“Not a lot of students stay around, but for those who do it is nice to have some sense of community and to break bread together,” said Allison B. Tirres, assistant senior tutor in Lowell House.
“Tutors too would like to go home and see their families; we thought it would be nice to recreate that,” she said.
Lowell resident tutor and Executive Director of the Phillips Brooks House Association Gene A. Corbin has also incorporated public service into the day by enabling students and tutors to cover shifts serving dinner to those less fortunate at a local homeless shelter.
Matthew Peattie, a Pforzheimer resident tutor, is hosting a supper followed by a movie screening for residents according to Sharon Holt, the House administrator.
“We always try to encourage tutors to have dinner in the House,” she said.
For some students, particularly those who have parents in town for the holiday, Harvard Square offers a number of Turkey Day dining options.
Jim Carr, manager of Henrietta’s Table in the Charles Hotel, said that he expects numerous Harvard affiliates for their Thanksgiving buffet.
“Some parents have already dropped by and made reservations for their children,” he said.
However, The Inn at Harvard has canceled their annual dinner, forcing those families and guests who had made reservations to change their plans.
“There weren’t enough reservations to warrant serving it,” said Robert Sweeney, the catering manager.
Others will rely on roommates and friends close to Cambridge for their Thanksgiving fare.
Charles A. Price ’03-’04, also from California, is staying in Cambridge to work on his thesis, which is due Dec. 5.
Price said he has returned home to celebrate Turkey Day every other year, but felt that time was too restricted this year to make the cross country trek.
“This year there is so little time between Thanksgiving and Christmas that it didn’t seem worth it to go home,” he said.
Price said he has secured an invitation for Thanksgiving dinner with his roommate from Needham, Mass.
“If my roommate hadn’t invited me, I would have cast around for an invitation,” he said.