Thanksgiving retroactive

found this on Katie the Scrapbook Lady

Do you cook all or part of the meal?
i've helped to cook in the past, but not recently. i do enjoy being in & around the kitchen when the cooking is taking place though. the process fascinates me. and the smells. you just have to be aware of the cook's movements & be able to dance back out of the way as they move about their space.

How much do you spend buying groceries for the meal?
actually, i've never spent more than about $15 on ingredients for a couple of dishes my family used to request.

Do you eat at home or go to someone else's?
i have never hosted a Thanksgiving myself. i am always lucky enough to be a guest.

Describe your perfect bite?
the first taste of each dish on my plate. getting to experience each flavor for the first time.

White meat or dark?
i prefer the white.

Stuffing with giblets or without?
if they're in there, i don't want to know about it.

Anything you won't eat at the Thanksgiving meal?
i am not crazy about winter squash. and my Gram used to make creamed onions too -- also a "no, thank you" as well as real pumpkin pie. but this year i ate *everything* & it was amazing!

Carve Mr. Gobble at the table of serve on a platter?
how about carving the turkey in sight of the table since there is rarely room *on* the table for much in the way of serving bowls & platters?

Favorite pie?
apple. or a double layer pumpkin.

Formal table or Chinet?
formal. formal. formal. i can't even deal with the idea of a holiday table set with anything disposable! and i do have to say that the table i was lucky enough to sit at was set beautifully.

Your menu?
well, it wasn't so much *my* menu as the menu which i was served. Nichole posted it in her blog.

Favorite leftover?
i swear the dressing just got better & better. which is hard to believe since it was incredible the first time.

Extended family, friends, both or just immediate family for dinner?
well, growing up, it was just immediate family, which for us was me, my father, my brother & my father's parents. later we also added in my cousin, her husband & my aunt. now it's friends... i mean, *family*. =)

After dinner, do you go to the latest movie or football on TV?
it's just not Thanksgiving without *some* football on the tv. but i know not everyone enjoys it, so i am willing to compromise, as long as i get to see some.

Do you watch the Macy's parade?
NO!! please, no.

Christmas decorations up before or after?
after. never ever before. in fact, Christmas decorations shouldn't go up until the first Sunday in Advent or at least December first... but as long as it's after Thanksgiving, i can deal.

Black Friday shopping or sleep in?
i have never shopped the day after Thanksgiving. of course, i only have two gifts left to purchase this year, but in years past, i prefer to do the majority of my shopping in December when the malls really hum with holiday spirit.

Any special Thanksgiving tradition?
i'm all for creating some new ones... =)

Favorite thing about Thanksgiving?
the food shared with great company

Favorite Thanksgiving memory?
this year's climbed right to the top of the charts. i have some very fond memories of Thanksgivings back in Connecticut that will always be dear to my heart, especially the very last Thanksgiving my whole family was together, because we were very thankful that my dad was still with us, but this year's was... wonderfully special. =)