REEDS SPRING, Mo. (AP) — The first year Shirley Mease cooked up a free Thanksgiving feast in the Reeds Spring High School cafeteria, icy weather kept most people away. But when her family knocked on doors to offer the meals, the gratefulness they found confirmed the need in her Missouri community.
“When you work with the school system you know the families that are in need because there are a lot of babies that come to school and that’s the only meal they get,” says Mease, who is semi-retired from her job in the cafeteria.
That first year, 2009, Mease and her volunteer crew provided 100 meals. This holiday, they expect to serve 700, drawing on donations. That’s up from about 625 last year, to account for food insecurity in many households that count on SNAP food aid benefits suspended during the federal government’s recent shutdown.
All are welcome, no questions asked.
The 73-year-old Mease, her children and grandchildren have been preparing for weeks, loading shopping carts and picking up donations. When she and volunteers arrived at the school cafeteria Wednesday to begin cooking, at least 44 turkeys and 225 pounds (102 kilograms) of sweet potatoes awaited.
“I know (SNAP) is back in working order, but it will take time for that to really help people out,” she says. “Especially in this area, the food banks are being hit very hard, so I just feel like this is a time to step it up a little bit.”
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thanksgiving is a seasonal, needed reminder of the promise and reality of America – on which we celebrate our nation’s shared, uniting holiday of gratitude.
We the People are not doing well. We are divided, angry, and house-poor. That said, whether you are liberal, conservative, progressive, or MAGA, we all have much – by any real, clear metric – to be thankful for and much that’s deserving of our collective, bipartisan celebration, cherishing, and defense. We are a better and more united people when we look up in shared gratitude.
If you are an American – poor, middle class, or rich – there is still an “Unum,” part principle and part shared experience, which connects the American “Pluribus” and our varied pursuits of happiness.
Regardless of your own familial origin story, there remains a shared American truth and reality: “We the People” are all born on third base compared to the rest of the world, and it’s not because we hit a triple.
This country is special. It remains special. Whatever our problems, we still have much to be thankful for and reasons to rise above our differences and unite in a common good for civic defense.
On a personal note, I am thankful that I am going to be a grandfather soon. A new chapter in our family’s American story will begin in the new year of our country’s 250th year. Having grandkids reminds us to keep our eyes on defending the prize.
Civically and professionally, I am giving thanks for RealClear’s readers and supporters.
I write this Thanksgiving note, having come back from a lunch with one of you – someone who exemplifies our audience and patrons. Smart, accomplished, and discerning. You represent thoughtful citizenship at its best. These getting-to-know-you conversations with RealClear readers inspire us.
Most of my meetings are with reader-supporters over Zoom, which provide daily bounces in our team’s steps. (If you are interested in having one, reach out to our advancement coordinator, Frank Filocomo [frank@realclear.com], and he will set one up. We truly enjoy it.)
This one was in-person and ennobling. I broke bread with a U.S. Navy pilot who flew 85 combat missions in Vietnam. On his return, he had to test fate again by landing a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier in hostile waters. After the war, he made his fortune on Wall Street, retired to Florida, and dedicated himself to public service as our local county commissioner. Thank you, Hal. You are a great American, and we are thankful to count you among RealClear’s faithful readers and steadfast supporters.
For the rest of you: Come to our Samizdat Prize Gala on Feb. 11, 2026, and I will introduce you to Hal.
* * * * *
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She had it figured down to the last dollar. The looming insurance payment, balanced against the hard-earned paycheck. The cost of keeping her children fed, covered mostly with government SNAP assistance. And when Shelby Williams reviewed the family budget for November, she told herself that this month would truly be one for giving thanks.
After living with her parents for more than two years, Williams and her two children were finally moving into an apartment of their own in her hometown of Reeds Spring, Missouri. They would celebrate with a Thanksgiving meal made by the kids, the grandparents joining them at the table.
The funds for the needed groceries were all lined up — until the federal government shut down on Oct. 1.
Now Washington is running again. But as Americans prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, the relieved gratitude of families in Williams’ community, and the many others still recovering from the suspension of government paychecks and food assistance during the 43-day shutdown, is tempered by lingering stress and economic insecurity.
“I’m thankful for my children and my job, and I’m thankful for SNAP because it supplies food,” said Williams, 32, who works as a paraprofessional in an elementary school. “But … with the way the world is, with the financial strain, it is hard to be thankful.”
The anxiety stirred by the shutdown persists in the lines at food pantries in this southwestern Missouri county and echoes through households nationwide.
Dealing with the shutdown’s fallout
In South Florida, Darlene Castillo is still struggling to prop up her family’s fragile finances after working without pay for seven weeks at the U.S. Customs Service.
To get by, she lined up at a mobile food bank, a first for her. She held off paying bills and canceled subscriptions. Family members sent money, and when one extended an invitation for Thanksgiving, she and her husband gratefully accepted, knowing that they’d be hard-pressed to host the holiday meal.
“It’s a thankful time,” Castillo said last week. “I’ll bring a dish because hopefully this week we’ll get paid. And then we’ll worry about Jan. 30.”
That’s when the funds just approved by Congress to reopen the government are set to run out, threatening yet another shutdown.
During the shutdown, McNeil said he got by on the modest stipend he receives as a trainee in a culinary program run by the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. But attending classes meant missing the hours food pantries were open. His wife, who is disabled and counts on him to bring home SNAP-funded groceries, grew distraught.
“If it was any longer, I don’t know what I would’ve done,” said McNeil, whose relief is compounded by news that after months of radiation treatment, his prostate cancer is in remission. “I got a lot to be thankful for right now.”
Community support for stretched resources
In Williams’ Missouri community, a haven for retirees on modest fixed incomes, the lapse in SNAP funds has added to the pressures on families who stretch to buy daily necessities.
In early November, a startling 428 families lined up at a drive-through food pantry run by Carrie Padilla and church volunteers, in a county with about 32,000 residents. About 12% of households in the county rely on SNAP benefits, but it is closer to 17% in rural areas.
Though SNAP has been restored, many families registering for a Christmas toy drive run by Padilla’s nonprofit indicate that they are entering the holiday season without enough food.
“Almost everybody is antsy,” Padilla said. “Just because the government reopened, it doesn’t mean that somebody has waved a wand and suddenly everything’s all hunky-dory.”
That uncertainty has figured into Shirley Mease’s planning, as she prepares to host a free Thanksgiving feast at Reeds Spring High School. Mease and her family anticipate serving and delivering 700 meals, up from about 625 last year, to account for food insecurity worsened by the shutdown.
“I know (SNAP) is back in working order, but it will take time for that to really help people out,” said Mease, 73, a semi-retired school cafeteria worker who has been providing the feast since 2009, drawing on community donations and volunteers.
“Especially in this area, the food banks are being hit very hard, so I just feel like this is a time to step it up a little bit,” she said.
Feeling the pressure without SNAP
The pressure of trying to get through November without SNAP weighed on Williams in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
She had planned the move to the new apartment for months, carefully balancing income and expenses to account for the $600 rent. The math worked thanks in no small part to $450 in monthly benefits her family receives from SNAP. That covers their food bill after the two free meals served each school day.
As the shutdown stretched on, the Trump administration announced it would suspend November SNAP payments, despite judges’ orders to use available emergency funds. With her move days away, Williams started November with just $25 left in her SNAP account.
She used the funds to buy bread, peanut butter, jelly and milk, and a friend with chickens gave her eggs. The fixings lasted through four nights of sandwich dinners. Then her parents stepped in to help.
Williams tried to keep her stress hidden from her 11-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter. But it was hard to avoid tearing up or getting angry.
“What bills do I not pay so I can feed my children, because that’s the priority,” she said.
Faced with a difficult choice
There were other factors to consider, too. Williams said she loves her job, working with students in a special education classroom. In her off-hours she is studying to become a teacher, a pursuit that required taking out a student loan.
The suspension of SNAP confronted her with a difficult choice. She knew she could earn more at Walmart than doing the classroom job she treasures.
“But then I’m giving up a part of my dream,” she said.
It never came to that. Three days after the shutdown ended, Missouri officials sent $217 to Williams’ SNAP account, just under half what she receives in an ordinary month.
That helped refill her family’s refrigerator, but it was not enough to afford the luxury of a Thanksgiving celebration. Williams held off paying a bill for car insurance, due at month’s end, reserving the money in case it was needed for food.
Then, last Friday morning, the remainder of the SNAP funds for November showed up in Williams’ account. Finally, she could exhale. She paid the insurance bill. Then she treated her children to ice cream.
The anxiety that had weighed on Williams for weeks lingered. But it was still November and her family had so much to be thankful for.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Here’s what to know about Green and Blackout Wednesday, the biggest pre-holiday celebration and how to enjoy responsibly.
Thanksgiving is upon us with cooking, shopping, family and expectations. It is a werired work which includes prep, work and so much more. But what to know about Green and Blackout Wednesday. This week comes with two unofficial holidays which have rapidly grown in cultural and economic importance: Green Wednesday and Blackout Wednesday. Both fall on the day before Thanksgiving and both spotlight the unique way America kicks off the long holiday weekend—with shopping, cannabis, alcohol, and celebrations. For many consumers, this night is a chance to reconnect with friends and jump-start the season. But understanding their histories and how to participate responsibly can make all the difference.
Green Wednesday is a relatively new cultural phenomenon. Coined around 2012 by the cannabis delivery company Eaze, it became the cannabis industry’s answer to Black Friday. It has since grown into one of the biggest sales days of the year, driven by deals, promotion, and the fact many Americans want a calmer, less stressful Thanksgiving. Green Wednesday is now one of the top three cannabis retail days in the U.S., alongside 4/20 and Black Friday. In many states, dispensaries report spikes in sales of edibles, vapes, low-dose products, and wellness-oriented items.
Photo by Roberto Machado Noa via Getty
Blackout Wednesday, by contrast, has a longer and more complicated history. It began in the early 2000s when police departments and bar associations noticed the night before Thanksgiving had become one of the biggest drinking events of the year. Because so many people return to their hometowns, it became a massive reunion night. It also became associated with binge-drinking, DUIs, and overcrowded bars—which helped give it the nickname “Blackout Wednesday.”
Part of the draw is timing. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is uniquely suited for celebration:
Most people have Thursday off.
College students return home.
Families reunite.
Retailers and bars roll out major deals.
But the cultural shift away from heavy alcohol consumption and toward cannabis is also noticeable. Green Wednesday is often framed as a calmer, more wellness-oriented alternative—one focused on relaxation instead of excess.
Whether someone chooses cannabis or cocktails, the real key is pacing and awareness. Here are a few safety-centered tips:
Plan transportation early—ride shares, designated drivers, or walking.
Hydrate and eat—especially for alcohol consumption.
Choose lower-dose cannabis products if you’re inexperienced.
Avoid mixing alcohol and cannabis, as it intensifies impairment.
Have a limit before you start.
Keep gatherings about connection, not consumption.
Green Wednesday and Blackout Wednesday reflect the way holiday traditions evolve. They can be fun, celebratory, and even reconnect us with old friendships and familiar places. But the goal should always be enjoying the moment—not waking up the next day wishing you dialed it back. With a thoughtful approach, both days can be safe, festive, and memorable traditions starting the holiday weekend on the right path.
WASHINGTON — With Thanksgiving and the formal launch of the holiday shopping season this week, Americans will again gather for Turkey Day meals before knocking off items on their Christmas gift lists.
Most big U.S. retailers are closed on Thanksgiving Day. However, many will open early the following day, Black Friday, the unofficial start of the holiday gift-buying season and the biggest shopping day of the year.
Here’s what is open and closed this Thanksgiving, along with a travel forecast from the experts at AAA auto club.
Government offices, post offices, courts and schools are closed.
U.S. stock markets and banks are closed Thursday; however, markets reopen on Friday for a shortened trading day, wrapping up at 1 p.m. Eastern.
Standard FedEx and UPS pickup and delivery services will not be available on Thanksgiving, although some critical services will be offered at certain locations.
Walmart will be closed on Thanksgiving but most stores will open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday.
Target will be closed on Thanksgiving, but most stores will open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday.
Macy’s will be closed on Thanksgiving, but most stores will have extended hours from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Black Friday.
Kohl’s will be closed on Thanksgiving, but many stores will be open as early as 5 a.m. on Black Friday. Check your local location for hours.
Costco will be closed on Thanksgiving, but will reopen on Black Friday. Check your local store’s website for hours.
CVS will close early on Thanksgiving. You can call your local store or check store and pharmacy hours on the CVS Pharmacy website.
Walgreens will close most of its stores on Thanksgiving, though some 24-hour locations will be open. Check your local store for more information.
Most national grocery store chains are open on Thanksgiving for those last-minute turkey day needs, although many close early. Check your local store for details.
With most schools closed Thursday and Friday, the long Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest holiday travel period of the year, according to AAA.
AAA projects that 81.8 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home over the Thanksgiving holiday period between Tuesday, Nov. 25 and Monday, Dec. 1. That’s 1.6 million more travelers compared to last Thanksgiving, which would be a new record.
AAA estimates that at least 73 million people will travel by car, amounting to nearly 90 percent of Thanksgiving travelers. About 1.3 million more people will be on the road this year compared to last year, AAA predicts.
Drivers are currently paying around $3 for a gallon of regular gasoline, according to AAA. Last year, the national average was $3.06 on Thanksgiving Day.
According to AAA, 6 million U.S. travelers are expected to take domestic flights over the 7-day holiday period, a 2% increase over 2024. That figure could end up lower if flights are canceled or delayed.
Travel by other modes is expected to increase by 8.5% to nearly 2.5 million people. Other forms of travel include bus, train, and cruise ships.
Thanksgiving is a time when families thrive, and our conservative movement can learn key lessons from this uniquely American tradition as we move forward together.Let’s begin with what’s best about the day: a shared table, familiar laughter, and the quiet grace of gratitude. Gratitude is not the fruit of harmony; it is the seed.
American Eagle has announced a new addition to its brand ambassadors: Martha Stewart. The 84-year-old food and lifestyle media titan appears in the company’s latest advertisements for the holiday season. It comes months after a controversial July ad campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney.
Every holiday has corresponding must-watch TV associated with it, from It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown at Halloween, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas, and the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airing on the last Thursday in November.
This year marks the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. ET this Thursday, Nov. 27. The parade will be broadcast on NBC and streams live – with a three-angle multi-view option – on Peacock. Performers will include Wicked‘s Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, Ciara, and more. Oh, and if you’ve got KPop Demon Hunters fans in your life, not only will there be balloons featuring Derpy and Sussie, the parade will feature a performance by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade live this week, and how to catch the encore if you miss it.
When is the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
The 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is held this year – and every year – on Thanksgiving Day. This year, the parade is on Thursday, November 27, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT. There will be an encore broadcast at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
How long is the Macy’s Parade?
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will last roughly 3.5 hours, ending at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. An encore broadcast will air on NBC at 2 p.m. ET/PT.
What channel is the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on?
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will air on NBC and stream on Peacock on Thanksgiving Day from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones. An encore airing of the parade will also begin at 2 p.m. on NBC. If you have access to live TV, you may be able to watch NBC for free over the air. If not, here’s what we recommend for how to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
How to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade without cable:
Walmart+ members get free Peacock Premium (or Paramount+ Essential) included in their membership at no additional cost. A monthly subscription to Walmart+ costs $12.99, and an annual plan usually costs $98, but right now, you can get half off an annual membership. That means you’ll pay just $49 for Peacock and perks like five free months of Apple Music, discounts on Cinemark movie theater memberships, free shipping and delivery on Walmart purchases, discounts on gas and more.
Peacock is home to all kinds of original content, from Emmy Award-winning reality series The Traitors to Poker Face and Twisted Metal. The platform has an impressive library of shows from NBC and Bravo, thousands of movies, and live sports, including the 2026 Super Bowl.
While a regular Peacock subscription is $10.99 for a Premium Plan and goes up to $16.99 for the ad-free Premium Plus plan, you get an ad-supported subscription for free if you’re a Walmart+ subscriber.
Who is performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Wicked star Cynthia Erivo will open the parade, which will also feature performances from Country artist Lainey Wilson, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI (the singing voices of HUNTR/X from Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters), Drew Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Meg Donnelly, Mr. Fantasy, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, the Radio City Rockettes, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza and Teyana Taylor.
There will also be performances from the Broadway casts of Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime.
What floats are in the Macy’s parade this Thanksgiving?
There will be 32 balloons, three “balloonicles,” 27 floats, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands and plenty of performances at the 2025 Macy’s parade.
2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade new floats
Six new floats are debuting at this year’s parade:
The Land of Ice & Wonder by Holland America Line
Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by The LEGO Group
Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt
Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix
Friends-giving in POPCITY by Pop Mart
The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator by Serta.
2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade balloons
In 2025, there will be four new featured character balloons making their debut in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade:
Buzz Lightyear by Pixar Animation Studios
PAC-MAN by Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Inc.
Shrek’s Onion Carriage from Universal Pictures’ DreamWorks Animation;
Derpy Tiger and Sussie from Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters will also join the line-up as a mid-sized balloon and balloonicle.
Who is hosting this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?
Today’s Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker of The Today Show will host NBC’s broadcast of the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade again this year.
Ways to watch the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade free:
Want to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thanksgiving football and more on live TV this holiday season for free? Here are a few platforms offering free trials around this time of year.
(CNN) — Nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday, including many of you.
As family and friends gather together to share meals, it may be good to remember that foodborne illnesses are on the rise. These are mostly preventable with the right precautions.
I want to make sure that the food my family and I are preparing is safe—and so are the leftovers, so I turned to CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner, where her responsibilities included overseeing food safety.
CNN:What causes foodborne infections?
Dr.Leana Wen: Foodborne infections are caused by pathogens, like bacteria, viruses and parasites. In the US, the most common form of foodborne infection is norovirus, which is a contagious virus that spreads from person to person through sharing utensils or touching objects that an infected person has touched and then touching your mouth. There are also several bacteria that cause foodborne illness, including salmonella, E. coli, Campylobacter and listeria.
CNN: What symptoms do people experience?
Wen: Typical symptoms of foodborne illness include abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Many people recover within 24 hours, but some can become very ill, depending on the pathogen and their underlying medical conditions. Those at highest risk for complications are young children, pregnant women, older individuals and people with immunocompromising medical illnesses.
CNN: I’ve seen a lot of recalls for food products. How do I make sure that the food I’m preparing is OK before placing it out at meals?
Wen: Rhere have been several instances of high-profile food recalls, but it’s important to remember that the majority of foodborne illnesses occur in everyday settings that don’t involve high-profile cases. Definitely be aware of food recalls (the US government maintains a comprehensive list of recent recalls) and make sure that you don’t have products in your fridge or pantry that are deemed unsafe. But don’t obsess over it, as chances are that the food you buy will be safe. However, there are many other things that you can and need to do make sure you abide by safe food preparing practices.
CNN: Let’s talk about some of these best practices. How do I defrost my turkey safely?
Wen: This is a great question and applies not only to turkey but also to other poultry and meat. The concern is to keep bacteria from growing when the turkey thaws.
There are three ways to safely thaw turkey. The easiest, though the one that takes the longest, is to thaw in the refrigerator. You put the turkey in a container to prevent it from dripping onto other food. It generally takes 24 hours for each four to five pounds of turkey, so an 8-pound turkey could take two days, and a 12-pound turkey could take three days.
The second way is to wrap the turkey in a leak-proof bag and submerge it in cold water. This takes about 30 minutes per pound, so the 8-pound turkey will take about 4 hours to thaw. You could use tap water and change the water every 30 minutes. It’s important to cook the turkey immediately after it is thawed to prevent bacteria growth.
The third way is to use a microwave. How long it will take depends on the specific microwave. This is the fastest method, but because some parts of the turkey will start to cook during microwaving, it’s essential to cook the turkey right after thawing.
It’s not a good idea to leave the turkey thawing on the counter in a warm room. That’s because parts of the turkey may still be frozen while some parts reach high enough temperature for the bacteria to rapidly multiply.
CNN: How long can a Thanksgiving buffet sit out? Does it vary by dish?
Wen: The rule of thumb to keep in mind is the “two-hour rule.” Once the food is cooked, it should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. In the summer, if this is an outdoor picnic and the temperature is over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, food should be refrigerated after an hour.
This rule applies to all perishable foods, including meat, fish and milk products. Cooked leftovers should be refrigerated. The foods that do not need to be refrigerated according to the two-hour rule are baked goods such as cookies and cakes, dried meat such as jerky, whole fruit that is not chopped, and nuts.
CNN: What if the food is on a burner or in a slow cooker to keep it warm?
Wen: The temperature at which bacteria multiples rapidly is between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If the food is being kept warm by an appliance such that is over 140 degrees Fahrenheit — or if it’s being kept cooled at below 40 degrees Fahrenheit — this does not count toward the two-hour rule. But within two hours of removing from the warming or cooling apparatus, it needs to be refrigerated.
CNN: The fridge is my friend, right? Can food go into the fridge so we can enjoy leftovers the next day?
Wen: Yes, if it is stored in a timely manner in the refrigerator. Leftovers can typically be kept in the fridge for three to four days. They can also be frozen for three to four months.
CNN: What other safety tips people should keep in mind before gatherings?
Wen: We’ve talked about thawing and storage of leftovers, and we also need to discuss cooking or reheating to the right temperature. The temperature varies depending on the type of meat or fish. An internal meat thermometer is crucial for monitoring the temperature. Make sure that fish is cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit and chicken, turkey and poultry to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Be aware of cross-contamination. Do not use containers or utensils you have used with raw meat or fish to touch other products, like vegetables and fruits.
Also, remember that norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne illness. People who have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps or other symptoms of norovirus should not prepare food. Everyone should wash their hands often and well with soap and water.
Event hosts should also ask that those who are experiencing signs of respiratory infection to stay home. And those who are especially vulnerable to severe illness due to underlying conditions should take additional precautions that are appropriate for their individual circumstance.
For holiday travelers, there are a number of choices, but at D.C.’s Union Station, rail riders made the case for hopping all aboard an Amtrak train.
For holiday travelers, there are a number of choices, but at D.C.’s Union Station, rail riders made the case for hopping all aboard an Amtrak train.
For Tamyshia Curry and her dog Sevyn, traveling by train to New York for the Thanksgiving holiday was a no-brainer, especially when compared to flying.
“It’s a lot cheaper, and it’s easier,” Curry said. “Especially with a pet.”
Sevyn, a 2-year-old mini goldendoodle, is a calm travel companion, Curry said.
“She actually doesn’t mind it, she usually just sleeps,” Curry said.
Although, Sevyn does like to snag the window seat.
“She loves the window seat. Yeah, it’s her favorite,” Curry said, explaining that having her dog outside a crate means buying an extra seat — but it’s worth it.
Curry also said her decision to hold off on buying a Thanksgiving week Amtrak ticket paid off, with a low $78 fare. But as she was explaining that, Sevyn snagged WTOP’s microphone!
Sevyn had been eyeing the mini microphone with its furry windscreen, which Curry easily retrieved before the pup could make a complete snack of it.
Mark Thompson and his family opted for a pre-Thanksgiving holiday trip to D.C. from Delaware, a decision prompted mainly by his 4-year-old son, Mateo. Asked about that, Mateo told WTOP the decision to take a train trip boiled down to one simple fact.
“I like it,” he said. “Cause it’s fast.”
His father asked, “and what else?”
“Because it’s fun and there’s a lot of people in the train,” Mateo said.
Thompson is also a fan.
“I like the train, because it’s kind of relaxing, better than driving,” Thompson said. “On the way down, I was saying to myself how smooth the ride was.”
Ana Conner, a Princeton student, was on her way home to Prince George, Virginia. Like Thompson, the train is an easy choice when compared to driving.
“I do not want to drive through D.C. and Baltimore traffic,” she said. “The train makes it a lot easier, a lot less stressful.”
Conner has a piece of advice for anyone who wants a stress-free trip by train.
“College students in general, they book trains very, very quickly and a lot of times they’re sold out. So make sure, especially if you’re a college student, that you book way in advance,” she said.
“And get your student discount!”
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One of our favorite tips from our book, Remodelista in Maine, comes from event designer Molly O’Rourke. “It turns out an apple corer creates a hole that is the same diameter as a taper candle,” she told us. “Once I discovered this, there was no turning back.”
How to put this coincidence to use for a last-minute Thanksgiving table? Read on:
Photography by Greta Rybus for Remodelista in Maine.
Above: Molly’s tablescape. When cut (for stability) and cored, “potatoes, apples, cabbages, and melons all become sculptural candelabras that can be whipped up on the spot and composted after your event,” she says. Above: Bought too much bread for stuffing? “Use an apple corer to transform hunks of stale bread into improvised candlesticks.” Above: With an apple corer ($19.95 from Sur La Table), Molly says, “the world is your candlestick.” Just insert tapers.
For more unfussy, ingenious (and inexpensive) design ideas, order Remodelista in Maine, available everywhere books are sold.
And for more tabletop ideas, see our posts:
N.B.: This post was first published on Remodelista in November 2022; it has been updated with new links and prices.
TAMPA, Fla. — Amtrak is projecting record-breaking ridership and revenue for the 2025 Thanksgiving travel period, and Tampa Union Station is playing a major role in that surge.
Last year, more than 1.2 million passengers traveled by rail over Thanksgiving. Tampa Union Station saw more than 150,000 departures, making it one of Florida’s busiest Amtrak stations.
With early bookings showing double-digit growth, Amtrak expects this year to surpass those numbers.
What You Need To Know
Amtrak is projecting record-breaking ridership and revenue for the 2025 Thanksgiving travel period, and Tampa Union Station is playing a major role in that surge
Last year, more than 1.2 million passengers traveled by rail over Thanksgiving
With early bookings showing double-digit growth, Amtrak expects this year to surpass those numbers
Why travelers are choosing the rails
Many riders boarding trains in Tampa this week said they were looking for a change — and relief from the holiday travel stress that comes with flying or long drives.
Price was a major factor for rider Bruce Hilsheimer.
“The Greyhound stops more places and costs twice as much — it’s a no-brainer for me,” he said.
For others, safety and comfort drove the decision.
Linda Colon said she’s avoiding the airport this year.
“There are so many concerns people are dealing with right now, and they really don’t feel like getting on an airplane,” she said.
Some passengers chose the train for more productive travel time.
Dana Diaz said train travel allows her to keep working throughout her trip.
“I have to work, and sitting on the train allows me to get my work done,” she said.
And for some, rail travel brings back a sense of nostalgia and calm.
“I saw (trains) a lot in the movies… it’s very romantic,” said rider Susan Roscoe.
Passengers traveling through Tampa Union Station this week were headed everywhere from Chicago to shorter regional trips to Lakeland, West Palm Beach and Miami.
More riders seeking alternatives amid travel uncertainty
Bob O’Malley, senior vice president at the Orlando Economic Partnership, says congestion at airports — and concerns during the recent government shutdown — pushed more people toward rail.
“Some people will always fly or drive, but people are looking for other ways,” O’Malley said.
He added that expanding options like SunRail and Brightline could open more rail alternatives across the state.
Book early, Amtrak warns
With demand climbing quickly, Amtrak is encouraging riders to book tickets early to secure their travel times.
Colon said the ease of boarding is a major plus.
“I took an Uber here — I didn’t have to arrive two hours before departure,” she said.
And for many travelers, the slower pace of train travel is part of the appeal.
“It’s convenient. It’s slower than flying, but sometimes that’s relaxing,” Roscoe said.
Dozens of people danced and sang while waiting in a long line in Northeast D.C. on Tuesday afternoon, eager to receive a Thanksgiving meal basket, as well as fruit, bread and other staples.
Each basket featured a 15- to 20-pound turkey with Thanksgiving sides.
(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
WTOP/Scott Gelman
The program has distributed thousands of meals since it started.
(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
WTOP/Scott Gelman
In addition to turkeys, Project Feed 5000 also included side dishes, fruits and vegetables.
(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
WTOP/Scott Gelman
Volunteers hand out Thanksgiving food to families who lined up to get free meal boxes.
(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
WTOP/Scott Gelman
People line up in Northeast D.C. to receive Thanksgiving meal boxes.
(WTOP/Scott Gelman)
WTOP/Scott Gelman
Dozens of people danced and sang while waiting in a long line in Northeast D.C. on Tuesday afternoon, eager to receive a Thanksgiving meal basket featuring a turkey, along with fruit, bread and other staples.
The event was part of Project Feed 5000 — an initiative that aims to feed that number of people across D.C. during the holiday week. The Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church owns the program.
“It helped put food on our tables,” Rico Dancy said, adding some people are still recovering from the effects of the government shutdown.
Rodney Carter Jr., the church’s senior pastor, said the church has been running Project Feed 5000 for eight years, after noticing the positive impact it was having on the community.
The program has received over 80,000 pounds of food to distribute, including 1,200 turkeys, with more expected.
“We’re just hoping that this turkey and these different meal baskets will be able to just bring some hope and encouragement to families, to let somebody know that the church sees them and that they’re not by themselves,” Carter said.
Each basket featured a 15- to 20-pound turkey with Thanksgiving sides.
Costco, U-Haul, St. Michaels, Ella’s Kids, You First Health Systems and Capital Area Food Bank sponsor the program.
“It means a whole lot,” said one person in line who asked not to be identified. “Lot of people can’t even buy food. It’s tough out, it’s real rough. They’re giving turkeys out so we can feed our families and save a little bit of money. It means a lot to help us.”
Sheila Strowbridge, meanwhile, said she has seven kids and eight grandkids, and “it brings joy to my heart and peace to my soul to be able to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner for the children.”
Denise, who was there to get a Thanksgiving meal box, said many people “don’t have today, and don’t know how they’re going to make it today, don’t know how they’re going to make it through. I’m very grateful.”
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A winter storm is moving through Minnesota ahead of Thanksgiving, leaving behind what will likely be the Twin Cities’ first measurable snowfall of the season by Wednesday morning. Areas to the north could get far more.
The first wave of a two-part storm arrived Monday evening, bringing rain. The latter half of a second wave Tuesday will likely bring rain in the south and snow up north. A NEXT Weather Alert is in effect and will stretch until Wednesday.
The storm system has shifted south, bringing higher potential snowfall totals to the Twin Cities area.
By Wednesday morning, there could be up to 5 inches of snow on the ground in the Twin Cities area. There could be more accumulation to the north and west, with areas like Plymouth, Andover and Forest Lake seeing up to 8 inches of snow.
Latest snowfall totals as of 7 a.m. Tuesday. These numbers could shift as the forecast progresses.
WCCO
But the highest snow totals will likely be in central and northern Minnesota.
Weather watchers in western and north-central Minnesota were reporting between 3 and 7 inches of accumulation on Tuesday night.
Areas like St. Cloud and Brainerd could see 5 to 8 inches of snow, while Hinckley could see 8 and 12 inches of snow, according to NEXT Weather Meteorologist Joseph Dames.
Latest snowfall totals as of 7 a.m. Tuesday. These numbers could shift as the forecast progresses.
WCCO
Areas to the south of the Twin Cities — such as Mankato and Rochester — will see less, likely 1 to 3 inches of snow.
That snow will likely impact Thanksgiving travel in the morning. With strong wind gusts — between 30 mph and 40 mph — visibility on the roads will likely be low.
“If you’re going to be out on the roads, take it easy. Give yourself some extra time. Stay safe,” said Del Rosso.
The southwest corner of Minnesota likely won’t see much accumulation, though models vary and could change with time.
CYPRESS, Texas — Kenny Beck surveyed the damage Tuesday to his family’s two-story home after at least two tornadoes tore through the Houston area, damaging over 100 homes at the start of a busy Thanksgiving travel week that has Americans closely eyeing the weather.
“Half my roof on the back is gone,” Beck, 46, said as workers cleared large tree branches and other debris from around nearby houses in the suburb of Cypress. “We’ve lost a lot of ceiling because of the rain. Our garage door got sucked in.”
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National Geographic fellow and best-selling author Dan Buettner knows this as well as anyone, and he has tips you can use — even for holiday feasts. For two decades, he has been studying “blue zones,” places around the globe where people live the longest and healthiest lives. Diet is one of the major reasons why these folks have an edge.
People in blue zones, including Okinawa, Japan, and the island of Sardinia in Italy, eat plant-based diets that prioritize whole foods. “These simple peasant foods taste maniacally delicious,” Buettner told CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently on his podcast, Chasing Life. “That’s the word I like to use.”
Buettner’s latest cookbook, “The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals: 100 Recipes to Live to 100,” puts a spin on the healthy ingredients people use in these far-flung places so that theyappeal to the American palate.
Buettner collaborated with Johannes Eichstaedt, who directs Stanford University’s Computational Psychology and Well-Being Lab, using artificial intelligence to analyze 675,000 recipes from popular websites including Food Network and Allrecipes.“We found that most of the most popular recipes in America followed one of seven different patterns,” Buettner explained. “And then we kind of reverse engineered deliciousness.”
Additionally, the recipes have other virtues to overcome common concerns.
“When you have the competition from fast food and processed food, one of the biggest objections you’re going to get is, ‘I don’t have time. No. 2, ‘I can’t afford it.’ No. 3, ‘I don’t know how to do it.’ No. 4, ‘I don’t think it’ll be delicious,’” he explained.
To develop a cookbook of one-pot recipes, Buettner said, “I started with these criteria: that every recipe had to take less than 20 minutes to combine, it had to cost less than three bucks a serving, and it had to be maniacally delicious.”
Thanksgiving apparently did not get the longevity-promoting memo, since many of the dishes Americans typically love to devour during the feast are a few sticks of butter in excess of being health-promoting.
But that doesn’t mean you have to toss the turkey out with the gravy. Small tweaks can help you align your holiday meal with blue-zone eating patterns. Here are Buettner’s five tips.
Invite the three sisters
The original Thanksgiving staples — beans, corn and squash — are also three of the most longevity-boosting foods on the planet, Buettner said in an email.
He noted that versions of this nutrient-packed trio are not just part of traditional Native American diets, but also those of people living in the blue zones of Costa Rica’s Nicoya region and the island of Icaria in Greece.
“Build your menu around these, and you’re already eating like centenarians.”
Spotlight vegetables in your sides
Add a longevity-boosting salad or vegetable-forward side dish (or two) to the feast, Buettner suggested.
“Blue-zone tables are full of leafy greens: mustard greens, collards, wild arugula, fennel fronds,” he said. “A simple, herb-heavy salad or roasted seasonal vegetables can lighten a traditionally heavy meal.”
Here’s a side dish recipe from “One Pot Meals” to try:
Honey Roasted Carrots
These honey-roasted carrots make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. Credit: Oliver Barth/Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals via CNN Newsource
Serves 4
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
For the glaze
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
For the carrots
12 ounces carrots, peeled (about 5 medium carrots)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cumin seed
¼ teaspoon caraway seed
¼ teaspoon coriander seed
¼ teaspoon fennel seed
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (hot or sweet, according to taste)
¼ cup carrot greens or fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a ramekin or small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients until the honey is dissolved, then set aside.
Toss the carrots in the oil to coat evenly, then add the salt and spices and toss again.
Spread the carrots in a single layer on a13-x-9-inch sheet pan, with curved sides facing up.
Roast the carrots for 30 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven. Drizzle the glaze over the carrots, and return to the oven for 5 more minutes.
Garnish with the chopped greens before serving.
Call in the whole grains gang
In accompaniments calling for refined grains, swap in whole-grain alternatives.
“Instead of white rolls or refined stuffing, try whole-grain sourdough, barley or wild rice,” Buettner said. “These keep blood sugar stable and keep you fuller with fewer calories.
Even if you go with your favorites, you can tweak them to be healthier, as Buettner does in his take on whipped potatoes.
Not-Your-Mom’s Whipped Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6
Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
Instructions
Trim any dark spots off the potatoes, then halve or quarter the potatoes so all the pieces are roughly the same size, about 2 inches across.
Put the potatoes in a deep pot that’s large enough to hold them with plenty of room to spare.
Cover the potatoes with water by about 2 inches.
Bring the water to a boil and cook until a knife can pierce the potatoes with minimal resistance, about 20 minutes.
Use a colander to drain the water, then return the potatoes to the pot.
Add the oil, salt and chives and use an immersion blender to whip it all into a smooth, velvety puree.
Taste for seasoning and serve.
Rethink the sweets
Instead of a parade of pies, try baked apples for dessert, Buettner suggests. Credit: Viktoria Hodos/iStockphoto / Getty Images via CNN Newsource
Instead of piling up your plate with every dessert on offer, try to reframe the way you think about the course.
“You don’t need to ban dessert, just change the equation,” Buettner said. “In Sardinia, people enjoy a single simple sweet after meals, not an avalanche of pies.”
Another option: Try naturally sweet foods like baked apples, roasted squash or dates, he suggested.
Strengthen ties with family and friends
Make the holiday social, active and purposeful. “A blue-zone Thanksgiving doesn’t end at the table,” Buettner said.
Nor does it start there. “Play a game, ask everyone to share a gratitude story or include elders in the cooking,” he said.
And, post-meal, head outside for a stroll, not to the couch — at least not right away!
“Longevity isn’t just about what’s on the plate,” he said. “It’s the whole web of connection around it.”
Editor’s note: We hope these five tips help you make your Thanksgiving offerings more blue-zone aligned. Listen to the full episode here. And join us next week for a new episode of the Chasing Life podcast.
Mr. Trump, with first lady Melania at his side, said he was granting the turkeys a “full and unconditional pardon.”
Tuesday’s ceremony is one of Mr. Trump’s final actvities at the White House before he heads to Mar-a-Lago for the holiday.
Here are some photos from the day’s festivities:
Turkeys Waddle and Gobble, who will receive a presidential pardon at the White House ahead of Thanksgiving, enjoy their hotel room at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, in Washington, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Waddle and Gobble stayed at Washington D.C.’s posh Willard Hotel ahead of Tuesday’s pardoning.
Nicholas, the son of White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, looks at Waddle, the alternate national Thanksgiving turkey, in the White House press briefing room, on Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
Waddle joined the White House briefing room ahead of the pardoning.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s son Nicholas also visited the briefing room.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and her son Nicholas “Niko” Robert Riccio welcome Waddle, the alternate to the National Thanksgiving turkey, in in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Nov, 25, 2025.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Members of Mr. Trump’s Cabinet were in the crowd in the Rose Garden, which was recently redone by Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump on Tuesday complimented the new Rose Garden.
(L-R) Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent look on before the 78th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in the Rose Garden of the White House on Nov. 25, 2025.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
First lady Melania Trump joined Mr. Trump in the Rose Garden.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive for the White House turkey pardon ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS /AFP via Getty Images
President Trump speaks prior to pardoning the National Thanksgiving Turkey.
Aaron Schwartz / Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump delivers remarks during the 78th annual National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Mr. Trump said he was granting Gobble a “full and unconditional pardon,” and joked about some of former President Joe Biden’s controversial pardons.
First lady Melania Trump looks on as President Trump pardons Gobble, one of the National Thanksgiving Turkeys.
Alex WROBLEWSKI /AFP via Getty Images
President Trump pardons Gobble the turkey during a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House.
Julia Demaree Nikhinson / AP
Vice President JD Vance, his wife Usha Vance and their daughter Mirabel visited Gobble after he was pardoned.
Vice President JD Vance holds his daughter Mirabel after President Trump pardoned Gobble during the annual turkey pardon ceremony.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS /AFP via Getty Images
Travis Pittman of Wayne County, North Carolina, had the honor of raising Gobble and Waddle.
“This is a dream come true,” he told CBS News.
Pittman typically raises flocks of at least 19,000 turkeys on his farm for Butterball, the nation’s largest turkey producer.
“They were normally the two that came to us first every day,” Pittman said of Gobble and Waddle. “They were more comfortable.”
Pittman credited his young son, Carter, for helping feed and interact with the winning birds. He said it’s a reminder that farming is a family business and a family-wide commitment.
“Most people that are in that industry work countless hours,” Pittman said of his message to people as they celebrate Thanksgiving this week. “And not only do they work hours in whether they’re in their flock of birds with turkeys, or if they’re in the farm fields and the tractors and all, they carry this job home at night also. As my wife would say, you really never get away from it.”
