Thanksgiving Etiquette Question

[irishScott]

This happened last Thanksgiving, and for some reason it just popped into my head a minute ago. We (my immediate family and Aunt/Uncle/Cousin) were fixing our plates, and I saw a turkey leg on the counter (with the uncarved remains of the Turkey). I like drumsticks, so I thought "fuck yeah" and put it on my plate. No flourish, no show, just normally placed it on my plate like I'd just done with my potatoes. I ate it as one would normally eat a drumstick, with my hands, but cleanly.

After dinner my mom came up to me and said that since we were home it was fine, but if I did that at someone else's house it would be offensive. How?

The only thing I can think of is that the host went through the trouble of carving the thing, so taking an un-carved piece is disrespectful of the effort? Personally I think anyone who thinks that way needs to grow some skin thicker than paper, and if it really offends them that much I'll gladly eat some carved turkey in addition to the drumstick... 😕

 

[paulney]

Did you walk around the house with the drumstick in hand, gnawing on it, like those fat people at Disneyland?
If no, I think you are fine, especially in your own house.

Edit: if you eat at someone else's house, eat the food served, don't go around grabbing random goodies from the counters...

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: paulney
Did you walk around the house with the drumstick in hand, gnawing on it, like those fat people at Disneyland?
If no, I think you are fine, especially in your own house.

Edit: if you eat at someone else's house, eat the food served, don't go around grabbing random goodies from the counters...

Well it was sitting there right behind the rest of the food (albeit in a pan). Not like I went out of my way or anything. 😛

 

[nageov3t]

I'd do it at my own house or my parents, but if I'm a guest at someone else's house, I think it'd probably be rude to eat random food from the counters or whatever that wasn't served. never know if they didn't serve it for a specific reason.

 

[RocksteadyDotNet]

Your mum smokes crack.

 

[paulney]

Mmm... drumstick

 

[0roo0roo]

taking a whole drumstick unless offered can seem greedy.
there are many slices of breast, but only two drumsticks. if you wanted some of it, best woulda been to just carve a bit off it.

 

[irishScott]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
taking a whole drumstick unless offered can seem greedy.
there are many slices of breast, but only two drumsticks. if you wanted some of it, best woulda been to just carve a bit off it.

I suppose. Everyone else had a shot at it though (I was the last one to the table). Carpe Diem FTW. 🙂

 

[DayLaPaul]

If you came over to my house and took one of my drumsticks without asking, I'd probably have issue with that. Some families cut up the drumsticks and serve them sliced, so taking an entire drumstick would definitely seem greedy if it weren't your turkey.

 

[RbSX]

I think it's rude in the sense that it wasn't on the table so it wasn't yours to take

 

[kranky]

Agreed, at someone else's house you would never take food that wasn't served at the table. Food on a counter does not mean it's fair game for anyone who wants it.

To the question whether it was OK to take the whole drumstick in the first place, if the drumstick was on the table and you were at someone else's house and the host asks what you want, you could say something like "I like drumsticks" and the host would either serve you the whole thing or cut some off for you.