Know everything I need for a good Thanksgiving

Inflation is reportedly going to strike the Thanksgiving table hard this year.

The price of the items that go into a traditional Thanksgiving dinner are estimated to rise 14% this year over last year. Dinner for a family of 10 will average $53.31 according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. Last year’s price of $46.90 was actually down 4% from the year before. That price was the lowest in 10 years.

I’m scratching my head a little bit at those estimates. I fixed for four people last year and I’m pretty sure I spent way more than $46.90. This year’s calculation figures on a whopping 24% increase for the turkey. The birds I’ve priced so far don’t seem that high.

My sister has offered to fix this year’s Thanksgiving with yours truly assigned to smoke the turkey on my Traeger. Even with a 24% increase in the price of a turkey I got out easy. This year the family is going to be back together again so she’s going to be hosting at least the full 10 people and pay for inflation.

Cornbread dressing is really cheap to make, though, and that is at the end of the day really all I’m interested in eating. Sure, I’ll get a big pile of dark meat and at least a slice of juicy ham. A yeast roll will be required to sop up the gravy on all that dressing. Finally, a piece of pumpkin pie and maybe a slice of pecan pie for dessert will make it a real holiday.

I think I gained 5 pounds just writing that last paragraph.

I’m worried that one of the most important things to make Thanksgiving perfect may be one of the most affected by inflation — ammunition.

No, I’m not planning on hunting down my own turkey this year, but paper target practice with rifles or pistols and clay targets with shotguns is one of my favorite ways to kill a little time waiting for dinner or a good after-dinner family activity. With enough ammo it will be time for a little more pie by the time we’re done.

All this talk of inflation reminds me of the 1970s, President Jimmy Carter and waiting in long gas lines. Even with inflation running rampant back then your turkey dinner was only $15.98 in 1978. The bad news that year was that the Detroit Lions edged out my Denver Broncos by a field goal. The good news was that was before I was a Broncos fan.

So in review, all I need to make it a great holiday is cornbread dressing, plenty of ammunition and a Broncos’ win next Sunday. Oh, and family. Lots of family is really important this year.

Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:

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