I need help making Thanksgiving special while away from home

julifish

julifish

New member
Our little family (just hubs, the girls and I) are taking a road trip to Gatlinburg, TN for Thanksgiving week. We are leaving all our family behind here in Florida. The girls are starting to feel a little sad about not being with our extended family for Thanksgiving. I tried to call and get us reservations for Thanksgiving dinner so I don't have to try to cook all of that stuff in a Time Share kitchen, but I can't find any place that still has reservations open.

So...I'm looking for ideas of ways I can make the day special since we'll be away from those we love and according to my 13 yo are the ones that make Thanksgiving so special to begin with. (:cursing:)

Short of taking my Publix pilgrim salt and pepper shakers with me I'm at loss. All creative ideas are welcome here - we like fun stuff!
 
How far in advance of Thanksgiving are you leaving? I was just wondering if perhaps some of it could be done in advance at home and put into coolers and brought with you, put in the timeshare fridge once you arrive and then on Thanksgiving you could just heat n serve. Boring, I know.. but as a last resort, perhaps.

Or just tell the 13yo that this year you have decided that thanksgiving is all about peace...and quiet... and relaxation... no cooking.... and that you plan to be thankful for it. LOL!
 
I don't know if there is a Super Target anywhere near there, but they are doing Thanksgiving dinners to go for $69.99, and that includes all your baking dishes and everything to serve 6 people, I believe. That at least gives you a meal option.

What about making gratitude journals? Could be a fun thing to make while there, and you can start a new tradition of everyone who is at your thanksgiving dinner writing an entry for them. This way they can add to them every year, and you could include a photo of those at thanksgiving.

Also, are you going to be watching the parade? If so, maybe you cna find a bingo game or funny checklist for things to be spotted and have different little prizes.
 
How bout a game day, that parade day bingo one sounds great Jen!, followed by a movie out or in for some family snuggle time. And I like the gratitude journal thing. Help them along by getting them journals and have an alphabet prompt. I am grateful for (something or someone who beings with the letter A.) As to food, do a picnic theme on based on a traditional thanksgiving day meal, that is easily out together in your small kitchen. Get some undecorated sugar cookings and let them decorate them for dessert?
 
Publix if it is up there does Thanksgiving dinners. Also Cracker Barrel. No reservations as far as I know but they do thanksgiving as well. Or maybe you could do thanksgiving early before you leave or after you get home. There is nothing to say thanksgiving has to be on the day it is traditionally celebrated.
 
As someone that's been away for thanksgiving for many years, my go to was Popeye's. I know fast food is not usually ideal. But they have a delicious Cajun turkey. (Its not spicy, just flavorful) My kids love their biscuits & mac and cheese. I loved that I didn't have to cook. I vote find a place and order your meal. Then call family on Thanksgiving and let the kids talk with them. Sometimes just hearing their voices helps. :)
 
Every other year we meet with my SIL and her family somewhere between Kansas and Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Nashville. It is always great to see them but I have to say, it never quite feels like Thanksgiving.

We typically eat at Cracker Barrel as it is one of the few places always open. They serve a dinner with turkey and the works so that part is kind of nice and the kids always love playing checkers and hanging out browsing the store before our meal.

A few years back we went to Louisville and had our Thanksgiving dinner at Churchill Downs while watching the races. That felt most like 'Thanksgiving' to me because in addition to the 4 members of SIL's family we met up with Sean's aunt and some of his cousins so it was a big family group. The year we went to St. Louis and watched their Thanksgiving Day Parade was nice too because it 'felt' like Thanksgiving because one of our traditions when we are at home is to watch the Macy's parade.

I always say I am going to bring decorations or some kind of holiday craft for the kids to do on Thanksgiving but in the end I never do. It's far too busy since there is always so much we want to see and do.
 
We have a small family so aren't much for doing a huge amount of cooking for ourselves. We will order a dinner from our grocery store (turkey, rolls, 3 sides, including a pie) and reheat it. We'll add a few of our own sides to make it more special. We thought about going out, but figured that for the $70 we'll pay for the pre-cooked dinner, we'd probably pay about the same or more by going out, given that we'd want to tip decently to waiters and waitresses working on the holiday, and we wouldn't have any leftovers. We've gone out before and sometimes it is wonderful, sometimes it is slow and the food is cold.
 
What's the reason you are going? Is there something special about being in the time share? Snow? Skiing? Indoor water park? If it were me I would look for some 'activity' to do that is completely out of the ordinary for Thanksgiving to make it totally different. That way you don't have everyone thinking 'gee---what a lame thanksgiving, wish we were home'
 
Maybe find something that you can bring back to 'traditional' Thanksgiving as a new tradition. We try to do some sort of craft at Thanksgiving/fall that involves our hands (prints, cut outs, etc) and write what we are thankful for on them. One year we made a tree, we've made turkeys, painted, a banner, etc.

We are actually going to start a new tradition this year, it might not work for where you are going, but we'll be Christmas tree hunting, just us and our 3 kids, taking a fire pit, hot dogs, cocoa, marshmallows and sleds. I'm boycotting traditional Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving because I usually do all of the work, cooking, cleaning for DH's family and honestly, they've been pretty rotten the past couple of months, as we're sorting out some marriage issues.
 
We went on vacation for Thanksgiving for several years running. We haven't done it in 3 years and we miss it. I like being with extended family, but there's something special about it being just the five of us together. We're definitely doing a Thanksgiving trip next year.

One year we went to Dixie Stampede for Thanksgiving dinner. We really enjoyed that and we were stuffed. A little non-traditional, but very yummy. I looked and there's one Pigeon Forge (we were in Branson). We've also rented a condo and done the pick up a turkey dinner from a grocery store thing. Or eating at Cracker Barrel. It's just fun to be together, do touristy things, and know that we'll see our extended families for Christmas. Are you going to Dollywood? I bet it's gorgeous this time of the year, and it's probably open Thanksgiving afternoon/evening.
 
NeverendingJen said:
I don't know if there is a Super Target anywhere near there, but they are doing Thanksgiving dinners to go for $69.99, and that includes all your baking dishes and everything to serve 6 people, I believe. That at least gives you a meal option.

Also, are you going to be watching the parade? If so, maybe you cna find a bingo game or funny checklist for things to be spotted and have different little prizes.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about seeing if the local grocery stores did a Thanksgiving dinner to take home and reheat. I will see when we get there if there is a Cracker Barrel - that might be a perfect choice versus the whole cooking and cleaning thing. I was hoping for fancy, dressing, special...but downhome in our PJ's would be different and fun.

I love the bingo idea for the parade. I always miss the parade because I'm busy cooking or we're traveling. Brilliant idea!!!!:wub:

Love the game day idea too! I am taking Parcheesi, Yahtzee, and Uno.

Kim - Dollywood is actually closed on Thanksgiving, but I was thinking we could find a special place to go that day (like a good hike or animal viewing spot)

I'm think we might Skype my parents so we can see everyone.

We are doing a gratitude journal here at home for the month so we'll keep that going.

I'm thinking our Elf might come on the trip and arrive for the first time on Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday fun. It's our first year with the Elf and even though my kids don't "believe" any more they really want to believe in some kind of magic so we decided to try the Elf.

Love all the ideas I get here. Thanks everyone!!!
 
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julifish said:
Kim - Dollywood is actually closed on Thanksgiving, but I was thinking we could find a special place to go that day (like a good hike or animal viewing spot)
Click to expand...

I'm so surprised by this. We go to Silver Dollar City all the time and it's always open Thanksgiving. Since they're both owned by Herschend, I just assumed that Dollywood would have the same schedule. I have to say I'm impressed that Dollywood gives its employees the day off. I do hope you get to visit though. SDC is its most beautiful at Christmas. It's such a great way to kick off the holidays.
 
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