The day after Thanksgiving the family decided to escape the Black Friday madness and instead headed to a Christmas tree farm in upstate New York. Each household selected a tree then everyone helped to cut them down and secure them to the rooftops of their sports utility vehicles. Greg and Cole hitched a flatbed trailer to their SUV so they could load Emma and Liz’s tree as well.

The couples also wanted to pick mistletoe which was an activity they could do on the farm since it grew commonly on many trees. The farmers pointed out to the city folk how to recognize mistletoe and how to collect it. There was a lot of kissing going on during the collection process since of course they had to try it before they bought it.

While the couples were playing kissy-face Peter, Maxine, Peggy and the five children enjoyed a wagon ride which took them to a little country store on the property where they purchased chocolates, homemade cranberry sauce, roasted chestnuts, and pumpkin bread. Peter and Maxine also found several new recipes and ingredients for their planned Christmas feast.

Once they finished at the farm the group of thirty driving in a caravan of five SUVs decided they would have dinner before going their separate ways. They chose a restaurant located off the interstate that was highly recommended by the owners of the tree farm. They were assured that the establishment routinely catered to large groups, and in fact it only took the hostess a few minutes to put the tables together to accommodate everyone and to provide enough staffing to take their orders. Although they were prepared to split the check the servers were appreciative when Peggy took care of the entire bill and left them a very generous tip. Everyone at the table protested wanting to pay their share but Peggy wouldn’t hear of it.

After dinner Cole, Greg, Emma, Liz, and Suzie in one car headed home to Connecticut. Winnie, Judith, Peggy and her grandchildren occupied the second car and drove back to Manhattan with the promise of meeting up again the following week for the Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony.

James, his wife Lisa, Tom, Max, Jenny and Nikki decided they would do a bit of shopping so they headed to the outlet malls. Bette drove Maxine, Peter, Angie, Dana and Lara in the fourth car while Tina brought up the rear in the last car with Alice, Tasha, Shane, Molly, Kit and Angus. They drove back to Tribeca first stopping at the loft to unload the tree and then back to the hotel.