkey again? \*\* I guess my family’s a little offbeat, but for us Christmas dinner is not as big a deal as Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving’s all about The Dinner: turkey and the works. Christmas has always been a potluck/buffet affair with no formalized sit-down dinner–I’ve been veggie for a long time but I think the meat portion usually includes ham, turkey and whatever else people bring. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-do-americans-eat-thanksgiving-dinner/138062.md?page=3)