Many things have changed over the past hundred years, while other things have remained the same. Who carved the Thanksgiving turkey in 1925 and who carves it now?
A hundred years ago, the hostess cooked the turkey, while her husband, the host, generally carved it. According to an article in the November, 1925 issue of Ladies Home Journal:
The platter serving the royal turkey should be placed in front of the host. . . The hot dinner plates are placed in two piles in front of the carver. To make room for the carving the host very quietly moves his water and cider glasses and salad plate to one side.
. . . Thus the hostess is left free after she has placed the platters of turkey and vegetables to see that everyone’s desires are cared for.
The belief that the host carved the turkey was reaffirmed by the iconic 1943 cover of Saturday Evening Post that showed an older woman wearing an apron setting a huge turkey in front of an older man with carving cutlery laid out in front of him. Later there were movies such as the 1989 classic, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation where host Clark Griswold carves the turkey, which reinforced the concept that the host carved the turkey at holiday gatherings.
Families, however, sometimes developed their own family traditions. In our household, my husband and I jointly carve the turkey in the kitchen before bringing the sliced turkey to the table. More recently our children and children-in-laws sometimes help with the carving.
The author of a recent Today post wrote:
With gender no longer a determinant in who should wield the carving cutlery, my suggested descending pecking order is as follows:
- The one with the sharpest skills
- The one who craves the honors
- The one who did the cooking
And if all else fails? The adult victor of the previous year’s wishbone contest.
Try as I might, I can’t remember who carved the turkey during my childhood and youth. I do remember that it took place in the kitchen, and that my grandmother and grandfather didn’t do the job. What I most remember is my dad’s attempt to snitch a piece before it got to the table!
Whatever you’re serving up this year, Happy Thanksgiving!
I love it. Similarly to you, I remember the fun things about the Thanksgivings of my childhood. Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving! In our family, I have happily ceded carving duties to our son.
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s so rewarding as our children are able to take over some of the tasks we once did.
I was thrilled to see someone else had wishbone contests! My husband did not grow up with that tradition, and was confused the first time I offered up the wishbone. -sigh- I have two in the freezer and am taking them today for our gathering with extended family. There are two great-nieces and I want to keep the tradition going : ) Happy Thanksgiving Everyone.
We would fight over who got to pull the wishbone. I had so many cousins!
I also have memories of large Thanksgiving dinners with lots of cousins. It was always chaos, but I have warm memories of those days.
Same here!
Happy Thanksgiving! We also used to have wishbone contests, but there always was a discussion about which person was the winner – the person who ended up with the small piece of the wishbone or the person with the large piece. My husband’s family believed the person with the large part was the winner while my family believed it was the person with the small part. I guess both of the people breaking the wishbone could end up feeling like a winner.
Happy Thanksgiving! We always went to one of my grandparents’ homes. The turkey was carved in the kitchen along with the ham. I don’t know who carved them. I never thought about it!
Similarly to your family, our family always carved the meat in the kitchen. It seemed so much easier. Happy Thanksgiving!
A belated Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Oh I like that last bit with the list in descending order!
It’s always good to have a descending order when trying to make a decision like this.
My grandfather carved the turkey when we were at there house. My husband carves the turkey these days. And does a good job of it.
Happy Thanksgiving! It’s wonderful how the tradition has continued over the years.
Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy your turkey, whoever carves it.
Thank you! We had a lovely Thanksgiving.
👍
Interesting! Hope you’ve had a nice Thanksgiving.
Thank you! And, I hope that you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I hope you had a good Thanksgiving with a well-carved turkey. In my family, nobody wants to carve the turkey. As we have had a busy year, I bought a boneless breast that was easy to slice. 🙂
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. Boneless breasts are a nice and fairly easy way to have turkey (and there are fewer leftovers).
My husband always carves the turkey and has done an outstanding job every year!