Students Make Holiday Plans

Whether they plan on studying, sleeping, or just plain gobbling, a number of undergraduates say they will not let the exodus of their fellow students spoil their holiday fun this Thanksgiving.

Some students are organizing Thanksgiving dinners of their own.

"We just made our Star Market trek--for Thanksgiving, we'll be cooking a big dinner in the kitchen of a high school friend who lives in North House. Then we're going to eat it in the dining hall, because it will be deserted," said Katherine A. Woo '95.

"We did it last year and it was a lot of fun. It's kind of a tradition now," Woo said.

Woo and other students remaining at Harvard have been raiding area stores for Thanksgiving-related purchases.

"Customers this year seem to be going for the fresh turkeys, brand name turkeys, but turkeys are pretty much all the same," said Michael Slattery, a butcher at the Porter Square Star Market.

Although turkeys this year are "dirt cheap,"sales are more or less the same at about 120 to150 turkeys a day, said Slattery.

Harvard students are among the repeat customersbuying turkeys this year at Star Market, saidSlattery.

Cardullo's Market, a Harvard Square storespecializing in wines, cheeses and imported goods,was busy yesterday as Cambridge residents andstudents paced the wellstocked aisles.

Mather House resident Elijah A. White '95 saidhe was there to buy spiced teas for parents of afriend he will visit over Thanksgiving.Yesterday's trip to Cardullo's was his first.

"I'm trying to shop for parents...and thisseemed like the type of place parents would liketo buy stuff, like fancy European foods," he said.

White, who is from Falmouth, Mass., said hewill spend the holiday in Los Angeles. "[Myfriend] came to my place last year...and I'venever been to L.A., so it's a good excuse to spend$500," he said.

"Everyone I know is either going home or goinghome with a friend," he added.

Cardullo's employees said they expected evenmore customers today.

Yesterday's cool temperatures and drizzledidn't prevent some students from making the trekdown Mass. Ave. to Barsamian's, a specialty foodstore that General Manager Linda A. Haughey saidhas an unmerited reputation for high-pricedturkey-related condiments.

"It's little bit busier today, but tomorrow,the day before [Thanksgiving], is going to be thebig rush," she said.

When asked whether she had noticed any repeatstudent Thanksgiving customers, Haughey said shewas unsure. "We definitely have repeat customersfor Thanksgiving, but with students it's hard tosay. They're such a transient bunch," she said.

While some may have trouble analyzing theshopping patterns of students, Michael A. Kanter,owner of Cambridge Health Foods said he hasnoticed a new trend among this year's Thanksgivingconsumers--the desire to eat right.

Kanter attributes an annual increase inThanksgiving purchases at his store to an"increased awareness about health foods."

"Students aren't so much buying turkeys as theyare juices, cranberry sauce, rice and tofu," hesaid.

Other hot commodities among students areorganic produce, juices, herbal teas, granola andprepared mixes, Kanter said.

For those who plan to sit tight and avoid thebarrage on area stores, Harvard Dining Serviceshas planned a Thanksgiving lunch in Quincy HouseDining Hall, said dining supervisor RidwanHimawan.

An extensive menu--including turkey, ham,stuffing, cheese pasta, whipped potatoes,butternut squash, mashed turnips, cranberry sauceand an assortment of pies--will be provided forstudents beginning at 11:45 a.m. tomorrow.

Himawan said he expects 500 students to takeadvantage of the free meal.

In a display of compassion befitting theholiday season, Himawan said that guests will bewelcome at Quincy tomorrow.

"The more the merrier," he said.

David B. Lat contributed to the reporting ofthis story.

Although turkeys this year are "dirt cheap,"sales are more or less the same at about 120 to150 turkeys a day, said Slattery.

Harvard students are among the repeat customersbuying turkeys this year at Star Market, saidSlattery.

Cardullo's Market, a Harvard Square storespecializing in wines, cheeses and imported goods,was busy yesterday as Cambridge residents andstudents paced the wellstocked aisles.

Mather House resident Elijah A. White '95 saidhe was there to buy spiced teas for parents of afriend he will visit over Thanksgiving.Yesterday's trip to Cardullo's was his first.

"I'm trying to shop for parents...and thisseemed like the type of place parents would liketo buy stuff, like fancy European foods," he said.

White, who is from Falmouth, Mass., said hewill spend the holiday in Los Angeles. "[Myfriend] came to my place last year...and I'venever been to L.A., so it's a good excuse to spend$500," he said.

"Everyone I know is either going home or goinghome with a friend," he added.

Cardullo's employees said they expected evenmore customers today.

Yesterday's cool temperatures and drizzledidn't prevent some students from making the trekdown Mass. Ave. to Barsamian's, a specialty foodstore that General Manager Linda A. Haughey saidhas an unmerited reputation for high-pricedturkey-related condiments.

"It's little bit busier today, but tomorrow,the day before [Thanksgiving], is going to be thebig rush," she said.

When asked whether she had noticed any repeatstudent Thanksgiving customers, Haughey said shewas unsure. "We definitely have repeat customersfor Thanksgiving, but with students it's hard tosay. They're such a transient bunch," she said.

While some may have trouble analyzing theshopping patterns of students, Michael A. Kanter,owner of Cambridge Health Foods said he hasnoticed a new trend among this year's Thanksgivingconsumers--the desire to eat right.

Kanter attributes an annual increase inThanksgiving purchases at his store to an"increased awareness about health foods."

"Students aren't so much buying turkeys as theyare juices, cranberry sauce, rice and tofu," hesaid.

Other hot commodities among students areorganic produce, juices, herbal teas, granola andprepared mixes, Kanter said.

For those who plan to sit tight and avoid thebarrage on area stores, Harvard Dining Serviceshas planned a Thanksgiving lunch in Quincy HouseDining Hall, said dining supervisor RidwanHimawan.

An extensive menu--including turkey, ham,stuffing, cheese pasta, whipped potatoes,butternut squash, mashed turnips, cranberry sauceand an assortment of pies--will be provided forstudents beginning at 11:45 a.m. tomorrow.

Himawan said he expects 500 students to takeadvantage of the free meal.

In a display of compassion befitting theholiday season, Himawan said that guests will bewelcome at Quincy tomorrow.

"The more the merrier," he said.

David B. Lat contributed to the reporting ofthis story.