In fact, the bird alone costs more than $42.37. That's because on Thanksgiving and Christmas, I'm just not going to settle for a $.39 cent a pound frozen Butterball that you have to put in the refrigerator a week just to thaw out. Now the frozen Butterball's are adequate during the rest of the year to provide 4-5 days of family meals, but for the holidays, we endeavor to do something a little more special. So on Thanksgiving we order a fresh turkey from the butcher shop and pick it up the day before for about $60 (for a 26-28 pounder). And on Christmas, we go for the fresh goose, which will run us close to $90.
But it's definitely worth it. Nothing better than a freshly butchered bird for the holidays. In fact, the Thanksgiving turkey we are going to be dining on Thursday is still running around in pen someplace at a farm in Dracut, MA, still oblivious to its impending fate. Either tomorrow or Tuesday, it will get "processed" (to use butcher speak) and be delivered to my local butcher around noon on Wednesday.
As for the other food items we will be serving up on Thursday, well my wife spent $150 yesterday on various items such as nuts, sweet potato, candies, pies, stuffing, olive oil, truffles, peas, corn, cranberry sauce (made with whole cranberries) and various other items. I spent over $200 at the liquor store last night getting the "adult" beverages for the meal (four bottles of good wine, two bottles of after dinner wine, a case of Sam Adams Winter Lager, a bottle of cognac and a bottle of single-malt whiskey and four cigars to have with it). With respect to the liquor purchases, I'm expecting leftovers for the rest of the weekend!
But the spending doesn't end there. When I am picking up the turkey on Wednesday, I will also be getting three pounds of scallops which I will be wrapping in bacon to serve up as appetizers before the main meal. Also fresh bread and other pastries at the bakery.
All told, I am probably going to lay out well over $500 on food and drink for six people (and a dog) when all is said and done. But it will be well worth it. We'll have good company, a roaring fire in the fireplace and some Monteverdi music on the stereo (Vespers of 1610 always sets the proper mood). Life is short and holidays are for splurging and spending with family. We can spend the rest of the year eating frozen turkeys and dumping corn and cranberry sauce out of cans. (And considering how much we are going to be spending this holiday season, we might be forced to do just that!)
This is my favorite holiday of the year because you get past the stress of preparing the meal, I have the rest of the four-day weekend to completely de-stress. on Friday, while my wife is braving the crowds at the malls, I'll be doing the traditional Chevy Chase (Christmas Vacation) routine of hanging the Christmas lights outside and putting the lighted reindeer out on the lawn. Saturday is our traditional movie day (we sit inside watching movies on DVD). Then Sunday is a nice quiet day, probably take the dog hiking in the woods for a few hour and catch up on some reading. By then, I reckon my liquor cabinet will be pretty much empty. Then we start all over again (only with more intensity) for the Christmas holiday.
You have a very nice life. :)
We’re having the least expensive Thanksgiving Dinner in many years....... we’re going to our Son’s house for the first time.