I serve dinner at 1:00. Most guests stay and then after a long walk we have the best part of Thanksgiving, turkey sandwiches on fresh bread, at 6 or 7 or 10.

(after everyone leaves or goes to bed, I make a bourbon and water and sit in the quiet living room alone reflecting.)

It's always been our family tradition to eat between 12-1 pm, started by my great grandparents. Everyone stays after, to watch football and visit, then eat leftovers that evening. It makes for a very long day, but I've continued it. Certain years, we had anywhere from 10-20 people show up at 11 am, and stay until around 9 or ten at night. Fun, but exhausting for me. This year, I think there will only be 4 or 5 of us.

Maddielee, I always have a long, hot bath with wine after. :)

My family is the worst! Between 'those' who tend to be late, and fixing a multitude of dishes, we usually strive for 3, but it usually ends up being between 4-5. However, we'll 'hang out' and relax w/drinks until at least 10 pm since everyone is off work. Will also end up eventually heating up a few leftovers and having a late dessert.

Since it's just the four of us, we don't have a set time; sorry that's probably no help. However, considering that turkey can make folks sleepy, if our circumstances were different I'd go early to give people time to wake back up before heading out. I'd most likely aim for a mid afternoon dinner.

5:00, a little earlier than a typical meal.

We try to eat mid-afternoon, also so that we can head outside for a walk. DH wants to smoke the turkey, so this means he has to start early, and he is not a morning person. So, we'll see how that goes, LOL.

(well, dh here is most definitely not a morning person either, maybe that's why we tell people 2 230 so he can have woken up and had breakfast:). although this year, my son in law and his brothers are coming early to do some stuff with dh so he will be up....:) I am going to ask around locally because I thought most people do eat around 3 or 4 and from the replies here, we seem to be "Different".

My guests will be coming at 2:00. They have an hour and a half drive, and anything can happen, so I try to be flexible.

Tbh, I'd rather eat later. As it is, I assemble most of the meal the night before, then cook it on T-day. I'm not a morning person, so it would be nice to not get up so early. But, I'd have a mutiny on my hands if I changed it. :D

about 2 pm. Mostly so people can drive home that live far.

I don't host but my preference would be early afternoon around 1. If it's an evening meal, I'll eat a light breakfast, maybe skip lunch and be so hungry by the time appetizers are set out that I'm full when the main meal is served. My MIL puts out so many appetizers around 3 that few are hungry by the time we sit down for the main meal at 5. It's a shame because of all the effort that goes into it. However, the leftovers the next day are divine.

I know... I should just have more self control but I'm pretty weak when it comes to food prepared by others.

We always eat at regular dinner time, 6 pm. That way you can go home and be in your own bed when food coma hits.

We eat a little earlier than usual, so about 5-5:30.

Dinner is generally around 2pm. We need to be done with the meal well before dark because our tradition is playing croquet after dinner. Then having dessert afterwards. I'm bummed because the forecast says it's going to rain on Thursday. :-(

Many times I end up two places. One usually starts 12:30 or 1 and the other typically 4:00. This year we're staying home and I'm hosting at 2. Growing up typically our gatherings started at 1 or 2:00.

We aim for late afternoon, mainly because we don't want to fill up on appetizers. So we either eat a late breakfast or a light lunch, just have a few light appetizers and try to eat b/w 4-5pm. Our gatherings are small though. If we were entertaining a larger crowd, we'd probably have more appetizers available for those who want to indulge before dinner.

Big dinners are always at my in-law's house, but everyone is within 15 minutes. We will probably aim for 4:00, but it will slip to 5:00 before we're ready. The one sister who is always late lives literally next door!

Not an hour ago Mom and I decided that we won't do appetizers, as everyone fills up and doesn't enjoy dinner. So we'll eat, wait a bit, maybe go for a walk, then have dessert. Shortly after, everyone will head home. My in-laws are pretty spunky, but having the whole crew over is tiring, and they like to shoo everyone out fairly early.

For years and years it's been 2 PM, so no one is rushed too much in the morning, and by the time the meal is finished and cleaned up, there is time for a relaxing dessert before heading home, which isn't really that late even for those who have a bit of a travel.

5-5:30, but this year our son and daughter-in-law have invited us to their place. This is the first year both sides are celebrating together and we had planned to hold the festivities here. Then, the kids decided to host. That was when they mentioned that because of her family, who all tend to lateness no matter what or when, we would eat around 8:00 pm. Yikes!

I like jakabedy's time. :) We have people arrive anytime after noontime. I shoot to have dinner on the table at 2:00. Only 9 this year, so I'm not sweating it, but when my family of 25 comes, I'm usually too exhausted when I sit down to eat. Anyone else feel that way?

I'm shooting for 5. I come from a family that never did dinner-type meals in the middle of the day. My daughter and her boyfriend are coming and will spend the night so nobody has to drive anywhere afterwards. It's pretty dark by 5, so it's night, but not too late.

We are shooting for 3. DS and Dniece want to go to the HS football game in the AM. That way we can relax a bit before and after. It's been a rough year and we will be happy to all together.

Early afternoon...usually about 2pm...we start around noon with drinks and snacks and such and just go all afternoon from there.

My family (and my husband's also) has always done holiday meals as a late lunch. We've never done dinner. Not sure why, maybe years ago family members had to travel??? Whatever. I really prefer eating around 2:00 and since I now host many of those meals, that's the time I set. Haha! For a big meal such as Thanksgiving, we are really not into appetizers, etc. Too much food. I prefer (and try steer others!) to eat the meal, then relax, visit, walk,etc. and have dessert later. However, if my MIL is here (and she often is), she thinks you should pull the dessert out as soon as the last bite of the meal is eaten. LOL! After eating we like to visit, at least part of us will end up in the sunroom, and as it's often still nice temps here we will spread to the outside area. While I always offer leftovers to take home, most will not eat again before leaving. Hubby and I often wait and have dessert later on rather than another meal.

The goal is always to be finished by the time the Dallas Cowboys' game starts. So we'll probably eat around 2:00. Game starts around 3:30. Priorities you know.

Usually try for around 5 pm which ends up being more like 5:30 by the time everyone is really settled down and ready to eat. The kids enjoy being outside until dark and the younger ones (2 boys) will run around in the dark with the dog way past dark.

We always sit around the table talking and the guys do most of the dishes while we girls still talk (and sip more wine). Then we decide when it's time for dessert and coffee. The guys will sometimes go outside for a cigar and a stiff one after that.

6pm.

I don't like dining when it is light out; I prefer candlelight and evening for a formal meal. Plus, for a meal that takes that long, and involves so much work, and on a day when I won't have any help (no hired help, and I never let guests help, ever!), why would I want to make it all earlier than usual, and have to get up at like 7am? No thanks.

OTOH, if we ate midday, I wouldn't have to make lunch on top of The Meal. We could have appetizers and leftovers at dinner. We could go for a walk after our main repast. Or croquet! Lovely (oh I'd have to move, too). Hmm. Sounds nice.

My inlaws like to eat late. I don't think it is a conscious decision. My MIL is not very organized and is a procrastinator. What seems to happen is everyone picks all day and has too much to drink. Then the meal isn't appreciated because everyone is stuffed and a little drunk.

This year we are going to eat out and our reservation is 2:30. I will cook a turkey for leftovers and make a couple of pies. Then we can have our leftover sandwich or another dessert in the evening.

We like to watch the parade on TV then start cooking. So we eat around 12-1. (We are vegetarian, so no turkey to cook.) When we go to family it is always around the same time- lunch time. Then there is time to visit or go for a walk or watch football. We eat leftovers together for dinner.

I typically aim for 4, but it usually ends up around 5-ish, so I get to light the candles. DH roasts oysters in the yard at noon, and light appetizers are offered throughout the afternoon, while the men watch football and the kids and dogs run around in the yard, or fish off the dock. The littlest ones go to bed at 7:30, so this time allows them to participate and still get to bed in decent form. Our range of ages is 3-65, so this does make for a long day, yet it’s all family and a time I particularly enjoy.