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The end of November is the time of year when everyone, no matter how far flung, returns home for a few days. It doesn’t matter if you live in Southern California and your family lives in Miami, you’re going to make your way home for Thanksgiving.
The whole plot of the 1987 movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles surrounded two people trying to make it home for Thanksgiving at all costs. Neal Page (played by Steve Martin) just wants to be home in Chicago in time for Thanksgiving while he is cosntantly sidetracked by a number of mishaps and the jolly, bumbling exploits of Del Griffith (played by John Candy). This movie pretty much sums up the way most people feel about Thanksgiving. You’ll find a way to make it home, even if you have to take a plane, a train or even an automobile to do so.
The fact is, you’re going to get home for Thanksgiving no matter what. Once you’re there, you have to make it count. If you’re having a Thanksgiving dinner with the family or a “friendsgiving” before the big day, you’ll be expected to bring something to the table (literally). The usual store bought cookies or crock pot of barbequed cocktail wieners won’t do. Your job will be to guarantee that the party is a booze-filled celebration worthy of the pilgrims (at least the ones who liked to drink).
Safety First
Let’s get this part out of the way first, shall we? We all want to enjoy a booze-filled Thanksgiving; maybe you need to take the edge off of the awkward small-talk with aunt Mildred or maybe you just want to enjoy a few drinks with the festivities. Whatever the reason, be sure to drink responsibly. Pace yourself, drink water and other non-alcoholic drinks and don’t drink and drive if you have had a few too many. I’m sure your friend or family member would rather have you spend a night on their couch than a night in jail or worse. All that being said, let’s get started:
Drink Station
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The usual party drink station consists of a card table with soda and ice with a cooler for beer, wine coolers and potentially malt beverages beneath. To kick it up a few notches, you should prepare some mulled hot cider and leave it on low in a crock pot with a ladle and a few cups beside it. You can make this fairly easily by simply adding a few cinnamon sticks or mulled cider spices to the regular cider before heating. A bottle of bourbon, rum or whatever spirit suits you should be placed beside it so adults can spike their cider to their liking. The cooler should contain an assortment of beer. Not just one or two brands of domestic beer. Grab a variety of craft beers as well as the usual domestic offerings. Maybe even throw some hard root beer in there as well.
Spirits
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Besides the usual sodas and ice, the drink station should also contain an assortment of spirits that can be mixed with other ingredients to create crowd-pleasing mixed drinks. The staples include whiskey (bourbon, rye, scotch, Tennessee, Irish), tequila (if you want it to be “that” kind of party), gin, vodka and rum. You can add or remove spirits based on yours and your guests preferences. You don’t need to go overboard, but you should definitely have at least one clear (vodka or gin) and one brown (whiskey, rum or tequila) spirit for your guests to mix with or drink on the rocks.
Mixers
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Not everyone is a gentleman of leisure like you. Some people need to mix their spirits with other ingredients as opposed to throwing a few ice cubes in a glass. To go along with your spirits, you should have a few important mixers on the table as well. Tonic water, seltzer water, lime juice, orange juice (if you are making mimosas or screwdrivers) and bitters are a must. If you are getting together early, you might want to put out some tomato juice or a bloody Mary mix to pair with vodka. Also, when choosing soda for those underage, be aware that your guests might want to use them as mixers. Ginger ale, cola, root beer, lemon/lime and ginger beer are all great when mixed with the proper spirit. You may also want to add pineapple juice and cranberry juice to the table. Both are great when mixed with spirits and certain sodas. If you are unsure of your guest’s abilities, you can print out cocktail recipes and place them on the table or make up your own special Thanksgiving-themed cocktails.
Wines
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If you gather a large group of people together, the odds are they will have different tastes. Make sure you buy a few bottles of red and a few bottles of white wine as well as some bottles that are sweeter and some that are drier to guarantee that all of your guests will be content. If you are feeling extra festive, buy a bottle or two of champagne or some other type of sparkling wine.For best results: consult an employee at your local wine store. They would love to help you find the best wines for your party. Never be afraid to ask questions, that’s what they are there for. They might even point you in a direction you weren’t even anticipating.
After Dinner Drinks
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After your guests have finished their uncomfortably large plate of turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and mystery Jell-O, and you have given them ample time to relax and digest, they will probably want an after dinner drink. In the time before dessert, there should be time for your guests to enjoy a dram of whisky or another mixed drink or an after dinner digestif like cognac, an herbal liqueur or a fortified wine like sherry, port or Madeira.
When dessert finally arrives, your guests might need a little perking up. A make your own Irish coffee station is the perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving dessert. Set up your coffee maker, mugs, Irish cream and a bottle of Irish whiskey like Tullamore D.E.W. or Jameson so your guests can add as much or as little booze as they like.
