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Food / drink 🍗 What Time Is Thanksgiving Dinner?

What option is closest to your PREFERRED time to have Thanksgiving dinner?

  • Between noon and 1:00 PM

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Between 1:00 and 2:00 PM

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • Between 2:00 and 3:00 PM

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • Between 3:00 and 4:00 PM

    Votes: 2 14.3%

  • Between 4:00 and 5:00 PM

    Votes: 1 7.1%

  • Between 5:00 and 6:00 PM

    Votes: 3 21.4%

  • After 6:00 PM because I hate America

    Votes: 1 7.1%
  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .
WSU MUP Student

WSU MUP Student

Cyburbian
Messages
14,364
Points
59
My FIL wanted to serve Thanksgiving dinner at 1:30 PM last week, which sounded perfect to me, but my wife protested that it was way too early so we pushed it back to 2:30 PM. Growing up, all of our holiday dinners were usually served before 2:00 in the afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to relax and then have supper later in the evening. FWIW, my wife and kids hate the idea of supper.
 
We grew up poor. Nobody was going to get up before dawn to fetch the firewood to light the stove and roast the bird, make all the fixings, and be ready for freakin' LUNCH! Between 5:00 and 6:00 post meridian is when civilized poor people eat their meager Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Thank you very much, sir, may I have some more?
 
WSU MUP Student said:
My FIL wanted to serve Thanksgiving dinner at 1:30 PM last week, which sounded perfect to me, but my wife protested that it was way too early so we pushed it back to 2:30 PM. Growing up, all of our holiday dinners were usually served before 2:00 in the afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to relax and then have supper later in the evening. FWIW, my wife and kids hate the idea of supper.
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Traditionally, I grew up in the same universe where holiday dinners were served sometime around 1-2 pm. This allowed folks from out of town time to drive while it was still mostly light out, and some down time in the evening. Plus, many of the (traditionally female) guests would volunteer to help mid-afternoon with post-dinner cleanup/leftover packing up/etc. The male lions would selfishly watch football on Thanksgiving after dinner as the womenfolk would thanklessly slave away much of the day. Dad and his sons' responsibilities were usually limited to acting as 'tasters', setting up folding chairs and card tables, and dear old dad ceremoniously carving the turkey. Sexism was alive and well circa 1974.

Nowadays we opt for the more civilized arrangement of dinner around 4:30 and a slightly fairer division of labor based on gender roles.
 
Growing up, it was usually in the 2-3 window. Spent last week at the invite of my DiL with her Tongan family. Too many people for a home so a church was reserved. We arrived at 3 with food in hand which were our usual items. Food was already out and people eating. Several of the kids were playing basketball (most mormon church buildings have a indoor basketball court). This was not the more formal dinner when everybody sits down together and eats at the same time as I always experienced. Other family and friends would show up through the next few hours. A volleyball net was then set up, too. Several tables contained food with the small warming flames steadily going underneath. We Left 6:00 and come to find out, my son and his wife did not leave until midnight. It was eating, playing, eating, playing...
 
It must of been at least 7 when dinner was served. Brother isn't a morning person so no early start. Probably a bit earlier when my Mom cooked, but I'm sure it was after six. Personally don't have much desire to eat a big meal early in the day anyways.
 
We've always done somewhere between 1-3. Usually, the more people coming, the later the lunch. Now that its more immediate family and not my cousins, its started shifting earlier. Plus my sister always has to go to her in-laws for a late dinner.
 
When I was growing up, dinner was planned to be served at 3:00, which coincided with halftime of the Cowboys game.

Now, with my in-laws, they are very prompt and eat at 4:00, but there are snacks and stuff available to munch on before the big meal. And lots of beer.
 
I wanted to make sure that I didn't need to do much cooking until after the Packer/Lion game was done... we ate at 6:00 PM.
 
jumbach said:
When I was growing up, dinner was planned to be served at 3:00, which coincided with halftime of the Cowboys game.

Now, with my in-laws, they are very prompt and eat at 4:00, but there are snacks and stuff available to munch on before the big meal. And lots of beer.
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Growing up, we usually timed our dinner to be served around the end of halftime of the Lions game (usually between around 1:00 and 1:30) so we could all get our plates and then go sit in front of the TV to eat during the second half of the game.

It was usually my parents hosting Thanksgiving dinner and of course there was the option to sit in the formal dining room without the TV but we always had so many people for the meal that we wouldn't all fit in there anyway so most of us would gather in the large living room where we could see the TV if we wanted or around the kitchen counters so we could be nearer the food... and still easily see the TV. Television is on, food and drink are being passed around, people are sitting wherever they like, kids are playing, people are boisterous, it's loud and fun.

Holidays on my wife's side are always a lot more quiet and subdued, with everybody sitting around a proper place setting in a formal dining room, TV off, quiet conversation, etc. The first time she went to a holiday gathering on my side I think her words as we were walking out the door were something to the effect of, "That was intense!" :rofl:
 
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