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35 Thanksgiving Dinners Where The Main Course Was Turkey And The Side Dish Was Pure Drama
Thanksgiving is one of the most beloved American traditions, as predictable as the turkey on the table. It has three essential ingredients: a mountain of food, a simmering pot of old family grudges, and that one, spectacularly petty argument that brings it all to a boil.
An online community asked people to share this year's main event, and the responses are a glorious feast of holiday drama. From scorched pies to political hot takes, the arguments were as varied as the side dishes. Prepare to feel much better about your own insane family after reading these outbursts!
More info: Reddit
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#1
My cat yelled at me for more food, like normal. He's the only family I have, and I love him very much.
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#2
I'm 75M
Actually it was a pretty peaceful Thanksgiving.
The only troubles occurred early today. I am partially disabled and a widower and live with a 44 year old daughter and her family. This morning her husband was sleeping in late as something went on at his job where he ended up working an extra shift, and worked until 5am this morning.
Daughter was busy as heck getting things ready for the big meal and her 2 kids, teens, still remaining at home were being uncooperative about helping by doing some light house cleaning. And it was light house cleaning. So grandpa decided he'd had enough of lazy teens. And put in his two cents worth. I will admit I was not real pleasant about it.
But the chores got done promptly and nobody died. So, no harm, no fowl. Which was good because shortly after their older sister arrived to check to see if her mom needed help. And if she'd seen her younger sibs sitting on their asses ... she can be much worse than I am.
Otherwise just a little drama over the fact than one of our guests today was a teen boy that my 17 year old granddaughter does not like. One of those silly teen things. In the past she tried to interest him, and instead he ended up dating her best friend. She's been pissy about that since. So she made a big thing of how she'd not talk to him or be civil while he was in our home. And went into a rant about how she could not even stand seeing his face. How DARE her mother invite him!
Well, he is one of the 2 sons of a family friend. A guy whose wife ran off with another man and left the boys with him. He's been doing his best the past year, trying to be a good parent while also needing to work. Can cook, if it's simple. Daughter and SIL invited him and the boys to our home for Thanksgiving. He's a good guy. His sons are decent boys. I've seen them at their worst and at their best. Their good far outweighs the other.
So, shortly before they arrived my daughter, having had enough of her daughter bad mouthing the one, took her off to a private room. Now, I don't know what was said in there, but it was obviously a one way conversation, and a loud one.
Knowing daughter, granddaughter got reminded that it was not her house, that she wa acting like a child, and the big hammer ... granddaughter was probably reminded that civil behavior was a requirement and that her having a car and driving was a privilege ... not a right. LOL ... that reminder works on her every time. That gal loves her car and being able to drive places and see friends. We live rural. So walking to see her friends would take a while.
Anyway, she did get her mess together by the time everyone arrived. And actually was quite pleasant during the event.
So, it was a good Thanksgiving. 15 people all together. And after there was a group playing Monopoly, another group on the X-Box. And us adults chatting for a couple hours and playing with my 2 year old great grandson.
Our 4 German shepherds did get a very special Thanksgiving meal themselves. I even remember to give my pet turtle, Freddie, a nice crisp piece of apple and part of a banana. The SOB is up to the size of a small dinner plate these days. Maybe 7 - 7 1/2 inches at the shell. A red eared slider.
#3
It wasn’t really an argument but one of my aunts got drunk and started loudly telling me how she wants to feed my pet rats poison to try to teach me that they’re disgusting animals. Needless to say, I locked the rat room up.
Many of the most memorable Thanksgiving arguments seem to be about trivial things like dryness of the turkey, the proper way to make mashed potatoes, and who gets the last dinner roll. But the data suggests there's often a much bigger issue lurking just beneath the surface.
According to a Axios poll, politics remains the number one cause of holiday tension. They found that a large number of people actively dread the political conversations that are bound to come up, with many families instituting a "no politics at the table" rule that has about a 50/50 chance of actually working. So, while the fight might have started over the gravy, it was probably never really about the gravy.
#4
Guys my aunt decided to put raisins in the potato salad... The silence at the table was louder than any screaming match we’ve ever had. It was a hate crime against potatoes.
#5
My FIL was upset because my wife and I bought the $90 Honey Baked ham and we make so much $, we should have got the $130! He ate turkey and not a slice of our ham. Just more for me!
#6
An entire pie went missing. FIL searched around town for a bakery to make a mince pie. The box was on the table with other pie wrappings but the pie was gone.
Nobody saw it.
Nobody ate any.
The dog denied any knowledge.
Accusations of thievery, incompetence, senility, treachery, gluttony and perfidy were flung.
A thorough search was conducted, every warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area.
Emotions are raw.
Glances are suspicious.
Accusations are cast broadly .
The pie remains missing. No clear suspects.
For those who don't just endure the Thanksgiving argument but actively relish it, the satirical minds at Slate created the ultimate guide on how to not only start a fight but to walk away feeling smug and superior. Their tongue-in-cheek advice is a masterclass in holiday chaos.
Step one: choose your target wisely, preferably a relative who is easily provoked. Step two: come prepared with a few well-rehearsed, condescending phrases. The final, crucial step is to know your exit strategy. Deliver your devastating final point and then immediately announce you have to leave, giving them no chance to respond. It's a deeply unserious guide for a very serious family tradition.
#7
Little brother tried to steal older sisters toys and they scuffled about it.
Little brother also tried to get in the middle of putting on holiday sweaters, and tried to pull it off of older sister while it was being put on. Which was another scuffle.
Also, these are both dogs. Bonus of having Thanksgiving alone, the only drama is dog drama.
#8
Someone said ‘I’m not trying to start anything’ and immediately started something.
Michael Largey 1 week ago
‘I’m not trying to start anything’ is the long version of "No offense, but ..."
#9
One person brought up the COVID hoax, vehemently the n favor of RRFK.
Her sister-in-law mentioned that her mom was hospitalized (in 2023) for COVID. Went on to say how her mom's been on oxygen and fatigued since then.
Quieted things right down.
For the generations who would rather avoid the fight altogether, a new and cherished tradition has emerged: the "cousin walk." This is the thinly veiled excuse for the younger members of the family to get out of the house, decompress, and, in many cases, partake in a little recreational “gardening” to make the impending dinner table arguments a bit more bearable.
It’s the modern evolution of "going outside for some fresh air," a sacred ritual that allows for a moment of solidarity and sanity before heading back into the fray. This trend has become so popular, it's now a recognized part of the Thanksgiving cultural landscape, and the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the dispensary’s version of Black Friday.
#10
Alcoholic aunt was sneaking fireball shooters, her husband ratted her out. you can guess how that went.
Michael Largey 1 week ago
At gatherings of some families, alcohol deserves to be the default side dish.
#11
My nephew told me the moon landing wasn't real and there are no satellites in space. When I requested source material, he cited YouTube.
Michael Largey 1 week ago
YouTube. Which he gets from the internet - probably on a satellite dish.
#12
Someone turned off the oven when the turkey was cooking. We ended up eating 2 hours later than planned. The culprit has yet to come forward.
The family fight is just one part of a much larger, weirder Thanksgiving tapestry. A survey by Innerbody Research on holiday traditions dug up some hilarious statistics that prove every family is a little bit strange. One similarity they found is that a surprising number of people have had an uninvited guest show up for dinner.
Another laughable one is that the most common "secret ingredient" in a family recipe is, somewhat anticlimactically, just a whole lot of butter. The survey also settled the great debate over the most hated Thanksgiving side dish, with the award for "most likely to be left on the plate" going to the classic, wobbly, canned cranberry sauce.
#13
30 seconds from the time I walked in the door is all it took. My niece was trying to tell me a story and my mom just kept saying my name trying to get my attention for something my nephew said. I said twice “hold on” and had my finger out letting her know to wait and she must have said my name at least 5 or 6 times getting louder each time. I finally snapped and yelled “what the hell do you want!? My niece is talking to me!”
The icing on the cake was a few minutes later when she came up and said “now that you’re done yelling at me, let’s go into the kitchen” like I was the problem. 😡. I flat out told her what she did was rude and I was pissed off for the first 45 minutes of us getting together.
#14
Whether or not Mary Poppins is a Witch, a Demigod or a Timelord. .
SkyBlueandBlack 6 days ago
Time Lord, 100%. That bag of hers is bigger on the inside, after all
#15
Mashed potatoes. My husband has been putting rosemary in the mashed potatoes recently and it absolutely overpowers them. I haven’t said anything because he was doing the cooking and I know when to keep my big yap shut even though mashed potatoes are one of my favorite things!
So, for Thanksgiving I was doing the planning and grocery shopping and did not buy any rosemary. I was so happy as I was going to have mashed potatoes my way for Turkey day. Well, he got sent to the grocery store for something that was forgotten and the bought some rosemary and put them in the mashed potatoes unbeknownst to me. Nooooooooo! My plans! Foiled! Mashed potatoes ruined!
That’s when my secret loathing of his mashed potatoes was revealed and, well, he was highly offended that I had pretended to like his rosemary mashed potatoes. Thus, the mashed potato war of 2025 began. I didn’t eat the offensive potatoes and he had a heaping helping. We’re both currently too stuffed to continue the battle but we might go for round two when it’s time for leftovers.
Otto Katz 1 week ago
LOL My husband doesn't put hardly any salt in the pasta water when he makes it, I know to put enough to make it taste like the ocean. So when he makes spaghetti, it tastes 'flat'. When I make it, he always compliments it. So now when he makes it, I have to wait til he leaves the kitchen, and I toss in the salt, so the pasta will taste as it should.
At the end of the day, after the last piece of pie has been eaten and the final, devastating political opinion has been shared, the Thanksgiving argument is a weird and wonderful part of the holiday chaos. It is a tradition that we simply can’t let go of.
It's a sign that you have a family who feels comfortable enough around each other to be their truest, most unfiltered, and occasionally most infuriating selves. So be thankful for the drama, be thankful for the weirdness, and most of all, be thankful for the sweet, sweet silence when they all finally go home.
Do you have more wild Thanksgiving arguments to share, or are you the one who stirs the pot? Share all the juicy details in the comments!
#16
Just 3 former Midwesterners in California discussing what really caused the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
#17
My niece is a cheating cheater at Uno and we collectively won’t stand for it >:(.
#18
Unfortunately didn’t make it to dinner; in the ER, gf had some unusual symptoms. Fortunately looking like something minor.
But, one nurse told us something relevant to the question: tonight is dead here, but tomorrow will be a madhouse. Part of the reason is all the fights at dinners tonight 😂.
#19
My dad told my brother and I that when his GF retires in 2026, they are thinking of moving to South Carolina. My probably on the spectrum, but never diagnosed brother who can’t handle even the tiniest of changes was not happy to hear this.
#20
My cousin claimed that there were 100% some birds that were also mammals.
We discussed biological taxonomy for about 15 minutes.
#21
I told my 14 year old niece and 15 year old daughter they have the same voice (they sound the same) Neither of them believed me. I turned it into a game and everyone at the table had to close their eyes and one of them would say something, and we had to guess which onebof them said it ... Most people got it wrong most rounds.
That was it. That was the drama. My niece and daughter wouldn't believe me when I said they sounded the same....
#22
My family argued about whether or not municipalities should update road signs and markings to facilitate autonomous vehicles.
My family is a bunch of nerds. 🤣.
#23
Whether what we ran over on the highway going to MIL’s house was a chicken (one witness swore she saw feathers) or a plastic grocery bag. Another of us questioned the likelihood of a chicken being found in the middle of I-4. This led to a series of “Why did the plastic bag cross the road?” jokes.
#24
My uncle pulled the old “cut a square right in the middle of the pie” trick to be funny and mom lost her cool.
#25
How to divide the pumpkin cheesecake pie leftovers fairly.
We all like cheesecake. A lot.
and_a_touch_of_the_’tism 6 days ago
I made three pies. One to bring, and two to come home to. And then I could trade my leftover pie for their leftover pies.
#26
My brother swore my mom lost his suit. He had it the whole time. Screamed and tantrumed about it for 10 minutes then stormed off. My mom spent all of ten seconds looking for it for him before “finding” it in his closet.
He’s a grown man.
tresgatos72 6 days ago
He's not a grown man. He's a spoiled little mama's boy manbaby. Are his initials DJT?
#27
My elderly father now makes a weird whistling noise when he breathes. A debate broke out about whether or not it was audible. It was team hearing aid versus team no hearing aid.
#28
They’re gettin long in the tooth…this years argument was gout!
Whose was worse, best treatments, what causes it (and more what doesn’t based on what the arguer eats), gout mafia demanding the one with active flair up see a doctor.
#29
My MIL got mad at my FIL because he added too much turkey stock to the gravy to thin it out.
#30
Nana picked up the votive candle and drank the hot wax like a shot. Not really an argument but yeah it was the drama of the night, dementia is bizarre like that.
Don't listen to me 6 days ago
So what happens when you drink hot wax??? We need to know if she survived!
#31
My sister law who does not work is mad because my wife and I cant spend 4 days out of town for her kids graduation from college. He has 3, main school, honors college, and his engineering school. We said we can make it for one, (its 2 hour drive away,) but both of us run businesses and cant take 4 days off because the following Monday her daughter graduates with her Masters out of town (flight) and were going to that too.
#32
We got about 10 minutes into Thanksgiving before Grandpa’s land came up.
Serena Myers 6 days ago
Came up? As in erupted, or mentioned in his will. Or discussed? More context needed.
#33
Quickly diffused but was about to go down over whether Derry, ME is a real place.
#34
My brother claimed that Post Malone had been in prison and that’s why he has face tattoos.
What do you think ?
Alexandra 6 days ago
Honestly, sometimes I think why Americans even have Thanksgiving if it's such an occasion for family conflict. Isn't it supposed to be about being grateful for a bountiful harvest even if Thanksgiving is also known as the National Day of Mourning among the original population of the USA?
Papa 4 days ago
Every family gathering is an occasion for possible family conflict, but it is certainly not universal. The most drama I remember from our Thanksgiving celebrations was when we ran out of propane, so Dad reached out to the guy who owned the propane company. He brought us some, so the meal was a couple hours late.
Load More Replies...
Gingersnap In Iowa 6 days ago
I made turkey drumsticks bc that's what August, my son, wanted. And mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted hot carrots and Gouda Mac and cheese. I bought a small pecan pie. It has no flavor. Won't make that mistake again. August said he'd do the dishes... I'm asking for a dishwasher for Christmas.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 6 days ago
My family wasn't even around to argue with. Thanksgiving Day is the anniversary of my dad's accident (it happened in 2000) and my mom has been pretending it didn't happen ever since. She always goes on a vacation to one of her beloved tribal casinos with my sister for the holiday. Just once, in 25 years, I'd like to have an actual Thanksgiving meal with my family, but year after year, they ditch me and I have to spend the holiday alone. I understand it's my mom's way of coping (or not coping) but she's not the only one who lost someone 25 years ago :(
Gingersnap In Iowa 5 days ago
Next year you are more than welcome to come over and have Thanksgiving dinner with us 😊 I promise to make a good pie.
Load More Replies...
Nikki Sevven 6 days ago
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. My daughter and I made sausage-apple bread dressing, gravy from homemade turkey stock, apple crisp, and maple-glazed dinner rolls. My brother and SIL roasted the turkey (spatchcocked) and made mashed potatoes, corn, pumpkin bread with maple glaze, and roasted sweet potatoes. We chatted, then played a guess-the-word game, trying to give the weirdest, but most accurate clues. It was perfect.
hannahbahngswife 3 days ago
My younger brother annoys the living hell out of our youngest sibling, but then complains and shout when youngest does the same for brother. Also, they got into a physical altercation. Are they below the age of 8? Yes. Did it hurt to separate them? Yes! I was even bleeding. They are both parrots by the way.
Alexandra 6 days ago
Honestly, sometimes I think why Americans even have Thanksgiving if it's such an occasion for family conflict. Isn't it supposed to be about being grateful for a bountiful harvest even if Thanksgiving is also known as the National Day of Mourning among the original population of the USA?
Papa 4 days ago
Every family gathering is an occasion for possible family conflict, but it is certainly not universal. The most drama I remember from our Thanksgiving celebrations was when we ran out of propane, so Dad reached out to the guy who owned the propane company. He brought us some, so the meal was a couple hours late.
Load More Replies... Gingersnap In Iowa 6 days ago
I made turkey drumsticks bc that's what August, my son, wanted. And mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted hot carrots and Gouda Mac and cheese. I bought a small pecan pie. It has no flavor. Won't make that mistake again. August said he'd do the dishes... I'm asking for a dishwasher for Christmas.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 6 days ago
My family wasn't even around to argue with. Thanksgiving Day is the anniversary of my dad's accident (it happened in 2000) and my mom has been pretending it didn't happen ever since. She always goes on a vacation to one of her beloved tribal casinos with my sister for the holiday. Just once, in 25 years, I'd like to have an actual Thanksgiving meal with my family, but year after year, they ditch me and I have to spend the holiday alone. I understand it's my mom's way of coping (or not coping) but she's not the only one who lost someone 25 years ago :(
Gingersnap In Iowa 5 days ago
Next year you are more than welcome to come over and have Thanksgiving dinner with us 😊 I promise to make a good pie.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 6 days ago
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. My daughter and I made sausage-apple bread dressing, gravy from homemade turkey stock, apple crisp, and maple-glazed dinner rolls. My brother and SIL roasted the turkey (spatchcocked) and made mashed potatoes, corn, pumpkin bread with maple glaze, and roasted sweet potatoes. We chatted, then played a guess-the-word game, trying to give the weirdest, but most accurate clues. It was perfect.
hannahbahngswife 3 days ago
My younger brother annoys the living hell out of our youngest sibling, but then complains and shout when youngest does the same for brother. Also, they got into a physical altercation. Are they below the age of 8? Yes. Did it hurt to separate them? Yes! I was even bleeding. They are both parrots by the way.
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