Last year, we devoted a lot of blog space to Thanksgiving, by Sam Sifton. And since weโre editors and writers, supposedly on the pulse of what the lastest, greatest, trendiest everything is, we should probably be featuring this yearโs of-the-moment holiday cookbook. But hereโs the thing: โtrendyโ and โof-the-momentโ are not words that should EVER EVER EVER be in the same sentence as โThanksgiving,โ and we stand by our claim that Sam Siftonโs timeless, authoritative, delicious guide to our countryโs greatest holiday is The Only Thanksgiving Recipe Collection You Will Ever Need. (Outside of your grandmotherโs recipe box, of course โ we donโt want to get anyone in trouble here). As such, we launch our โCountdown to Thanksgiving Seriesโ with a bountiful giveaway: In the next 48 hours, five readers are eligible to win a free copy of Siftonโs Thanksgiving, and five more are eligible to have a free copy sent to whoever is cooking/hosting the feastโฆ as a little pre-holiday pump-up and thank-you-in-advance. Thatโs TEN COPIES WE ARE GIVING AWAY. All you have to do is leave a comment below (we wouldnโt complain if this comment included a Thanksgiving tip) and tell me which one you are: #Host or #Guest.
Update: All winners have been notified. Congrats Josh, Betsy, Candice, Eva, Molly, Susan, Colleen F, L, Divya, Memegirl and to everyone else thanks for playing!
Related: Sam Siftonโs 1o Laws of Thanksgiving.
#host, I take the day off from work the day before Thanksgiving โ extra prep time!
hosting for the first time ever this year- with my in-laws as guests! eek!
I will be the guest! However, Iโll be helping prepare appetizers and side dishes to help my sister out ๐ Last year my husband and I spend our Thanksgiving in Rome for our honeymoon!!
I am #host this Thanksgiving for my second year ever. Last year was year one- did ok, but always looking for further DALS-approved insight. The best thing I did last year was write out a time schedule for the day: timing the steps of each dish (when to start which dish, what to start prepping while others were in the oven, noting compatible oven temps, etc). It took about 1/2 an hour to write that up the week beforehand, but I felt anchored in sanity by having it- Iโm pretty sure thatโs what saved me. Love, love, love the sensibility and yumminess of this blog.
Heat that turkey serving platter in the oven to keep all if you hard work warm as long as possible. #host
Iโm a #host this year, so I can use all the help I can get!
Our family is always the #guest, and Iโd love to win a copy of this to thank my awesome sister-in-law who always hosts and does an AMAZING job! She even sends out an email every year asking what dish is everyoneโs favorite to make sure that she includes it in the menu. Then, on top of that, sheโll usually make a brand-new dish just to add a little variation. Needless to say, it is a FEAST!
#guest This year weโre eating at my cousinโs house and our current tip is to try to organize what everyoneโs bringing in advance. This is doomed for failure, but at least we can make a good shopping list out of it. <3 Sam Sifton.
This year I think Iโm the #host, but Iโm either a #host or #guest depending on the year. my family takes turns hosting Thanksgiving, and itโs always a potluck so even when Iโm a guest, Iโm always bringing a dish. Making Thanksgiving a potluck event is actually my tip since it takes some pressure off the host and makes it more of a communal event where everyone is taking part and helping out. Plus it gives everyone a chance to show off their signature dishes, but the host always makes the turkey.
Hello! This will be my 2nd hosting of Thanksgiving. This year I will again be taking the day before off to prep. My most helpful prep tip is to make a DETAILED list of each dish, its place in the meal and ingredients. I have a grocery list with ALL ingredients required in the far left column, then the dishes listed in the 1st row with what is needed for each below. Then I can total gthe ingredients across to see how much butter, etc. I need to have. The amounts can be surprising and I hate to buy to much as it does get pricey if errors are made!!
Iโm a guest! But we donโt really have a host! Ha. Weโre doing this โThanksgiving vacationโ thing for the second year in a row at a hotel (that loves dogs!) 2 1/2 hours away by the beach. There are pros and cons (no cleaning, no major dish washing) v (that means no homemade turkey leftovers, eek!) but Iโm determined to make the most of it from the food side of things! Last year I brought down cinnamon buns and I have an apple crisp thing in the works for this yearโฆ Even thinking about slicing up a turkey to take for cold cut slices throughout the weekend in a small cooler!
This will be our 2nd year to camp on Thanksgiving and we love to prepare a campfire feast!
I am a #guest this year but hope to host next year! My tip for fellow guests: bring some booze & be thankful. And offer to help, but not too many times. Some hosts want you to be relaxed/watch football ๐
Iโm the #host, alongside my mom. Weโve hosted both sides of the family at once for the last ten years, so Iโm hoping to be a grateful #guest sometime soon with some friends or family that will appreciate a homemade cranberry sauce!
Iโll be a #guest since all of our family lives out of town, but Iโd love for them to visit me so I can #host it up!
Im a guest, and I suggest pre-eating. I know, itโs thanksgiving, but when I take into account the hour+ car ride, the before meal hanging out, and the drinks pre-eating leaves me in a much more flexible mood. Plus it helps the kiddos coast past nap and actually make it to the big meal.
I am a #guest, but it will be my time soon. Tipโฆhelp mom as much as possible
Iโm a #host this year, for the first time ever. Iโm following my tip of inviting my mom to stay overnight the night before so she can help me make the turkey. Iโve never cooked a whole animal before so this will be key. Sheโs even bringing the turkey since she can get a free one with her supermarket points. I think I can handle sides and dessert!
With different for family and friends, I am the host at one party and the guest at another on that Saturday. My tip: even if you have a disaster or two (or all) people are very forgiving. So just relax and enjoy. An try something new, youโll never know when you want to add a new family favorite to the food traditions.
Iโm always fundamentally opposed to changing the tried and true Thanksgiving menu, except for one thing, last year we subbed out the usual sweet potatoes for mashed sweet potatoes with chipotles in adobo. So so good. #guest this year.
I am a guest this year. My tip is to as much wine on hand as possible!
i heart thanksgiving and am hosting this year!
Loved the coverage of this book last year on your blog, I would love a copy as I prepare for my first ever thanksgiving as #Host Ah!
I am co-hosting with my Dad. Heโs a traditionalist when it comes to the holidays, and I like to spice it up. Together, weโll have dinner planned by a 24 year old and a 54 year old. Should be a treat for everyone eating!
We moved to Northern Alaska (I know โ not in the 48 contiguous states but you should take pity on us) and Iโll probably make a small meal for my daughter and me since my husband and son donโt like turkey.