Thanksgiving in London

A recent survey by Waitrose revealed that nearly one in five Britons celebrates Thanksgiving, which takes place on Thursday 26^th of November this year. We’ll skip past the irony of how Thanksgiving originated when the Pilgrims set sail for the New World to escape religious oppression under Britain’s King James I and happily celebrate alongside them. If you’re an American expat unable to get home for “the holidays” or simply want to indulge in American football, eat lots of turkey or maybe want to take some time to spend with family, London offers plenty of opportunities.

When it comes to the big bird – the turkey, that is – there are a wealth of butchers who offer delicious Norfolk Black or Bronze turkeys just in time for Thanksgiving. The Ginger Pig has branches across London but you’ll need to pre-order your turkey, such is the demand.  Lidgates in Holland Park has a selection of free range turkeys but our favourites are poultry specialists Wyndam House, with branches at Borough Market, Chelsea and Chiswick. Not only is Kew Bridge development close by, this two bedroom flat has plenty of space to host a special Thanksgiving dinner.

Those looking for other American ingredients with which to make the big meal need not worry. Almost any American ingredient can be found in London.  Panzers in St John’s Wood sells tinned pumpkin, Stove Top stuffing and Jiffy corn muffin mix amongst other American favourites.  .  They will even deliver locally to St John’s Wood, the area being popular with American families due to the proximity of The American School in London located opposite the Underground station. If you’re searching for a family home nearby to rent consider this three bedroom apartment.

Those looking to leave the cooking to someone else can also find plenty of Thanksgiving-themed meals. Cut at 45 Park Lane, the London outpost of US celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, is offering a special Thanksgiving menu for £90 while Hix Mayfair at Brown’s Hotel is offering up sumptuous treats such as roast turkey, sweet potatoes and pecan pie. If your budget is a bit more modest, consider Bea’s of Bloomsbury which is celebrating Thanksgiving with roast turkey and pumpkin pie for £24 a person while Big Easy in Covent Garden is serving up a three course menu including pit smoked turkey for £30.  If you need to walk off your meal after, this three bedroom apartment in Mayfair is just a short stroll away.

1 bed flat to rent in the City, EC2

But Thanksgiving isn’t just about the food. Starting at 11am, the annual Thanksgiving Day Service at St Paul’s Cathedral gets underway. The service normally attracts over 2,000 people so get there early. It is conducted by the US Ambassador to London and the minister from the American International Church in London while the US Marine Corp provides a Colour Guard. You might even be able to catch a glimpse of the celebrations from this one bedroom flat up a little way up the road.

American football is also a big part of Thanksgiving and several of the most popular teams will be playing on the day including the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers. Check out to find out where to watch the action, preferably on a big screen in an American-style sports bar to get in the full spirit of the occasion. Our favourite is Jetlag in Fitzrovia which is nearby to this two bedroom apartment in Baker Street.

Of course, no Thanksgiving would be complete without watching the Macy’s Day Parade. For years that used to be the one thing expats missed but now Americans on this side of the Atlantic can catch the parade online. Macy’s will be streaming the extravaganza live so log onto macys.com from 2pm onwards.

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