Mine won't be all that different this year.  It is my son's first Thanksgiving, though.  And I get to meet my new niece- my sister just adopted a puppy.  My boys will have a lot of fun at Grandma and Grandpa's next week!

What's fun is making the same meal so to speak, but giving it a different twist. Go online and look up ethnic recipes and make the meal the way your ancestors might have made it.

And gillfish, I am so sorry for your loss, I won't even begin to say I know how you feel. I do think being with your entire family for the holiday will help. I hope you have a good one.

I am so very sorry for your loss.  Being with family will definitely be better than being alone.  For me, lots and lots of family too!  That is always the best part of Thanksgiving for me.

My sincerest condolences for your loss.

I'm sure this will be a difficult year for you, and I'm glad that you will be near people who love and support you for the holiday.

We are the exact opposite of usual when it comes to the meal. Every year I try to do something different. This year will be  a little challenging (again), not having any days off leading up to the event, but somehow I usually manage to pull something off.

I am really sorry for your loss gillfish, that is a terrible thing to happen. I lost my Mother in late September and then I just lost my Grandmother a week ago. Losing a loved one is very difficult and there are times when it really hits hard but with family arround it helps.

trying something different for your dinner is a good idea. Instead of turkey try steak or seafood. Change is sometimes a good thing..Enjoy your holiday

Gillfish, it has to be hard on you losing your son, having to paste on a smiley face and interact.  I cannot even begin to imagine what you are going through and I'm so sorry for your loss.

I talked to my sister yesterday, I had invited her over for Thanksgiving earlier in the week and she declined.  Then I remembered she has her father in law staying with her and I had never mentioned bringing him.  So when I talked to her yesterday, I remembered to let her know that he was more than welcome also.  So, I think they are coming, Sister, bro in law and his dad and my nephew 5 and niece 4.  My mom will be there too. I can't wait.  Thanksgiving is the best.  We do the traditional turkey stuff,  making pies the night before.  Yeast rolls!!!  Of course Mom always feels like she has to take over, so I have her do her stuffing and yeast rolls.  That keeps her out of my gravy.  I'm excited, can't wait.  I think I'll do the bikini bird!!!

I feel for you gillfish.  My husband, age 47 died of a medical mistake 3 yrs ago in October and the holidays are always hard.  I think back to 3 years ago and it sometimes still feels like yesterday...  There is a good book called 'I'm Greiving as Fast as I Can" that you might want to read.
This year we are going to drive to AZ to visit my brother for Thanksgiving.  But one of my favorite ones was a year after he died.  We went quad riding with friends outside of Cal City.  We camped (in our 5th wheel trailer) for 5 days and we joined everyone else and ordered a premade Turkey dinner from Albertson's.  There was 20 in our group and it was fun.  We even watched football and the parade via a large screen TV  and Direct TV that someone set up under their awning.  There were so many people camping out there that it is dubbed "Turkey City" every year.  There was approx 10,000 people- the sherrifs dept even set up a temporary command post and had a helicopter there--in the middle of nowhere! I guess people have camped there for years during Thanksgiving week.  It took the pressure out of Thanksgiving and we survived another holiday.