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It’s the time of year… Families gather, birds are stuffed, wine is opened (note: 19% pour it before noon).

What category do you fall into? While many cannot wait to start prepping for the holidays, some feel a bit overwhelmed. The history of Thanksgiving, In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

Seventy-Five Percent of Americans choose to cook Thanksgiving to avoid family, and more than half start sipping wine while the turkey cooks – some before noon! Which category do you fall under, before noon or at the start of the meal?

Recipes for Thanksgiving Success

In addition to a few rewards for the cook, there are some serious trends among Shopkickers:

  • Thrifty Turkey: Thanksgiving doesn’t need to break the bank; half of those surveyed plan to spend less than $100 on the meal, even with 68 percent taking two to four trips to the grocery store!
  • Only a Few Fryers: Traditional turkey reigns supreme; four in five will roast their bird, and only 10 percent will deep fry this year.
  • Why Whip? More than half make pies from scratch (53 percent), but take a shortcut on the whipped cream. Four out of five people will use store-bought, with Cool Whip taking more of the pie than Reddi Whip.
  • The Right Stuff: Every state’s favorite side is stuffing – except in Arizona, where they prefer mashed potatoes.

In the days after Thanksgiving, people start to emerge from the safety of their kitchen, with a full 86 percent planning on holiday shopping that weekend. Despite the growth in ecommerce, if forced to choose, more consumers like to shop in-person on Black Friday (29 percent) versus online on Cyber Monday (20 percent). The most popular plan is to shop on both days (37 percent).

Which category do you fall into? Do you dine in, order in or cook?

Downtown Magazine