Thanksgiving with those who don't celebrate

JKeyes2011

So this Thanksgiving will be my first outside of the US and I decided to invite my judgmental in-laws over for dinner. I am trying to bridge the gap and really be a family with them since my only family here is my DH. My in-laws have never celebrated Thanksgiving ever and my DH got to celebrate with my family last year. My DH's family is very formal with everything they do and so my DH addressed the issues with the way my family had dinner and how we should present it to his parents. For the first time ever my Thanksgiving will be a four course dinner. I am scared out of my mind. I know the food will be good, I am just wondering how they will react in the end.

Has anyone else ever done Thanksgiving dinner for those who have never celebrated it before? 

ukyankee

Yup, every single year we've had Brits over for T-day dinner and they love it.  But that's because they are non-judgemental people.  And they know it's a day for saying thanks for all the good in their lives, and a holiday that isn't focused on presents, which is a really nice thing.

PittPurple

Besides the first year we lived here, when we went home, we have had a big Thanksgiving meal at our place every year with 10-12 people. We just invite whoever of our friends are around so it's usually a mix of North Americans and whoever else. This year, we have 3 Australians, 3 British people, a Canadian and an Italian friend and it's the first year it will be that homogenised!

I think Thanksgiving is an easy holiday to translate to any culture. Everyone loves yummy food right? 

bugabean

I do T-day for my ILs every year. They had never celebrated before I did it the first time. I won't say they are judgmental, but they had this idea that I couldn't cook. DH and I did the long-distance thing for a long time, and DH was living with his parents, so when I came to visit him, I was staying in their house. I didn't cook because a) I was on vacation, b) I was in someone else's house, c) I couldn't read any of the food packaging, d) I wanted to go out and DO stuff, and experience this new country, so we were often OUT and we ate out due to that. So since they never saw me cook, they jumped to the conclusion that I COULDN'T cook, and they started making little jokes about it. I didn't understand what was happening at first, because their English wasn't very good and I kept assuming we just weren't communicating properly, so by the time I realized what they thought, it seemed awkward to confront them about it. So I decided to do it by making T-day dinner. They don't tell jokes about my cooking anymore.

kelly321

Almost every year I've been here I've celebrated with friends, and since ones I had invited in previous years would drop hints the next years that they wanted to come, the number of guests kept growing and growing. Last year there were 10 guests, and that was so stressful I told DH we were just going to celebrate with the 3 of us this year.

I would usually take a minute or two before the meal started to explain the American Thanksgiving myth (Mayflower, Pilgrims and Indians, happy harvest festival, here's the pumpkin pie). It's way different than the Thanksgiving celebrated in many other countries, which is just a church festival thanking for the good harvest (at least in Germany the churches usually collect for the local food pantry on that Sunday).

myblueangel19

I make Thanksgiving dinner for my inlaws. I just explained before hand that it is a family style dinner where we (in my family tradition) put everything on the table and just pass the serving dishes around so that everyone serves themselves. I also refused to serve a cheese plate after the meal because we were celebrating Thanksgiving the way I do it and not doing it the way French people would. They were excited to see how the Americans do their Thanksgiving and they really enjoyed trying foods they have never tried before

titicole

I am hosting Thanksgiving to a few of my British friends this year.  It will be quite small, as I just don't have the energy.  These friends have come before and really enjoy it.  I have heard a comment before not from thses friends, but others about the gluttonous culture of America to have two huge meals back to back, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Which if I knew better then, I would have retorted at least we don't have three huge meals in three days for Christmas Eve, Christmas and Boxing Day.

TamponMary

Tell them to suck it and don't worry about their reaction. Get some thicker skin.

NCV2

JKeyes2011:

For the first time ever my Thanksgiving will be a four course dinner. 

 Why it's YOUR holiday do it the way YOU want. 

I know you are young and you are living in their house, but I think you should cook for them and show them how YOU do an American holiday.   

MintChocoChip

NCV2:

JKeyes2011:

For the first time ever my Thanksgiving will be a four course dinner. 

 Why it's YOUR holiday do it the way YOU want. 

I know you are young and you are living in their house, but I think you should cook for them and show them how YOU do an American holiday.   

I was going to say this but didn't have the energy to type words that would fall upon blind eyes...

MouseInLux

NCV2:

JKeyes2011:

For the first time ever my Thanksgiving will be a four course dinner. 

 Why it's YOUR holiday do it the way YOU want. 

I know you are young and you are living in their house, but I think you should cook for them and show them how YOU do an American holiday.   

Couldn't of said it better! 

elenetxu

I'm in the same boat!
MIL and SIL don't eat any veggies so I'm not sure WTF they're going to eat, apart from turkey tomorrow. I did get some Spanish ham, chorizo, and other typical Spanish cured pig products so they don't get bored of turkey.

For those with more open minds, I have a traditional dinner. I'm quite nervous! Family dinners here in Spain are big affairs with lots of food and I really don't have the most open minded ILs.