Thanksgiving Prep or Cleanup…

The holiday season has arrived, and with it, we bring your November Icebreaker!

We’d like to know— Who has the worst job: Those cooking the Thanksgiving meal or those cleaning up after it? Which would you prefer?

Personally, I think the cleanup is worse than the cooking. Mostly because I enjoy cooking. Plus, the cleanup is a larger mess than the cooking itself created. And while my family always tries to get everyone to pitch in, and at minimum cleanup after themselves, there’s always at least one that suddenly has to “use the bathroom”.

How about yourself? Please share!

-Quicken Anja
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Comments

  • NotACPA
    NotACPA Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    My wife is an excellent cook, she handles that.

    Her son, who's now an auto mechanic, used to be a dishwasher in a restaurant … so I'll let him handle that with my assist.

    I CAN cook, did so when I was single … but nothing as elaborate as Thanksgiving. So I suppose I'd rather clean for that meal.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    Neither the cooking nor the cleanup after is particularly bad. That said, I notice that most people don't seem to like my cooking, so I stick with the cleanup.

    Quicken Kristina

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  • jacobs
    jacobs Quicken Mac Subscription SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta

    I much prefer to cook than do cleanup.

    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • BK
    BK Quicken Windows Subscription Member ✭✭✭✭

    Cooking relaxes me and I took a 3-month intensive course years ago. I've learned to cook better than most hi-end restaurants. In Thanksgiving I do both with help of others to ensure my wine glass is not empty.

    - QWin Deluxe user since 2010, US subscription on Win11
    - I don't use Cloud Sync, Mobile & Web, Bill Pay/Mgr

  • Quicken Jasmine
    Quicken Jasmine Quicken Mac Subscription Moderator mod

    Hello Everyone,

    I loooooooove to cook so I would much rather do that. You will catch me asleep on the couch after dinner, there is no way I am cleaning LOL.

    -Quicken Jasmine

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  • Rocket J Squirrel
    Rocket J Squirrel Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 12

    Neither. Football is on.

    I do carve the turkey, but mostly Mrs.Squirrel wants me out of the kitchen.

    Quicken user since version 2 for DOS, now using QWin Premier (US) on Win10 Pro.

  • Jim_Harman
    Jim_Harman Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    My Thanksgiving specialties are monitoring the turkey temperature to predict when it will be done and making the gravy.

    QWin Premier subscription
  • jacobs
    jacobs Quicken Mac Subscription SuperUser, Mac Beta Beta

    monitoring the turkey temperature to predict when it will be done

    There's an app for that. 🤣

    Quicken Mac Subscription • Quicken user since 1993
  • Casablanca
    Casablanca Quicken Mac Subscription Member ✭✭✭

    @Quicken Anja We don't do either anymore. The cooks are always frazzled and stuck in the kitchen while the rest of the family enjoys time together. I never minded the cleanup, because I was always cleaning as the cooking was underway. However, we started ordering our Thanksgiving meal a couple of years ago. We survey the family for what everyone wants. Last year we bought a huge BBQ meal! It was the same cost if we had cooked a Thanksgiving meal with all of the trimmings.

  • Frankx
    Frankx Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    I think the toughest job of the Thanksgiving meal is the preparation / cooking job because you need to have some talent for that job as well as a good sense of timing so that all the components get done at the same time. But these days our Thanksgiving meals are kind of small in number of people, including only our immediate family members, and also limited to the basics. So I leave the preparation to the younger folks and I do the cleanup, which doesn't require any special talent…

    Frankx

                            Quicken Home, Business & Rental Property - Windows 10-Home Version

                                             - - - - Quicken User since 1984 - - - 
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  • NotACPA
    NotACPA Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well, there's been a change of plans.

    My Mother, age 92, died yesterday 11/17/24. So, we're going up to the DC area, where she lived and I used to live, for the funeral next Tuesday 11/26. The funeral is 11/27.

    We're staying over for TBird with my siblings and coming back on 12/1. So, I might be out of action for a few days.

    TBird redux, with her son and his girlfriend (new, we just met her on 11/16) is being postponed to a later date.

    My wife, brother and B-I-L will do the TBird cooking. I'm still on cleaning duty, unless I can con/bribe the nieces & nephews into it.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • Palace
    Palace Member ✭✭✭

    @NotACPA So sad to learn of your Mom's passing. Lord Bless you & family.

    ⚓️

  • Quicken Anja
    Quicken Anja Moderator mod

    @NotACPA I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I extend my sincerest condolences to you and your family!

    May she rest in peace.

    -Quicken Anja
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  • Quicken Jasmine
    Quicken Jasmine Quicken Mac Subscription Moderator mod

    @NotACPA,

    I am truly sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and your family during this time.

    -Quicken Jasmine

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  • Quicken Kristina
    Quicken Kristina Quicken Windows Subscription Moderator mod

    @NotACPA,

    Words can't express my sorrow for you and your family. Please accept my condolences.

    Quicken Kristina

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  • NotACPA
    NotACPA Quicken Windows Subscription SuperUser ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thank you to all who expressed their condolences. The Wednesday funeral service was quite touching and her ashes were placed in the columbarium at the church in a niche she now shares with my Father who died in 2017.

    My ex-wife, who now lives in Italy, even viewed the service as my sister arranged for it to be live-streamed for the many out-of-town relatives.

    On Thanksgiving, NO ONE did the cooking. My sister had it catered … but I provided all of the wines (I don't trust her taste in wine) and the nieces/nephews (6 of them) did all of the clean-up. PERFECT!

    Friday and Saturday were spent in the start of the process to empty out the house of memorabilia. My sister will be arranging for it to be sold early next year. I brought home a suitcase full of photos of me, late wife and other family, various "art pieces" and 10 "Piatti dei Buon Ricordi" or "Plates of Good Memories" a commemorative series of ceramics from special dishes at Italian restaurants that care to participate. My mother had about 40 of them and they got split 4 ways.

    Q user since February, 1990. DOS Version 4
    Now running Quicken Windows Subscription, Business & Personal
    Retired "Certified Information Systems Auditor" & Bank Audit VP

  • Quicken Anja
    Quicken Anja Moderator mod

    @NotACPA Thank you for sharing that here with us. Despite the circumstances, I'm glad to hear you and your family were still able to have some time together on Thanksgiving. Especially after a loss, having that family support from each other is so important. I hope the memories of your mom continue to bring you and your family comfort while you mourn.

    -Quicken Anja
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  • nomadintrovert
    nomadintrovert Quicken Mac Subscription Member, Mac Beta Beta

    My perfectionism and anxiety would likely get the better of me if I had to cook, so cleaning seems more up my alley.