You Are Eating Thanksgiving Dinner Way Too Early
Thanksgiving is as divisive as a holiday can get. First you argue over who’s hosting this year, then you argue over which dishes should be on the table, then you’ll inevitably argue over uncomfortable topics of conversation with *that* relative. For a holiday meant to bring loved ones together, we spend a lot of the time at odds with each other.
Apparently, we can’t even agree on when the meal should start.
Martha Stewart posted a poll on her magazine's Instagram account, asking followers to vote for their ideal Thanksgiving dinner time. The verdict? A start time between 2 and 3 p.m won with 39% of the vote, while 37.4% of voters preferred dining between 4 and 6 p.m. Only 9% said Thanksgiving dinner should be after 6 p.m. An afternoon meal just barely edged out the rest; but more than anything, the poll indicates that the jury is deeply divided.
There’s no such thing as a neutral stance in this debate, so I’ll go out on a limb with my hot take: We are eating Thanksgiving dinner far too early. In fact, any start time before 5 shouldn't even be considered dinner in the first place.
Before I present my case, it’s worth making some disclaimers. Most notably, I’m in my 20s and primarily celebrate Thanksgiving with people my own age. You’ll also rarely see me eating dinner before 7 p.m. on any other day of the year. I acknowledge that these factors make a huge impact on my opinion, and that ignoring them would be woefully naïve.
I’m not saying you necessarily need to wait until 8 to sit down for dinner, especially if you have much younger guests. Loading kids up with pumpkin pie late in the evening spells out a sugar-induced nightmare for parents. But hear me out: You can still accommodate early bedtimes without eating dinner in the daylight.
Thanksgiving is a busy day, and the chaos is heightened when you’re the one hosting. Beyond getting your house guest-ready, you’ll need to carve out several hours to roast the turkey alone (and that’s not even including the resting, carving, and gravy-making). Add in the extra effort of making sure your sides are perfect and you’re spending a large portion of the day in the kitchen. And if you’re eating in the early afternoon? You’ll have to set an absurdly early alarm.
I, for one, like to find moments of calm amidst the holiday chaos. That means a (somewhat) leisurely morning where I can sip my coffee and mentally prepare myself for the cooking marathon ahead.
Also, the earlier you set your start time, the higher likelihood that people will roll up late. Sitting down for the main event in the evening allows for the early birds to keep you company during the day while the chronically late crew comes just in time for dinner.
By contrast, some people on our team, like Director of Post Production Philip Swift and Features Director Ryan Grim, prefer an earlier Thanksgiving meal so they can pick at leftovers later in the day. I can't think of a faster way to feel Thanksgiving fatigue. In the words of Assistant Editor of Community and Audience Development Izabela Campos: "leftovers are a tomorrow thing."
That doesn't mean abstaining from early eating entirely. Appetizers exist for a reason! Make a batch of cranberry brie bites or a big, festive dip to tide people over before the turkey. This progression makes Thanksgiving day feel celebratory without feeling like a fever dream.
If that's how you prefer to be festive, all the power to you. But I'm eating Thanksgiving dinner at dinnertime—for me, that's 7 p.m.
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