Is it Worth It?

[Theunicornhunter 2]

I have often marveled at how many manpower hours go in to preparing a Thanksgiving dinner? And then in 15-20 minutes you're done and then there's the cleaning up. I understand why some people eat out.

 

So do you the traditional meal is worth all the time that is put into it?

 

Dont' say yes it enjoy eating but have never had to do the cooking. :lol:

[Tank 0]

I think it is. I mean it might not be worth it just for the meal but it's the preperation that's half the fun anyway! I mean you could go out to eat but then again you can do that any day! So what would be special about that?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

It's only once a year, it's supposed to be a "feast" to celebrate a good harvest and it's worth it for the good meal with family and friends.

[removed 0]

I just show up and eat. (Thanksgiving in Canada is in October)

[ddillard 2]

I say that it is definitely worth it. The last couple of years I have not really even been to a normal Thanksgiving meal due to various reasons. I myself really enjoy cooking and any excuse to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal then to be able to watch friends and family that I care about enjoying the meal make it more than worth the effort.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

I myself really enjoy cooking and any excuse to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal then to be able to watch friends and family that I care about enjoying the meal make it more than worth the effort.

I hope you make sure the girls you date are aware if this. It's a great trait.

[archerfan 0]

I say YES, YES, YES its worth it. My mother has always cooked a huge traditional thanksgiving dinner since I was a little girl. A few years ago we had this discussion on whether or not it would be better just to go out and eat. Then my mother up and moved to Maui. The last two thanksgivings I went out to eat. Let me tell you it sucked! It's just not the same. I dont care about the clean up. This year I cooked my first Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. It was just a small group. We had tons of food left over but it was so much better. It was quite the success for me. My first turkey turned out great..I still miss having my mom and dad around though.

[ddillard 2]

I myself really enjoy cooking and any excuse to spend hours in the kitchen preparing a meal then to be able to watch friends and family that I care about enjoying the meal make it more than worth the effort.

I hope you make sure the girls you date are aware if this. It's a great trait.

Well, since I do not date much it does not come up much. Cooking is just my way of relaxing.

[BakulaBabe 2]

It's definitely worth it if it turns out good! The best turkey we ever made was the one we basted with Orville Reddenbacher's Butter Flavored Popcorn Oil, and we've done it that way each time we cook a turkey.

[cptwright 1]

as long as the family gets along of course its worth it. i love family dinners, thats why i went down to VA. spend time with the family, and have a great dinner, which by the way i havent had a dinner with them in years, and years, so it was really great.

[ddillard 2]

as long as the family gets along of course its worth it. i love family dinners, thats why i went down to VA. spend time with the family, and have a great dinner, which by the way i havent had a dinner with them in years, and years, so it was really great.

It is good to hear that you were able to make it for dinner this year. I know how it feels to miss holidays with family for years on end, I went five years without spending any holidays with my family due to my last job and it really sucked.

[starsinmyeyes 0]

ddillard

 

As with any holiday, it doesn't only suck for you to miss out on joining the family for the holiday but it also sucks for those missing your company! :o

[ddillard 2]

ddillard

 

As with any holiday, it doesn't  only suck for you to miss out on joining the family for the holiday but it also sucks for those missing your company! :o

I understand that one completely. I just wish I could get everything straightened out so that I can spend more time with my family on the holidays and in general. It bothers me that I only get to see my father two or three times a year, because I know that he will not always be there and I will regret not having been able to spend more time with him when he is gone.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

ddillard

 

As with any holiday, it doesn't  only suck for you to miss out on joining the family for the holiday but it also sucks for those missing your company! :o

I understand that one completely. I just wish I could get everything straightened out so that I can spend more time with my family on the holidays and in general. It bothers me that I only get to see my father two or three times a year, because I know that he will not always be there and I will regret not having been able to spend more time with him when he is gone.

I lived most of my adult life in some far distant state. I didn't have Thanksgiving with my family for about seventeen years and Christmas only a couple of times. A couple of years ago I moved back to the small town where I was born. My mother is getting older - that was one reason I came back. I'll never be rich and may never date again but I'm happy in a way city life couldn't bring.

[cptwright 1]

as long as the family gets along of course its worth it. i love family dinners, thats why i went down to VA. spend time with the family, and have a great dinner, which by the way i havent had a dinner with them in years, and years, so it was really great.

It is good to hear that you were able to make it for dinner this year. I know how it feels to miss holidays with family for years on end, I went five years without spending any holidays with my family due to my last job and it really sucked.

i have had dinner with my moms side every year, but not my dads side. my grams hadnt had a dinner in 15 years or so, everyones pretty much moved away except for a couple of us, then my grams moved away last year. so now when my uncle said lets have a dinner i was all for it. so does that mean you were able to have dinner with your family this year?

[Gotabite 0]

Our Thanksgiving is where we all cook something and bring to the meal. I think it's a wonderful day and time to get together with friends and family.....and eat a great feast.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

I'm looking forward to being a part of the meal preparation this year, it's worth it.

[Odie 0]

I won't be with my family this year for Thanksgiving and I am not sure what I will do for that day. The USO in downtown San Diego will have a meal for the server members. I might just go there and check it out.

 

Cooking a Thanksgiving dinner is always worth the effort. At the end it a tastes so much better knowing how much effort you but into that makes the difference.

Edited November 21, 2005 by Odie

[BKY1701 0]

I only eat; and for good reason!

[Yillara Skye 1]

I think so... I have tried helping out with the Thanksgiving dinner for a long time now, true mom was the person who did the most. But, even though it is a lot of work it is still worth it... not to mention think of how many snacks and meals you can get out of the leftovers Stuffed baked sweet potatoes is one of them I can think of right off the bat. Stuffed with butter, brown sugar and leftover turkey shreds! SOOOO Good!

 

 

Last year, my brother in law and sister cooked part of the dinner and we cooked part and we all ate it here at the house. The previous year was when they had finally gotten a place of their own to live so they wished to cook and have the dinner at their house ( to GanahFereoh & EmilSoong... that meal is and will always be wonderful, and was a great memory I think we will all share for a long time. You guys did great! )

 

This year, my parents & brother are out of town at a Thanksgiving get together this couple is having. Yes, they have a music gig on Thanksgiving, and won't be here. So, my sister & brother in law are cooking for four this year: themselves, my 11 month old niece, and me. I think it is going to be pretty cool, and still worth it

 

 

As I am writing this the smell of turkeys is in the air.... mom is cooking turkey for our work's Thanksgiving celebration. Mom was elected to cook turkey by our store manager. And I signed up for mashed potatoes, and am bringing in mashed sweet potatoes too (last year I hand made both, but due to time constraints I bought them pre made... but the kind I got is awesome. Sometimes I think it is even better than my homemade mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes.)

Edited November 21, 2005 by Yillara_Skye

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Like Odie, I too won't be home for Thanksgiving, but I do feel it's worth it. It's one of the few times a year extended family makes a point to get together. The one downside about it though, is all that time spent prepping and cooking the turkey, and I never eat much of it because I like dark meat, and so much of the darn bird is white meat.

[APW 0]

Yes.

 

All told, I've spent about $80 on my family's Thanksgiving meal this year (for 3 people). That's more than I like to spend on one meal, but it's just once a year (I don't spend nearly as much on Christmas dinner).

[Wishfire 2]

I have often marveled at how many manpower hours go in to preparing a Thanksgiving dinner? And then in 15-20 minutes you're done and then there's the cleaning up. I understand why some people eat out.

 

So do you the traditional meal is worth all the time that is put into it?

 

Dont' say yes it enjoy eating but have never had to do the cooking.

 

I voted yes, though I don't cook traditional meals. I see no reason to cook 20 different things for one meal. I only cook two or three things, and buy a pecan pie. That's good enough. Of course, my girl and I (and our son, now) spend Thanksgiving alone, as her family goes elsewhere to meet with other family members, and I'm rather anti-social. (Also, it gives us a few days of peace and quiet.)

 

Now, when I used to go to large gatherings for Thanksgiving, most of us would prepare a dish each. So, basically, everyone helped cook, everyone enjoyed the meal together, and everyone helped clean up.

 

Of course, there's two other things you must consider... A turkey (or ham, or whatever you cook for Thanksgiving) may take a few hours to cook, but you only need to check on it every half hour or fifteen minutes or so. There really isn't all that much effort. I'd say there's more effort in making potato salad than cooking a turkey. Also, there's always plenty of food left over. That means at least several days of left-overs, which means several days of minimal cooking. It all evens out in the end.

[LoveMalePecs1 0]

All the time and effort my mom puts into making the Turkey for Thankgiving (in October and Christmastime)is worth it. Not to mention the great Turkey Casserole thats she makes with the Leftover turkey-mashed potatoes-vegetables-cranberry sauce and Gravy on top.

 

Edited November 22, 2005 by LoveMalePecs1

[mj 7]

Yes.

 

This year since my mother cooked in my home, and since she is aging, I spent more time helping her cook than I ever had in the past.

 

But always when home for Thanksgiving in the past, and also today, I was on clean-up. I cannot remember a Thanksgiving with family where I was not on clean-up. ( I did spend some Thanksgivings in the company of non-family when I was in graduate school, and unable to come home for Thanksgiving. Those years I got to just eat.)

 

Clean-up on Thanksgiving is serious. It is not as long as cooking, but it has its own challenges. It took me 2.5 hours to put away the all the food, and do all the dishes from today's meal.

 

I still say it is worth it. It is worth every drop of sweat, and every tired bone.

[Itchygomba69 0]

YES YES YES!!!!

[TrekkieMage 0]

Yes. It has something to do with the tradition, and filling the house with family and friends to cook and eat. We usually cook the pies the night before, then everything else during the day. We also split up the cooking (we average 15 people for dinner).

 

This year we had two turkey dinners (one for family, one for friends, since some of the family couldn't make it out until Friday). Both dinners had 15 people, and were very much worth the effort.

 

What I'm not so sure about is the leftovers :(

[Vulcan_lover 1]

Coming from a house, where every meal was home cooked and amazing, Thanksgiving really isn't that big of a deal, since I have no extended family near me that comes and a small family to begin with. The only good part of thanksgiving, is the shopping the day after......I was out there at 430am this year.

[Kor37 9]

The only good part of thanksgiving, is the shopping the day after......I was out there at 430am this year

 

 

What did you get me?!!!!!!! :(

[Theunicornhunter 2]

For all of the cooks that responded - thank you for your thoughts.

 

For all those who just show up to eat yet say it's worth - your comments are amusing.

 

It is IMO not worth it - actually we contributed this year to getting a turkey from the supermarket deli already cooked - it tasted great and much less bother - I highly recommend it.