by Kedzie Schotters
Ask most people what they consider their favorite holiday, and my guess is they’ll tell you it isn’t the Fourth of July, New Years, or even Christmas: it’s Thanksgiving. A tradition so simple, yet so indulgent, we look forward to it all year. It’s a day to give thanks—thanks for family, friends, and that stuffing-induced food coma.
In my family, Thanksgiving is taken quite seriously, and my mother starts menu planning as soon as it’s Pumpkin Spice Latte season at Starbucks.
Thanksgiving Day prep soon becomes an all-consuming hobby for the whole family, often without consent. The entire month of November is dedicated to planning, food shopping, guest list confirmations, and the like. Then comes the big day, and you can forget about having any plans of your own. Want to meet up with friends? Sorry, consider the potato peeler your friend. Going for a run? Only if it’s in the direction of the grocery store. This day is spent coordinating oven times, brining turkeys, welcoming family, and delegating duties like an army drill sergeant. Stacy, apple pie. John, you’re on cranberry duty. Kim, whip those potatoes until they form peaks stiffer than the Rocky Mountains.
I’ll admit it can get a little heated in the kitchen, especially as family starts to multiply. But it’s Thanksgiving, and this is what we have to go through in order to enjoy a delicious meal…right?
Maybe not.
On a recent trip to David Burk Townhouse, we received a card that said “Please join us for Thanksgiving Day Dinner!”. At first, this just looked like their way of promoting their Fall season menu, but then I saw the date: November 24th, 2011. Thanksgiving Day. Was this real? Do people really go out to eat on the one day meant to be all about home cooking?
The mere idea sounded outlandish and criminal at the time, but then I thought about it.
If someone else is doing all the work, this means we would have more time to relax and enjoy the day. No last minute trips to the grocery store, no polishing silverware, and no dishwashing. We would be free.
Countless restaurants in New York and other cities are providing this labor-free option. But not only are these restaurants offering to cook for you, they are introducing new twists to old classics. Sick of turkey? You can have wild boar or lobster steak. One restaurant is even offering a Southwestern Thanksgiving Dinner. From the wine to the pumpkin pie, these restaurants have your family covered.
This trend doesn’t stop at restaurants. Yacht companies are vying for your business by hosting private Thanksgiving cruises along the river. Hotels are promoting “Thanksgiving weekend” packages fit with horseback riding, canoeing, mountaineering, shopping, and of course, alternative dining.
But while the idea of trading mallets and knives for cloth napkins and a wait staff is understandably appealing, isn’t there a little magic lost?
Part of the joy associated with this holiday is the anticipation and buildup. That time spent over compiling recipes, trying new things, and laboring over a meal is what makes everything worth it. Family might get a little intense, but gathering around the kitchen has and always will be one of America’s favorite activities.
Call me old-fashioned, but I’m sticking to the home-cooked Thanksgiving this year. Even if that means I’ll be knee deep in dirty dishes. But whether you’re dining in or out this holiday, be sure to enjoy the time you have with the family you love…because Target opens at midnight.
