I hope everyone is enjoying their turkey and time with friends/family. I did things a little differently.
See, I work on Thanksgiving, so I don’t really get to celebrate. Which isn’t that big a deal, given that I don’t have family here and my friends scatter to the winds on the holiday to be with their families.
But I feel left out if I don’t get some turkey around this time of year. So last year I hosted a Friendsgiving/game night here at my house. And I continued the tradition again this year on Saturday the 23rd.
There was much laughing, eating and drinking. And of course some game-playing.
Alas, it wasn’t the most frugal of Friendsgivings. The turkey itself was cheap at $0.67 per pound — so even at 20.56 lbs, it was pretty affordable. But I also bought oven bags, cheese, crackers, hummus and the makings for pumpkin pie.
All in all, I spent about $45. But on the other hand, I have a fair amount of leftovers:
The white meat I’ll eat now, either straight out of the fridge (with some salt) or in sandwiches.
The dark meat goes in the freezer for Mom to make turkey chili when she’s here in January.
I also still had a whole pumpkin pie left — I made two since up to 11 people were coming (9 showed) — and copious amounts of cheese and crackers and almost a full container of hummus.
That’s because everyone brought food of their own to share. (The key to a good Friendsgiving.) We had mashed potatoes, sweet potato pie, apple pie, a fruit torte, a cheese-and-nuts-and-I-think-some-berries? dip and of course cranberry sauce.
Plus everyone and their brother brought wine. Alas, I don’t drink the stuff, so the unused bottles went home with the guests. I also made them take their food home so that I’m not 200 lbs by Christmas.
There was much laughing, some playing of games and of course, as with any good holiday, drinking.
So while I may not be gorging myself on Thanksgiving proper, I assure you that I had my holiday nonetheless.
And since this is a Thanksgiving Day post, I suppose I ought to say what I’m thankful for. (It’s a tradition we mercifully skip on Friendsgiving.)
I’m so thankful that I’m on my own, with only myself to take care of. My mental health has skyrocketed now that it’s just me that I have to worry about.
I’m infinitely grateful for how well my finances are doing since the divorce. Which has also greatly helped my mental health.
And of course I’m thankful for all of you for coming here and reading my thoughts/life updates. It means more to me than you can know.
What’s your Thanksgiving tradition? What are you thankful for this year?
Xrayvsn says
Happy Thanksgiving Abigail.
There have been many a holiday I have had to work in the past and although it is not ideal there was still good food and company to be had as people brought in dishes to work.
$45 is not bad to host a large party and it sounds well worth it.
Xrayvsn recently posted…Tackling The Student Loan Debt Problem
Abigail says
Well, I work from home so alas no shared dishes for me. But I still have turkey leftover from Saturday — I took a break from it yesterday after four straight meals of turkey — so I’ll have some of that today.
And you’re right that $45 isn’t too bad to host 9 people, especially with the meals I’m getting out of the leftovers.
Ann says
Happy Thanksgiving! I so appreciate you and this blog ; it has provided me with a lot of help over the years, even though I don’t comment .
Abigail says
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m so glad the site has helped you. It’s always great to hear!
Revanche @ A Gai Shan Life says
“I also made them take their food home so that I’m not 200 lbs by Christmas.”
When we host potluck style, we’ve started doing a leftovers trade. We keep their leftovers and send them home with ours so the quantities even out but also everyone gets something new to eat as leftovers.
I’m so happy for you being in the place that you are now and being able to fully take care of yourself.
I’m glad that we have one “guest” for the holiday week and it’s my favorite person to have over. It’s peaceful and fun.
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Abigail says
Sounds like a lovely way to spend the holiday! I do like the idea of leftovers trade-off, but I wanted to have some turkey left over for meals. Most other people brought dessert, which I didn’t want to have lying around.
Kellie @ Big Style Finance says
I’m Australian so of course we don’t have Thanksgiving, but I hope yours is a good one, even if you’re working! Your Friendsgiving sounds like it was fun though!
Kellie @ Big Style Finance recently posted…Self Publishing – How To Develop A Passive Income
Abigail says
It was a great time for sure! Hope you have a great Thursday, even if no turkey is involved.
Donna Freedman says
I’m thankful that I’ll be visiting in the middle of winter.
Also thankful that DF is the one wrestling with a 20-pound turkey right now, and that he’ll do a prime rib on the Weber. I made three pies from scratch so that’s my contribution.
Donna Freedman recently posted…A festival of pie.
Abigail says
I’m thankful you’ll be visiting too!
RoInRocketCityAL says
Our Thanksgiving tradition has been to spend it in Nashville, TN and spend a few days there enjoying the music. Three years in a row so it’s a tradition. Next year we might do something different. Mainly we travel since we have no nearby family. It can be a lonely holiday without family so we make the best of it.
Abigail says
Nashville sounds like a good time, alrighty! Definitely a unique but memorable way to spend the holiday.
RoInRocketCityAL says
I am thankful for my employer paid move to the home we’ll spend our retirement years. I’m thankful to finally be retired from a job I enjoyed with enough income to not to have to return to work. I’m thankful for my local friends. I’m thankful for a supportive husband officially in remission from cancer.
Abigail says
So glad he’s in remission! And yes, those are all great things to be thankful for.
Denise says
I’m thankful for your posts and your mom’s. Those posts kept me sane financially. Stay empowered.
And of course, I’m thankful for my great health, my family, and my job (which not only makes me happy, but also pays my rent).
Happy Thanksgiving Abby.
Abigail says
All great things to be thankful for — and thanks so much for saying that my/Mom’s posts help you stay sane/empowered. It always means a lot to hear that we’re helping readers in some way!
catseye says
I’m glad you had a great Friendsgiving, Abby. I’ve done that for the past 3 years.
I’m grateful that I survived this crappy year and I’m still in one piece. I’m really grateful for my new place because it’s more comfortable – I don’t have to go up and down 2 flights of stairs to access the parking lot/laundry room. I also have a dishwasher for the first time in 3 decades! Anything that takes pressure off my overworked hands is appreciated.
Abigail says
Dishwashers are a godsend, as is not contending with stairs! I’m glad you’re so happy in your new place. Sometimes change is good!