NEW YORK — Forget that second helping of pumpkin pie. With the economy still struggling American families are planning to scale back their Thanksgiving celebrations this year.
This year nearly 40% of families will change their Thanksgiving plans for economic reasons, according to a survey by First Command Financial Services. The biggest change will be in the number of people coming to dinner: 20% say they will opt for a family-only affair.
"People are looking at areas in their life where they do have some control over the spending and Thanksgiving is one of those areas where people can go overboard," said household savings expert Jeanette Pavini.
Last year, the average cost of Thanksgiving dinner for a family of 10 was $42.91, nearly double the price in 1987. But that still only includes a 16-lb. turkey, one bag of stuffing (no additions like mushrooms or herbs) and a pound of peas, among other things. It's more a dinner of "it'll do," than a holiday feast that many families enjoy putting on.
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