U.S. Turkey Day/Thankgsgiving/Pre-Black-Friday-Dinner

[Sheilbh]

They don't have Jews in the UK?

Sure but there's no well-known Jewish, or Muslim, or Hindu Christmas tradition like Chinese and a movie is in the US.

Also if I was in the UK I'd probably end up at home and there are not many Jews in rural Dorset. Hell under 1% are 'non-Christian' at all

[derspiess]

That's another reason I'd like to live in the US for a year. Freeload on someone's Thanksgiving and join the Jews on Christmas for a Chinese and a movie

My best friend's family tradition was to always go to a movie Christmas night.  His dad was our church's minister.

But yeah, you can freeload like crazy on Thanksgiving.  Everyone always feels bad for you if you're alone and might miss out, so you'd automatically get several invitations even though it's not your tradition. 

[Brazen]

They don't have Jews in the UK?

Sure but there's no well-known Jewish, or Muslim, or Hindu Christmas tradition like Chinese and a movie is in the US.

Also if I was in the UK I'd probably end up at home and there are not many Jews in rural Dorset. Hell under 1% are 'non-Christian' at all

All the North London Jews I know have Christmas Adrienne anyhow   

Maybe not the beady ones in Golders Green

[Brazen]

My dad's having Christmas with his girlfriend's family this year, so I'm home alone on Christmas day. Rather looking forward to it, actually, but must get myself something nice to eat.

[lustindarkness]

I don't want to freeload on anyone, on the contrary, I love the idea of a day off at home playing call of duty and watching movies. But I will have to eat at some point.

Pizza is not a bad idea. Any other ideas?

[Sheilbh]

My dad's having Christmas with his girlfriend's family this year, so I'm home alone on Christmas day. Rather looking forward to it, actually, but must get myself something nice to eat.

I recommend a full Christmas dinner

[CountDeMoney]

When I worked the office on those holidays I used to split a corned beef sandwich with Meyer Lansky's old bag man in Baltimore, and listen to the same boring old stories over and over with complete and total attention.   And wind up with a bottle of knock off cologne that fell off a truck.

[Ed Anger]

Ahhhh, the Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-2848086/HARRIET-ARKELL-SAVVY-SHOPPER-Halloween-Thanksgiving-arrived-shores.html

[derspiess]

Halloween has pretty much taken hold in Argentina, but they don't seem to have a clue what Thanksgiving is.  And there seems to be a general disdain for turkey down there, at least among the Argies I know.

[KRonn]

It's always turkey with my family on Thanksgiving, and it's usually ham or turkey at Christmas. In years past when more of my Italian relatives were alive we'd also have a lot of Italian food, all of it home made, even the spaghetti. That in addition to turkey or ham or both and whatever else. Huge feast days!

[Gups]

[Beef would be fine but I have that throughout the year so it wouldn't feel like something special.  Duck is a little greasy for my tastes and I've never had goose.

Yeah, that is the trouble with beef. You have to go for super high quality to make it special and as the missus has hers well done (unfuckingbelievable, I know) it seems like a waste.

Goose is superb but bloody expensive - an £80 bird will feed only 3 people, even though it looks massive.

[derspiess]

Yeah, that is the trouble with beef. You have to go for super high quality to make it special and as the missus has hers well done (unfuckingbelievable, I know) it seems like a waste.

Seems like my wife and my mom always tend to make it well done.  I might try a nice beef tenderloin someday without overcooking it.

[Barrister]

I don't want to freeload on anyone, on the contrary, I love the idea of a day off at home playing call of duty and watching movies. But I will have to eat at some point.

Pizza is not a bad idea. Any other ideas?

Grill a steak, or maybe some seafood (shrimp?  lobster tail?).  Maybe smoke a cigar while doing it.

[CountDeMoney]

Some important safety tips:

Butterball Turkey Talk Line: Imagine fielding a call like this:

"To thaw a turkey, where do I set the dial?"

"The dial?"

"On my electric blanket, where do I set the dial?"

"Sir, we do not recommend you use an electric blanket to thaw a turkey."

This is just one example of the more than 10,000 personally handled calls the Butterball Turkey Talk Line receive on Thanksgiving. Talk to a real turkey expert at 800-288-8372. The lines will be open through Nov. 21 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 22 and 23 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Nov. 24 through 26 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thanksgiving Day from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Don't forget to check out the Butterball Cookbook Plus app for inspirations for holiday meals, nutritional information, gluten-free recipes, and conversion calculators. The app is available for Android and iOS. For more recipes and tips, go to http://www.butterball.com.

The National Turkey Federation: For a complete farm to table guide with a video tour of a processing plant, tips on buying and prepping your turkey, and instructions on how to deep fry your bird, visit http://www.eatturkey.com.

USDA: Keep your friends and family safe with food safety facts, tips for all types of dishes and videos of how to keep food clean at http://www.fsis.usda.gov (click on Food Safety Education). Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854, staffed live 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. For those on-the-go emergencies, the Ask Karen app includes answers to common cooking questions as well as live chat 24/7. Go to askkaren.gov or look for it on the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Crisco Pie Hotline: Crisco reminds you to "keep calm and bake on" with baking tips and trends, solutions to baking and pie problems and a live staffed hotline at 877-367-7438 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Nov. 26 (not available on Thanksgiving Day). For recipes and more baking wisdom, visit http://www.crisco.com.

Sara Lee Desserts Pie Hotline: Finish with a sweet smash with the help of Sara Lee Desserts Pie Hotline at 888-914-1247. Lines are open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thanksgiving Day from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Experts can help with pumpkin pie problems, cherry pie catastrophes, and boysenberry pie burnouts. Visit http://www.saraleedesserts.com for recipes, baking tips and how-to videos.

And derspiess, I'm sure 911 will be adequate for all your local firefighting needs.   

[sbr]

Do yanquis have turkey at Christmas too?

Why crappy mashed spuds instead of delicious roast ones?

We used to do turkey every year but the last few mom has gone with a prime rib/roast for Christmas.