tobias, I always host Thanksgiving, and tell people what I make. Like Thumper, my question is "where is here?" I just tell them what I'm doing (in this case turkey, sage dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and a cucumber/shrimp coctail type salad as a starter), then invite everyone to embellish on it as they see fit. Depending on where I've lived, I've had cornbread dressing, various sweet potato and winter squash dishes, all sorts of veggie sides, pies, etc. To me the biggest job is getting the turkey, potatoes and gravy on the table. If you don't do THAT right, you can wind up with a house full of guests at the emergency room (never happened to me or any of mine, but I've known it to happen). So ask your host exactly what s/he is fixing, then accomodate it. This year my desert maker is going for either pumpkin brulee or mousse instead of the traditional pie. Our mouths are watering.