BubbleChog

Why are Americans so weird?

If I've invited you to come to my house to eat I'm going to feed you. It's implied in the invitation. So whats the deal with bringing random side dishes?

It means that the meal ends up really skewed and confusing. I just don't get it

Lx

GeoffM

Pot luck? In my experience that involves three people bringing exactly the same dish. If it's a party then fine, whatever, it'll get eaten anyway. If it's a sit down meal like tomorrow then please don't bring food: as you say, it messes things up.

At this stage I don't even know how many people are coming tomorrow. A real PITA to prepare accordingly.

BubbleChog

I'm cooking for 12. If more people come they can have Cheerios with stuffing or something.

Hotscot

I tell them to bring good alcohol. They tend to err on the more expensive side.

joto

Maybe the people you know do that. We must know the wrong people. Usually if invited to a meal that's not pot luck, you can ask the host/hostess "what can you bring", if they say "nothing at all", then bring the decent wine, decent chocolates, bunch of flowers in a vase.

GeoffM

Trouble is, if I did that, they'd bring Californian Chardonnay* or Bud Silver or something. Beggars can't be choosers of course, and it would be rude to do so, so it goes in the re-gift pile!

* - I do like some Californian wines. Just not Chardonnay, and especially not Californian Chardonnay.

Hotscot

I'm usually very specific and suggest a certain brand of vodka for example..never goes wrong...

AmerLisa

Usually we ask if something is needed, most of us don't just show up with random side dishes. Well unless that's what they are used to doing wherever you live.

Mrs Danvers

Yeah I would say nothing but bring a bottle if they must. And they will.

Beaverstate

This is what my dog will be having.
Thanksgiving Day Dinner Canned Dog Food for Adult Dogs & Puppies | Classic Grain Free Recipes from Merrick

Redwing

Same here. Everyone we know does that.

Philgr

Thanksgiving seems to be the most tradition laced food of the year and everyone has their family recipe that they think is the best. I think people bring side dishes because their hosts wouldn't mix sweet potato, marshmallows and sugar quite the way their grandma did it (that would be the grandma whose immediate family all died of diabetes of course).

tonrob

If you have people coming to yours', tell them to bring sprouts.

If you're going to someone else's, take sprouts.



Sprouts - a real crowd-pleaser.

Nutek

scrubbedexpat097

Thanksgiving in our house this year is just for two of us. Dinner of choice is homemade Cornish Pasties.Well I did decide it would be stress free

Happy Thanksgiving to you all