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Dear Amy: I am still upset over the Thanksgiving dinner I hosted last year.
I invited a friend and her daughter. The day after, my friend called, not to thank me, but to lambaste me for not giving her leftovers to take home!
She said it was expected that a hostess should send her guests home with leftovers.
I paid for the food; I shopped for it, lugged it home, chopped, sauteed, browned and baked. I cleaned the house, vacuumed, set the table, washed dishes, etc., and one of the perks of having hosted the dinner is that my own family gets to enjoy the leftovers the next day!
I love the idea of opening up my home for Thanksgiving dinner, but at the same time, if it means giving up the turkey leftovers, I am hesitant to even have guests.
Sherron
Dear Sherron: The spirit behind Thanksgiving is one of bounty and generosity, but I'm not aware that the first Thanksgiving celebrants left the feast with containers full of leftovers.
Guests to Thanksgiving meals have a duty not just to show up and consume the food offered but to also participate in the feast by being good, grateful and generous guests. Your friend is not meeting even the most basic standard.
I've never heard the rule about sending guests home with turkey. Leftovers are the hosts' reward for their hard work.
