DD told me about a friend of hers who was having 50 family guests for Thanksgiving. They rented a tent(with heater), caterers etc. This at their house. We had a rather simple Thanksgiving dinner with just six and all the trimmings but nothing unusual

I started cooking at 5 am, finished at 10 am. Put everything away. Nap 11-4. 2 hours to heat and set table and get ready. Guests arrived starting at 6. Everything ready and I'm rested. Great evening.

Stress free. Works everytime.

Everything other way is chaotic.

We have our celebratory and holiday dinners at noon time. I was amazed to discover most folks don't.
Many families rent a hall for larger clans.

I prefer a noonish meal time for holidays too. This year's 3 -3:30 start time happened about 5. We had snacked pretty much all day...poor timing.

I guess my most different was when first DH was terminally ill. We were still trying to make memories for our then 11-year old. I pulled the boat to the lake, DH pulled the camper. He and DS set out trot lines. We had stovetop stuffing LOL, cornish game hens baked in a cast iron Dutch oven on a bed of coals, and I don't remember what else.

The camper was pulled parallel to the lake. The nights were just marvelous...

quote:

We have our celebratory and holiday dinners at noon time. I was amazed to discover most folks don't

Lurah, that is about when we were having our breakfast casserole! LOL

We at after 7. It was a little too late for me as we had had huge shrimp (so good) a cheese and cracker platter and delicious olives for appetizers and ate too many of them. My preference would be between 3 and 5 for such a large meal.

Don't think I've ever had a big meal at noon. Even when I was little and we attended church every Sunday, it would have been later as we probably would not have gotten home till noon.

I prefer 1-ish; otherwise, everyone is starving and snacking!!!!!!!!!

I ,too, prefer all big meals at 1:00. This way you are not tempted to snack , and you have the rest of the day to "work it off".

It just seems more relaxing because you do not have to spend the whole day waiting for it to happen. Plus, the leftovers can provide a snack for the evening meal

We always have our thanksgiving meal at 3:00. I'm not sure why, but it has always been that time.

Our most exotic Thanksgiving was the year we were in San Francisco and had dinner at Hotel Nikko. The food was excellent but different. They served all the usual plus a number of Asian inspired dishes.

Our most elaborate Thanksgiving - Grove Park Inn, hands down. The best Thanksgiving meal we have every had.

We ate at 3 this year and that's early for us. We used to have dinner at 6 which gave me the entire day to prepare.