Thanksgiving

[phkrause]

2024 Stress-free Turkey Day

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Thanksgiving dinner can come with a great deal of pressure — especially if you're the host. But the holiday is about gratitude and gathering, not impressing your guests. Why it matters: Thanksgiving often feels like the "Super Bowl of food holidays," CNN's Casey Barber writes. Barber's holiday prep starts in early November. If the planning, cooking and tablescape-designing brings you happiness, that's wonderful — and this is your time to shine! But if you're overwhelmed, here are ways to make next week a little less stressful and a little more joyful. Shortcuts are fine — and delicious. Store-bought pies and dinner rolls are great, canned cranberry sauce is a classic, and Butterball even has a new cook-from-frozen turkey that comes pre-brined, so all you need to do is unwrap it and cook it. Make it up! Don't feel limited by the traditional Thanksgiving lineup. If there's a side dish you often prepare and that feels easy and comfortable, add it to your menu. Tweak tradition, as Food Network puts it. Summon the troops! Whether you throw a BYOB dinner, ask guests to bring appetizers, or put them in charge of reheating the sides, lean on them to make your job easier. If you're a guest, ask what you can bring or if you're needed in the kitchen during crunch time. Focus on the fun. If you're hosting Thanksgiving, there's probably one or two things about it that you especially like — maybe that's roasting the juiciest turkey, making a favorite family dish or decorating the table. Put extra care into the parts of Thanksgiving that make you happy, and use tips and tricks to get through the rest. ? We want to hear from you! What are your Thanksgiving hacks? Your easiest, quickest recipe that's always a hit? Your go-to trick for stress relief? Send us a couple sentences, along with your name and hometown, to finishline@axios.com to share your tips with other readers.

[phkrause]

Holiday travel

This Thanksgiving travel period is expected to be the busiest on record with more than 31 million passengers in the skies, AAA estimates. The busiest days to fly will be Wednesday, November 27, and Sunday, December 1 — with more than 3 million passengers expected on each day. The FAA said it might need to slow down air traffic due to air traffic controller staffing shortages, particularly in the Northeast. The weather may also cause more delays as the FAA monitors two storms in the US this week. The first is located across the greater Upper Midwest area and could bring showers across parts of Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. A second storm in the central US is expected to move into the Eastern region by Thanksgiving Day and may even put a damper on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

[phkrause]

Do not wash your turkey and other Thanksgiving tips to keep your food safe

Ready or not, the holidays are here. It’s a time when many Americans accustomed to preparing simple meals find themselves responsible for safely serving multi-dish feasts.

https://apnews.com/article/food-safety-holidays-3584c4cf4d6a7c8bf9d5d6b55e3af66b?

[phkrause]

Here's some interesting advice for after your meal!! ? ? Thanksgiving reminder: Take a walk!

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Going on a "fart walk" after eating can be good for your health — something you may want to keep in mind after your Thanksgiving feast tonight, Axios Seattle's Melissa Santos writes. Why it matters: They have real benefits! Walking after a meal can reduce bloating and acid reflux — just mind who may be walking behind you. Cookbook author Mairlyn Smith has promoted "fart walks" on social media as a way to boost health and help pass gas after eating fiber-rich meals — and the hashtag has been catching on.

[phkrause]

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and/or friends!!

[phkrause]

? What you're thankful for

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios

Thanksgiving is a week away! Each year, we feature notes from Finish Line readers telling us who or what they're feeling grateful for this season. Why it matters: Reflecting on gratitude — our own and others' — is a simple way to bring some peace and joy into the holidays. ? Let's keep the chain going! Check out these wonderful notes from years past, and send your '25 version — along with your name and hometown — to finishline@axios.com. We'll print some of your submissions in a special edition of Finish Line on Wednesday!

[phkrause]

Thanksgiving chill ahead

Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios November weather could mess with some Thanksgiving travelers' plans next week — and you'll probably want to pack your winter coat. ☔️ The latest model runs call for periods of rain for much of the Eastern and Central U.S. over the course of the week, and in parts of the Northwest. Thunderstorms are also on the map in some areas. ?️ Some snow is possible on or just after Thanksgiving in Wisconsin, Michigan and parts of New York and New England. ? Temperatures may be below average on Thanksgiving itself from the Dakotas down toward the Gulf, with a blast of frigid Arctic air moving eastward by late next week into the weekend. Graphic courtesy NOAA ✈️ Some of the potential storms could be problems for key airports, including those in Chicago and the New York metro. Any delays at major hubs there could reverberate through the system as the travel day goes on. With AAA predicting a record 81.8 million travelers this Thanksgiving holiday, any foul weather could be especially disruptive — whether you're driving or flying. ⌚️ The bottom line: Now's the time to check your local forecast and see if it's worth adjusting your plans.

[phkrause]

? 1 fun thing: Popular pies

Data: Instacart (Calculated by comparing the order share from Nov. 22-28, 2024, of the most popular pies within each state, then selecting pies with shares that deviate most from the average.) Map: Sara Wise/Axios New Instacart data shows the most uniquely popular Thanksgiving pies by state, based on last year's orders. ? Pumpkin pie is big out West, strawberry rhubarb and French silk are favorites in the Midwest, and cream pies are a hit in New England. The map doesn't show the most popular pies overall in each state. ? Instead, it shows the pies that are most popular in each state compared to the national average — uniquely popular, in other words. Have a slice.

[phkrause]

? Thanksgiving travel set to crush records

Data: AAA. Chart: Axios Visuals Thanksgiving travel is expected to shatter multiple records this year, just weeks after a prolonged government shutdown significantly strained air travel, Axios' Josephine Walker and April Rubin write. AAA projects that 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home from Nov. 25 to Dec. 1 — up from just over 80 million last year. 73 million people, or 90% of Thanksgiving travelers, are expected to travel by car. ⏰ Go deeper: Best and worst times of day to hit road.

[phkrause]

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you here at ClubAdventist!!!!!

[phkrause]

Thanksgiving by the Numbers

Nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel 50 miles or more over Thanksgiving weekend this year. About 73 million plan to hit the road by car, while close to 6 million will fly. Thanksgiving became a regularly observed national holiday after President Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 proclamation establishing a day of thanks. Today, about 94% of Americans say they plan to celebrate, with around 87% serving turkey alongside classic sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and rolls (check out regional favorites here). The average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 10 is $55.18, or roughly $5.50 per person, marking the third consecutive year of price declines. Meat thermometers, cake pans, and measuring cups topped the list of last-minute buys in 2024. For dessert, pumpkin pie reigns as the nation’s top pick. Millions are expected to tune in to the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (8:30 am ET, NBC). See this year’s floats here.

[phkrause]

⏲️ Thanksgiving 911

Data: Instacart. (Includes items that peaked on or around Thanksgiving.) Chart: Erin Davis/Axios. Illustrations: Aïda Amer/Axios Pies and cooking ingredients are some of the most popular last-minute orders on the day before Thanksgiving, while cookware is hot on Thanksgiving itself, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick writes from Instacart data. ? Pumpkin pie, pecan pie and dried sage are the top last-minute orders just before Thanksgiving. ?️ Food thermometers and mixers are the top needs on Thanksgiving itself. Keep reading.

[phkrause]

Thanksgiving forecast

A potent winter storm could impact travel across much of the northern US just as millions hit the roads and skies for Thanksgiving. A cold plunge is already gripping the Upper Midwest and northern Great Lakes, accompanied by strong winds. Winter storm and blizzard warnings are in effect for more than 5 million people in the region, including Minneapolis-St. Paul. While this cold blast isn't the season's most extreme, it marks a sharp change from the sweater weather much of the country has enjoyed heading into the holiday week. Temperatures are also expected to run as much as 20 degrees below average for much of the central and eastern US by Thanksgiving.

[phkrause]

Imagine being thankful for alligators! ?

Well here's an interesting commentary on just that!!

This Thanksgiving, everyone in Florida should be thankful for alligators

Federal laws saved the gators from extinction, but now the laws have become what’s endangered.

https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/27/this-thanksgiving-everyone-in-florida-should-be-thankful-for-alligators/?