Jaunted

The first, and most obvious, holiday headache is having to prepare an impressive spread and make it look like you accomplished the task with Rachel Ray's perky ease (unlikely). The Hyatt is offering traditional Thanksgiving food—including Turkey with Orange Cranberry Relish, Sausage Chestnut Stuffing, and Sage and Maple Butter Glazed Sweet Potatoes—at $65 for adults and $33 for kids aged 4-12 from 1:00 to 8:00 PM the day of. That's less than you'd pony up for a prix fixe deal at most restaurants, plus you're paying for a day free of chopping, roasting, and baking.

The second chore to knock off of your list is entertainment, though the festivities kick off on the day after all that turkey has been consumed. At the Holiday Jazz Fest, Chris Botti and Boney James will be performing over the weekend during 8:00 PM shows at the hotel. Reserved seating is available for $65 per night, while VIP tickets will set you back $95, but include preferred seating and a pre-show reception at the casino.

We'll admit that much of the above seems more well-suited for families and some of Tahoe's gambling geriatric visitors, but don't forget that nearby snowboarding and skiing are what tend to draw adventure-seekers to the area around this time of year. Should you want a breather from some of these relatively tame forms of entertainment, you'll be happy to hear that many resorts, such as Heavenly (where a two-day ticket will run you about $110), are opening in just a few days. Do your best to grin and bear it through the first half of the weekend, then hit the slopes for the second.

Related Stories
· Hyatt's Holiday Fest and Thanksgiving Festivities [Official Site]
· Ski Lake Tahoe [Official Site]
· Thanksgiving coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Franco Folini]