"People come in here and buy ducks, you know, quack, quack. I guess the turkey's pretty traditional. But you can cook duck in the same way or glaze it with orange or something," Huston says.
Other Square merchants are left to handle the post-Holiday crush. At The Store 24, two items always are high on everyone's list.
"Eggs. They go really fast. People come in here from parties six in the morning after they've been out partying. They buy a lot of eggs," said Toyin O. Adesanya, Store 24 cashier. "And there's especially good sales of firelogs. I guess you ignite it and drink around it."
STUDENTS staying at Harvard this weekend can breathe a sigh of relief, however, because Harvard Dining Services will select the 15 turkeys for its annual Thanksgiving Day meal.
Responsibility for the Thanksgiving Day dinner and its 350-odd student patrons is rotated every year among the river houses. Adams House will host this year's gala, from noon to 2 p.m. tomorrow. But Dining Services Assistant Manager Ronald Cockroft is not bitter about having to work on the holiday.
"This is our year. Everybody's up for it. It's what you might call an occupational hazard," he says.
Despite the rotation, Cockroft says he's seen his share of holiday dinners.
"In 34 years, I haven't been home on too many Thanksgivings," says Cockroft, adding that for him, working Turkey Day is a mixed blessing. "If we [at Adams House] have it, it means I don't have to stay home and cook."
But the veteran Dining Services employee maintains a sense of humor about the meal, and about those who don't partake of it. "If you can't eat with the best," says Cockroft, "I hope everything's good at home."
But not all dining hall workers share his enthusiasm for spending the day at Harvard.
"I'm just glad I'm not working," says Quincy House dining hall worker Austin Price, who spent last Thanksgiving tending turkeys. "The pay was good and all, but it's just the point of being here. You're just not really with the family--plus I miss a lot of football games."
ODDLY enough, for many undergraduates, food seems to be most on their minds.
"Eat. I plan to eat. I'm psyched to get out of here. It's been too long since I got here in September," said Todd F. Bourell '92, "It's definitely time to go."
But some students' holiday plans reflect other priorities.
"I'm going to Pittsburgh to spend time with my girlfriend's family," said Anthony C. Shen '92. "And her, of course," he added.
But while most students look forward to sitting down with the family at a traditional dinner, Yard advisors say Thanksgiving can be a tough time for those who aren't able to make it home.
"I think that the people who are going home are very excited. But unfortunately, some people can't make it home and they're more sad than they'll like to admit. It's a mixed bag," said Michael S. Grossman '86, Matthews Hall proctor.
"For the people who will be with their families, it can't come fast enough, but for those who can't see their families until Christmas, it'll probably be a hard time. Most don't stay, but about [several] don't have a place to go on Thanksgiving."