November 26, 2025 • 39 mins
According to multiple reports, The American Farm Bureau Federation, which uses volunteer shoppers in all 50 states to survey prices, found in its 40th annual Thanksgiving dinner survey, that the cost of Thanksgiving dinner shows moderate decline this year: about a 5% decrease from 2024. Specifically the price of turkey and stuffing is down from this time last year. What are you spending on your Thanksgiving feast this year? Additionally, do you buy alcohol to bring or have at your Thanksgiving feast? MA Rep. David Linsky has a bill that aims to change a blue law in MA that bans the sale of alcohol on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Rep. Linsky joined us to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBSY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, welcome back everyone. By the way, before we
get to our guest here at the top of the
ten o'clock hour, some have written to me about whether
or not we're going to do the annual Nightside Charity combine.
Marita and I are thinking about that, and I will
make an announcement on that tomorrow night. Officially, if we
(00:28):
do it, people who want to represent a charity are
the only people we want to hear from. I don't
want to hear from people who are going to say,
there's a wonderful charity that i'd like you to talk to,
Why don't you give them a call? We don't do that,
So just be advised that if you hear the announcement
tomorrow night, we're not looking for suggestions. We're looking for
(00:50):
people who want to represent charities during our final broadcast
of the year, which I believe is going to be Tuesday,
December twenty third. But we'll make an announcement about that
tomorrow night, and I hope that those of you who
are involved, either as directors or executive directors or volunteers
(01:13):
for charities, either can get people. We give we pretty
much profile about twenty charities in the last couple of
hours of the broadcast here. Would like to do that again,
but last year was an immense amount of work because
too many people were calling saying, well, I know of
a charity which would be wonderful, and here's the suggestion.
But we're going to eliminate any suggestions at all. You
(01:35):
send us the suggestion, we will ignore it. If you're
involved with the charity and want to represent the charity,
or someone from that charity wants to call us, you
want to call them and say give us a call
or we'll have it all the information of tomorrow night period.
Just to give you a little preview. Joining me now
is Stay Representative, David Lynsky Representative. Welcome back to Nightside.
(01:58):
How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I'm doing fine and it is always a pleasure to
visit with my friend.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Dan Ray absolutely and David is a Democrat. Represents Natick.
What other do you have? You must have some other.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Community or they also represent Whaland. Natick and Whalen two
great towns in Metro West.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Okay, well, that's so you represent the entirety of Natick
and Whalen. That's good. A lot of state reps, as
you know, end up representing multiple communities, and they might
represent only part of some of the community. So if
you're a listener in Natick or Whaland you were about
to hear from your state representative Dave Lynsky we talked
earlier this afternoon, and you are concerned about the fact
(02:40):
that there's only two days during the calendar year, Christmas
and Thanksgiving, when all sorts of liquor stores, packaged stores
are closed, so people cannot go out and buy themselves
a six pack or a bottle of wine. They have
to think in advance in terms of both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
(03:02):
And if you're driving to someone's house and you'd like
to have a bottle of wine and as a gift
or as a walking in the door present, you're not
going to be able to do that in Massachusetts. And
you have how long have you filed legislation to try
to change that.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I've been trying to change this for four or five
years now, Dan, And it's really about consumer choice and
consumer convenience. Now, imagine, if you will, two days from now,
we're going to have a great turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.
You know, you're going to go to a friend's house
or a relative's house, and they call you up and
(03:39):
you say, hey, on your way, could you pick up
a bottle of wine. We're running a little short. And
so you go buy the convenience store or the package
as we call it here in Massachusetts, and they're closed
because you can't buy liquor in Massachusetts because of the
antiquated Blue lag that date back to the sixteen hundreds.
(04:01):
You know, look, nobody is going to force anybody to drink.
Nobody's going to force anybody to open their store on
Thanksgiving or Christmas if you want to. But come on,
we're not living in the sixteen hundreds anymore. You know.
It was only a few years ago that we allowed
liquor seals on Sunday. Massachusetts is an outlier when it
(04:24):
comes to the rest of the country. You know, these
blue laws were written by Pilgrims and Puritans back in
the sixteen hundreds in a very different time period when
you know, they were concerned about all kinds of things.
They called alcohol the devil's drink. Well, deven run a
(04:45):
whole lot of Puritans and pilgrims running around Massachusetts lately.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Well, I guess the one of the arguments, and I
think I know what your answer is is that one
of the arguments is that, hey, a lot of people
don't want to work on Thanksgiving and they prefer to
spend some time with their family.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
And I totally, I totally get that, Dan, And so
you know what my answer to that is, don't open
the store. I mean, it's it's simple, you know, but
the reality is a lot of convenience stores and small markets.
We've got a great one here in Natick called called
Tillian Selby's Bacon Street Farm. They're open at least in
the morning on Thanksgiving Day and they're selling food. You know,
(05:31):
people come in, they get the last minute thing for
their for their Thanksgiving table that they want to gobble down,
and you know, they see the bottle of wine there,
but they're not allowed to sell it or beer or lookout,
farm cider from Natick. So you can't do it.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So I'm sure you've talked to the leadership about this,
and of course you got to get it both through
the scent the House, your chamber and the Senate. If
you're going to change it, our liquor stores. And you
probably know this, but I hate to ask, and never
is a lawyer like to ask a question of another
lawyer that I don't that I'm not sure they know.
(06:09):
But I'll make an exception. Our liquor stores open in
surrounding states.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Take absolutely, absolutely they are, or at least if they
if they're full liquor stores or we as I said,
we call them packis here in massa jusets because I'm
a native Bostonian. If they're not open, at least you
can go to the convenience store and buy Darren Watt.
You know, Massachusetts. Wait, our liquor laws aren't antiquated here
(06:35):
in so many different ways.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So what I started asking the question, what do you
think the leadership? Is this an issue? The leadership is
going to get behind because you and I, well.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I'm working on it. I'm working on it. Dan. You know,
the reality here is is Massachusetts has changed. You know
we we we don't. The Sunday isn't the Sabbath anymore
in uh in Massachusetts. And people's lifestyles have changed. They
do their grocery shopping on Sunday, and thankfully now for
(07:10):
at least for most of the day you can. You
can pick up the six pack of beer or the
bottle of wine in the grocery store on a Sunday.
You couldn't do that when I first started in the legislature.
So let's just you know, call Thanksgiving and Christmas like
any other day of the year. Look, you know, you know,
(07:31):
people if they don't want to buy liquor, if it's
against their religion, so be it. Absolutely they have a
right to do that. I support it. But this is
about about freedom of choice, and uh, this is where
my libertarian streak comes in.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Okay, So what about what about the argument of come on,
if you're an adult and you enjoy drinking at some point, uh,
you know, Thanksgivings coming, I mean, it doesn't sneak up
on you by surprise, and Christmas too. Uh, there's plenty
of opportunity in the days and the week ahead to
(08:06):
stock up and get whatever you want. What about that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Argument, Well, because people are busy, that's the reality. And
you know sometimes the same way that you might forget
to bring that bottle of wine, you might forget the
pumpkin pie, or you might forget the extra cranberry sauce.
Or the gravy, So you have to run to the
convenience store to pick that up. I can't think of
(08:30):
anybody who hasn't been in that situation on a holiday
to make that run. Maybe you need, you know, half
and half creamer or something. You know, if the if
the wine is there in the store, what's the harm
in picking up the bottle of wine as well?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
All right, well, Representative, this is we'll follow a will
follow your action on this one, and if it gets serious,
we'll have to bring you in and we'll find someone
to debate you on it, and we'll have that Dan.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
And you know, I love a good.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I know that that is for certain. We've had more
than a few of them. Thanks Representative. Happy Thanksgiving to
you and.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Yours, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody out there.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
All right, thanks Dave, Dave Lynskey, And okay, here's what
we want to do for this hour and maybe even
a little longer. Thanksgiving is now two days away, and
you know, I'm sure that there's been a lot of
comment and controversy over and I think part of it
(09:33):
is because Donald Trump is president. Over what are the
costs of a Thanksgiving dinner? And all of that and
as I read a lot of these stories in October
and November, I decided to look and do a little
bit of research, and I actually found I'm not going
to tell you, well, I will tell you it is.
It was an NPR who they wrote a piece, big
(09:59):
piece on November seventeenth, Americans could see a big sticker
shock for Thanksgiving turkeys this year. That was the piece
that they wrote, well earlier this week. Seven days later,
on November twenty fourth, the lead story, well, the lead
(10:22):
paragraph of a story was here's something to be thankful
for the price of turkey and stuffing is down this time.
They should have said the price of turkey and stuffing down,
I guess because it really is plural, but the price
of turkey and stuffing is down from this time last year. So,
within a matter of seven days, this very reliable news
(10:46):
source went from big sticker shock to the price being down.
I want to find out from you. Do you think,
I'm sure many of you listened to news reports on television,
on radio, and in newspapers. Do you think that there
were people out there in my business who were overplaying
(11:10):
this story. I think that the statistics now suggest that
the cost of a you know, an average Thanksgiving dinner
are it's going to be a little down this year.
I think the best number that I saw was if
you had a group of people for ten that the
(11:33):
food put aside the alcohol. But if the food would
run about I guess fifty two dollars or something like that,
you know, for you know, per person. We're a year
ago it would have run about fifty five dollars for
a table of ten. So it's down about five percent,
which is not a whole huge amount of money. But
(11:54):
I think that that inflation seems to be under control,
the dock market seems to be doing well. I think
that there's a lot of hope out there. We're going
into the Christmas season. I had a retailerround last night
who and a story on last night that this year,
(12:15):
Americans cumulatively are expected to spend for the first time
in our history, over a trillion dollars on Chris on
the holiday season. Again, I'm not somebody who wants the
people spend like a drunken salor, but look, we only
have so many years on this orbit, on this orb,
(12:37):
you might as well enjoy it. I mean, we could
sit at home all alone and and eat peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches and save a few bucks. But I
don't think that's what Americans are about. So I want
to hear from you. Do you think that that that
story maybe got played a little too much? I think
it really did. I gotta be honest with you, because
(12:59):
I did. And see you know, gas prices are down
across the country. Uh. And by the way, the the
price of the so called Thanksgiving meal, Uh, it differs
from a section of the country. In some sections of
the country, it's actually less by region. I'll break that
down for you, and I want you to participate in
(13:21):
the conversation. Six one seven, four ten thirty six one
seven nine three thirty coming right back after Nightside, right
after this break on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
It's night Side with Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
All right, so we're talking about you know, Thanksgiving. Look,
it's it's probably in my opinion, I know in your opinion,
it's the best holiday of the year because it revolves
around football, fun, family. There's there's no gift, there's no
it's not it doesn't have the anticipation of Christmas. It's
(13:57):
not the excesses of New Year's Eve. It is my
favorite holiday. I hope it's one of yours as well.
And it's not an expensive holiday. Now again, different people.
There are people in this country who end up going
to the Pine Street in to get a Thanksgiving meal,
and they're not the only one. We can't forget them.
(14:19):
But at the same time, I do think that the
media had a take on this that was, in my opinion,
I'm justified. Let me go to phone calls, see what
people have to say. The only lines that are open
are the six one, seven, four, ten thirty lines. Uh,
six months, seven nine, three one ten thirty is full
(14:40):
six one, seven four to ten thirty dialing. Now we'll
get you on a round the country. The Northeast and
California are the most expensive, uh. Less expensive in the South,
from Virginia all the way down through Texas. UH. And
in the upper Midwest what I would call the Midwest,
I guess, including states like Pennsylvania in Ohio, though I
(15:04):
think Pennsylvania might actually be considered I'm I'm looking how
they split the map up. Well, we go the gene
and averagene. Your thoughts on Thanksgiving? What do you think?
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Hi?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Dan?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
So here's the thing, Okay, So the most of the
major grocery stores were having a price war with each
other on the turkeys. They were on seal everywhere. They
really were on seal many many of the stores. Well
that's good price for the turkey.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Yeah, that was good.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
But it's the other things. It's the rest of your
groceries that the prices haven't come down on. To be honest,
my cookies are still six dollars a package.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Would you say that again? I spoke over you. What
was that?
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Many of the other groceries are still up in price.
My cookies are still six dollars a box.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now, let me stop you for a second. Are those
your Pepperdge Farm cookies or something like that.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Well, I can tell you the name of them if
you want to know. Yeah, there were shortbread cookie and
they called Launa dunes.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Okay, Well here's the thing. Here's the thing. I used
to buy Pepperge Farm cookies. I like, they had milano
cookies and they chocolate chip cookies. And they used to
be you know, two ninety nine or maybe two for
five dollars when they were on sale or whatever. But
they have gone through the roof and stayed up through
(16:28):
the roof.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
I know.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
So here's the thing. I can find other cookies that
I like just as well. I have, you know, and
so it would be nice for them to bring them down.
But you know what's going to bring the price of
those cookies, your cookies, your Lorna dunes and my peppers
farms when enough people say we're not paying that simple
as that. There's plenty of options there. What other items?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
You know?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I was looking yesterday. I was at a Shaw's yesterday
and a dozen eggs are now three dollars in ninety nine.
A couple of months ago they were five ninety nine.
So the prices they.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Have come down, the eggs have come down, only certain
things have come down. On the today I saw listen,
I needed to get green beans. There was a package
of green beans. It was a regular sized package, maybe
a teeny bit bigger. Seven dollars for one package.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Okay, So here's my question. Here's my question. Were you
in a store where they all whenever you're going to
buy something that's packaged. And I'm a shopper, I'm a
grocery shopping I do the grocery shopping. Whenever you're going
to buy something in a package, it's going to cost
you more. Did they have loose green beans there that
you could buy by the pound?
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Well they do, but everybody's got their hands in them.
I will never buy those. But the thing is.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Off.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
I wear gloves in the store. I picked my stuff
up with a glove or a bag and a person
water dope at home under the faucet. And yeah, but anyway,
because too many people are sifting and throw it's crazy.
But the other thing I wanted I was looking for
a gift for somemer for Christmas. Cups and bowls. A
couple of cups, nice coffee cups and a couple of bowls.
(18:13):
Do you know you can hardly find them? Number one
and number two? When I did find some nice looking
cups at one of the stores, a brand name store.
Eighteen dollars a cup.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
So I told Nick, Okay, can I make a suggestion
to you. Go on to nightside gear dot com and
you can.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
You can get a little particularly just have to be
kind of nice for a dining room feeling.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
These are beautiful. These have right now with Nightside with
Dan Ray twelve dollars.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
You can send me one. No, I know the nice
I know, I know they.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I'm having some fun with your gene. Okay, I hope
you know that.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Okay, Look I have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Let's hope the
price of them down. Can I say one thing about
the alcohol I wanted to say about the go ahead,
that a lot of people don't want the stores open
on the holidays, Christmas and Thanksgiving. There are still a
lot of people addicted to alcohol. They will ruin the
family dinner, they will ruin the family's life for one
(19:05):
whole day, and then they abuse women too. Helcohol is
a problem on the holidays. We don't want it sold
in the stores, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Well, some people don't.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
Some people don't, and we'll reasoning a lot of people
don't want it around like that is because there were
some people that can't stop.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
They'll, I understand that, but I'm just saying that there's
there's two sides to every coin as far as that.
Speaker 6 (19:29):
But you know, plan ahead and pick it up, keep
some in the storage whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right. But but then you're still going to have those
people who will abuse alcohol, and they'll put a couple
of bets in on a football game and they'll get
pretty ugly. So that's the problem we deal with. There
are people, there are people in our society like that
who unfortunately and you know and some we've all had them,
I guess in our families at one point. Thank you, Jean,
(19:53):
appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I have a nice next saving Thank you, Thanksgiving to.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
You and yours as well. Be right back on nights Side.
We're about costs. It's more cost on groceries as well,
but also with the point of view on Thanksgiving six
one seven, two thirty, six one seven, nine thirty. Coming
right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on wb Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
By the way, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation,
the fortieth annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey said that the traditional
average cost of a Thanksgiving staples meal for ten works
open to about five dollars and fifty two cents a person,
five percent decrease from a year ago. The high point
was sixty four six dollars and forty cents a person
(20:48):
back in twenty twenty two when inflation was roaring. Now again,
that's in the wake of COVID. President Trump, I think
is on is making the points he talked about Thanksgiving,
but he's also talked about inflation generally and gas prices.
This is President Trump earlier this month.
Speaker 7 (21:05):
Inflation is way down. The biggest thing is inflation. The
second biggest thing is energy. Energy is way down. And
what's also down gasoling. Also the biggest thing is inflation,
and it's way down. The reason I don't want to
talk about affordability is because everybody knows that it's far
less expensive under Trump than it was under Sleepy Joe
(21:26):
Biders and the prices that we dide.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
He will be eventually talking about affordability because that's what
the issue that the Democrats were very successful on in
the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. And energy
prices are not down. Look at your energy bills in Massachusetts.
Now across the country, it does vary on Thanksgiving, so
(21:49):
out west it's a for the average. Again, these are
meals for ten people, so out west it's a sixty
six dollars and seventeen cents per person. Here in New
England and New York it's sixty six dollars and eight cents.
(22:09):
But down south it's just five dollars a person. And
in the upper in the Midwest, the Upper Midwest it's
five dollars and forty three cents, so it varies from
region region, but it's not something that is beyond the
reach of most Americans. And that was the story that
the media was pumping just a couple of weeks ago.
(22:30):
Bernie in New Hampshire, Burnie next on Nightside.
Speaker 8 (22:32):
Welcome, Hey, Dan, how are we going tonight?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I'm doing just great, sir. What's your thought on Thanksgiving?
First of all, I hope you and yours are going
to have a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
Oh we are.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
It's my opinion that the Democrats was buying from the
rooftops that everything was going bad, you know, when the
government was shut down, and that was the battles by
people were stopping and the prices control, you know, like yourself.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
I do all the shopping. We check off the circulars
and I went to a place and I got a
turkey for forty seven cents a pound.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I actually grabbed.
Speaker 10 (23:10):
Two when we dropped one off at the uh the
food shelves.
Speaker 8 (23:13):
And you know, my my son, as you all know,
is in Virginia, so we had to have early Thanksgiving
with his twin sister. My daughter, a beautiful girl. She
she's working tomorrow, Thursday, and.
Speaker 9 (23:25):
Friday's working girl and she's going to school and uh
and so we had.
Speaker 10 (23:30):
An early Thanksgiving and it was very affordable. And we're
gonna meet our son and his mother.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Was so overjoyed.
Speaker 10 (23:37):
And we're gonna leave in about two hours and tech
out of Virginia.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
You're gonna you're gonna, you're gonna be driving, and it's
a good time to be driving. Be careful. Make sure
you drink a couple of coffee so you stay awake. Okay,
that's the only thing we'll keep. We'll keep your company. Uh,
I'll keep your company till midnight. But you said you're
gonna wait a couple of hours.
Speaker 10 (23:54):
So yeah, we're gonna leave at midnight. And uh no,
it's good. Then the fights of gas price, I guess
you know.
Speaker 11 (24:01):
Up there in New Hampshire, I paid two sixty eight
a gallon and driving it's I think it was a
little opportunity for some politicians to try.
Speaker 8 (24:13):
And say how bad things are. And you know what,
I grew up very modestly.
Speaker 10 (24:18):
And I know the value of a dollar. And I
watched the petties and the dollars take care of themselves,
and and I do what I have to do. Not
everybody's in that situation. I understand that, and and and
but I.
Speaker 8 (24:31):
Sacrificed the lot for me is and uh not being
with my my my children on the holidays.
Speaker 10 (24:38):
You know, I had the type of job that I
was working.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
No, I hear, I totally hear you. Well, please say
to your son for us down in Virginia. Did you say,
was it Belvoir for Belvoir?
Speaker 10 (24:49):
He's in Belvoir.
Speaker 8 (24:50):
Yeah, we're gonna have a Thanksgiving buffet.
Speaker 9 (24:53):
I jose guys in restaurant and I was in there
and uh, me and my son are gonna watch football
all day.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Well, you have a great say hi to him for
everyone from nights side. He's you know, serving the military
of the country, in the US military. What is your
daughter doing that she's working through the weekend. What what
sort of work is she doing?
Speaker 3 (25:11):
She's away apple bee?
Speaker 10 (25:14):
Uh right, Yeah, he's a hutful of that one.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Well, hopefully hopefully people will will give her good tips
because they know that that she's out and giving up
her holiday to uh to help them celebrate Thanksgiving. So Bertie,
safe travels and get home soon. And I'll look for
a full report sometime next week.
Speaker 10 (25:37):
Okay, thank you, sir, d you enjoy your holiday and
your family.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Sure, we'll right back at you all. I'll toast you
with a red wine at some point. So okay, I
toasted the entire audience. Thanks Bernie, dokt you soon. Let
me keep rolling here. Let me go to Alex and Millics. Alex,
you are next on nightside. Thanks for checking in. Alex.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Hey Dan, I have a Thanksgiving. I just want to say,
we'll go. Yeah, my brother who lives in Wellesley is
hosting Thanksgiving, so.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
We're going over there.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
There will be about twenty five of us. But to
make things easy for him, you know, all of us
are bringing something. So my mother in law is a
really good cook, so she's bringing She's making the spinach
pies and you know, baked potatoes. And Thanksgiving is a
special holiday, but it's just as special as Easter. I
(26:31):
don't know if you know, Greek Easter is like Thanksgiving
on steroids.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I'm a little familiar with Greek Easter. I've had friends
who are of your nationality, and it's a big deal. Generally,
it's a week after you know, Easter that we celebrate here.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So that's at least town. Yeah, once every four years.
It's on the same.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
So let me ask you this in terms of the
question of the night, how are you doing if you're
the shopper in your family? What what? What do you
see in at grocery stores? I mean I I bounce
between Market Basket, Roach Brothers, and Shaws, And there's a
huge difference between those three. Uh three. One is more convenient,
one is less expensive, and one depending upon what I want.
(27:18):
I trust you know their fish and their and their
beef products and Roach Brothers. It's it's a little high end,
but it's great quality. So that's the way I shop.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
I'm a market basket guy. I'll put it this way.
You know, as as an analogy, you know, going to
you Mask versus going to Harvard, that's what you do
if you went to Market Basket versus Roach Brothers. Okay,
you get the same education basically, Uh but you know,
a fraction of the cough. And I like market Basket because, uh,
(27:51):
you know, they have a lot of registers open. They
don't have any you know, self check, and you know
they get you in and out. And also I find
that I park my shopping cart in uh, you know,
in a safe area, and I go up and down
the aisles because it's mayhem, you know, around around this time.
You know people.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yep. No, that's a good tip as well, Alex, as
I employ some of those tactics as well. If I
know that there's something that just a little ways down
the aisle, leave the cart, move, move like a an
NFL running back down the aisle, get that one item
that you want, and get back to your card and
move on to another another part of the store. Simple, yeah,
(28:33):
noble as that I always put.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Yeah, I was bring a refrigerated that well, you know,
a n ice bag so that I put my pershables
in there because you know, even.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Though well I haven't done that. I get home quickly,
quickly enough, Alex, hope you and you uys have a
great Thanksgiving with your family in Wellesley. Thank you so
much for calling. Thanks by all right, take it, take
it easy, good night. Six one, seven, two, five, four
ten thirty one line there six one seven, nine thirty.
I guess what I'm trying to get from you is,
(29:07):
did you follow this a month ago where they were
all of these horrific stories about how the price of
a Thanksgiving meal was going to be going up, and
it just seemed as if I don't know, there was
some news outlets that wanted to put a you know,
(29:27):
basically put a little bit of a downer on Thanksgiving,
which again is my favorite holiday of the year. I
didn't like that approach. And now there's stories coming that
I think are being are very accurate that the cost
of Thanksgiving dinner this year for most families is going
to be lower. Now, there were some families who Katie
(29:49):
Bardan or whatever they want, you know, more champagne. That's
a different story. But the average family I think is
going to pay less for Thanksgiving. Won't be a lot less,
but it to be less. I think that the trips
to as you're taking. Many of you probably are listening
right now. If you're listening and want to tell me
where you're whereabouts the Turretpike, you are, where you're heading.
(30:11):
Bernie says he'll be heading out of New Hampshire around midnight.
Let's let's let's celebrate the holiday here a little bit.
Six one seven, uh, and I am I am not
in the mood to fight. I'd love to hear from
if you think that that the economy is just going
into tank. Look at the stock market today, Not that
(30:34):
that is the only thing that you should look at,
but it certainly is an indicator of where we might
be going. And uh, there was an interesting article in
the Globe today. One of the financial writers was essentially
saying that he probably is wrong, was wrong on tariffs.
(30:57):
He back in April was saying that this is to
cost us greatly. And he said that he looks like
he's going to lose a bet on that. I'll talk
about that as well. Only line six, one seven, fill
him up. Be right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w b Z,
Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Back we go. Let me go to Tim and Wilbur
and Tim, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.
All right, I should say on Thursday. Excuse me, Thursday.
Speaker 12 (31:26):
Go ahead, Thank you very much. I'm waiting for my today. Anyhow,
you are you know you are. You're a great American.
You know you do with this program. You let freedom ring,
that's what you do.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Well, I certainly let people speak, and that to me
is the sound of freedom, Yes it is.
Speaker 12 (31:44):
Anyhow, I got I gotta things from the VFW vessens
the Fallen Wars. I think I told you I'm a
Wiire project and yow, it says the first sentence there,
Miss McMahon. When we began sending out these three special
editions VFW Christmas Guide, God just check with two fifty.
People said we were crazy. Anyhow, I got to check
(32:05):
with two fifty. You know what I did. I know
this guy who has PSTD post Sumatic Stresses order. I
signed it. I said, you go sign it. There's only
two fifty. He said, thanks for me and Tim, so
he signed it over to him. But what I'd like
to do. I got one of these things last year.
There's ten Christmas cards, three pen that say that the
(32:25):
phone was and anyhow I only signed. I only mailed
five of them. I'd like to send this to you
and you can nail these cards out if you like.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Well, you know what, we do a special family card,
and I appreciate your generosity, Tim, but we do one
of these family cards. We had a baby granddaughter in April,
so she's going to be nice prominently in the Ray
family Christmas card. So I'll hold off on that for
another year. And I'm sure that you'll have plenty of
(32:56):
friends that you can send it up to. But thanks
for supporting the VFW. It's a great organization.
Speaker 12 (33:01):
Could you do me a favorite doctor Sal that I
met at your Day at Bola's in Westwood. I have
to go see him. I'm not happy with my dentist.
I met him there. I talked him a couple of minutes.
I want to have to get his number because I
want to make an appointment with doctor Sal.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Okay, I'll tell you what you You called back during
the news, and I will give Rob his number to
give you during the news. You called back during the news,
the eleven.
Speaker 12 (33:28):
O'clock news at eleven o'clock, I'll tell you what I
wish you when you are a happy Thanksgiving and don't
be uhhet the dogs?
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Okay, absolutely, ray M you got it all right, Tim,
call back at eleven and Rob after them before you. Thanks.
Talk to you soon, Happy Thanksgiving. Right back at you.
Let me keep rolling. You're going to go to Michael
and Attenborough. Michael, You're next on night Side. Go right ahead, Mikey,
how are you? I'm doing just great? Michael Hope.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
You know I'm going to throw a wrench.
Speaker 13 (34:03):
You know I'm going.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
To throw a wrench at you. Go right, here's a deal,
Go right ahead, here's a deal. The Thanksgiving things flaying.
Speaker 13 (34:11):
I just don't know why you would quote MPR, because
anything to do with MPR was against Trump.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
But anyway, I'm.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
Calling hold on the point I was making, Michael, and
I'm sure you caught it, but let me make sure
of those who didn't hear it. I found this one
article from the seventeenth of November from a week ago,
which basically said that they were going to be sticker shock.
I think that was the word that they used, stick
(34:41):
a shock at Thanksgiving. And then a week later they
were saying, well, there's a very pleasant surprise. The cost
of Thanksgiving has declined. It says cooking Thanksgiving has dinner
has declined. So I just thought it was interesting that
they go from a headline that says on the seventeenth
about the economy Americans could see a big sticker shock
(35:03):
for Thanksgiving turkeys this year, and a week later earlier
this week, the twenty fourth, the price of turkey and
stuffing is down for this from this time last year.
Now they were either right or wrong. What fun of them?
And then the other but Gouine. I wasn't giving them
a big compliment on that one. I think they got
it wrong, right.
Speaker 13 (35:22):
Good point.
Speaker 5 (35:23):
Okay, now I get it, But I want to get
back to the Blue Laws.
Speaker 13 (35:27):
Sure, I'm not interested if they want to ban alcohol
sales on Christmas Thanksgiving, but I got to tell you,
you know it, and I know it, Sunday was a
sacred day. In fact, I'm sitting in the parking lot.
Now I had to pull over, and.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
You could even bring a kid out to teach them
how to drive on Sunday in the packing lot.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Of them all remember.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
That, absolutely, we all did that.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
I don't know why they want to buy alcohol on
Sunday because that made you if you were a young kid.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
See, I wonder.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
I didn't know why they had the Blue Laws, and uh,
you know yeah. The biggest thing that would bother me
is if I was working in quotations, working on my car,
because I never know what I'm doing. I could go
to Arizona and get a pot.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
But well, the times were changing and it's still alcohol
and liquor stores or packet stores whatever you want to
call them, are not open on Thanksgiving and they're not
open on Christmas. Uh. And I'm inclined to say let's
keep it that way. But we did have the state
representative on and you know what, maybe a year from
now we'll have a big debate about it. We'll see.
Speaker 5 (36:40):
Well, he thinks it's funny, he thinks no big deal.
But the other thing is I left come on and
Farms a little while ago. They sell Next Morning pills
for women right on the right, on the near the register,
and also the men's pills for you know why, right
on the register. There's no law, there's no go to
(37:00):
have an idea what happened, what's going on in the country.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Well, times there are change in my friend, So you.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
Know again that's not a good thing.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I understand what you're saying. Uh and uh again, we
live in a society where there's a lot of freedom. Uh,
and some people like yourself probably think there's too much freedom.
I got to get one more inb here before the break,
my buddy.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
We'll talk to Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Happy Thanksgiving you, Michael, good night. Let me go to
Frankie in New Bedford. Frankie, I didn't want to make
you wake through the news You're next on night side.
Speaker 14 (37:33):
Well, no, I I just want to I'm not gonna
take too much time on you. I just want to
say a happy Thanksgiving to you.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Uh okay, all right?
Speaker 14 (37:39):
My nickname you the Hall of Famer because I think
you're a Hall of Famer, and I just want to
thank you for you know, even you know when I'm
away to work, even do out a call at the time.
But I'm a sign and listener. I appreciate your your program,
decide to give a voice to everybody. And I hope
you have a beautiful and happy Thanksgiving. May God bless you,
and may go bless your family and love well.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Right back at you, Frankie, that was very eloquent. I
am a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame,
of which I'm very proud. But I'm just a guy
trying to try to try to do the best I can.
I'm trying to be as fair as I can. I
have a microphone, but I want to share that microphone
with people, because no one wants to listen to me
talk for three hours straight. I want to. I appreciate
(38:24):
hearing from folks like you, Frankie.
Speaker 14 (38:26):
And I really hope you I wouldn't mind listening to
you for three hours.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
You get tired of me. Thanks frank Hey, have a
great Thanksgiving for you and yours. Okay, thank you so much.
Right back at you, Thanks Frankie Tota on Thursday afternoon. Uh,
we're done for the night, Rob. We're gonna get you
that number for Tim. Give me one second. He'll call
(38:51):
back at eleven, hopefully, and we'll take a break here
for the eleven. Be back for the final hour of
this Tuesday night edition of Nice Sid coming up right
after the eleven o'clock news on Boston news station WBZ
ten thirty on your am dial.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray. I'm WBSY, Boston's new radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
All right, welcome back everyone. By the way, before we
get to our guest here at the top of the
ten o'clock hour, some have written to me about whether
or not we're going to do the annual Nightside Charity combine.
Marita and I are thinking about that, and I will
make an announcement on that tomorrow night. Officially, if we
(00:28):
do it, people who want to represent a charity are
the only people we want to hear from. I don't
want to hear from people who are going to say,
there's a wonderful charity that i'd like you to talk to,
Why don't you give them a call? We don't do that,
So just be advised that if you hear the announcement
tomorrow night, we're not looking for suggestions. We're looking for
(00:50):
people who want to represent charities during our final broadcast
of the year, which I believe is going to be Tuesday,
December twenty third. But we'll make an announcement about that
tomorrow night, and I hope that those of you who
are involved, either as directors or executive directors or volunteers
(01:13):
for charities, either can get people. We give we pretty
much profile about twenty charities in the last couple of
hours of the broadcast here. Would like to do that again,
but last year was an immense amount of work because
too many people were calling saying, well, I know of
a charity which would be wonderful, and here's the suggestion.
But we're going to eliminate any suggestions at all. You
(01:35):
send us the suggestion, we will ignore it. If you're
involved with the charity and want to represent the charity,
or someone from that charity wants to call us, you
want to call them and say give us a call
or we'll have it all the information of tomorrow night period.
Just to give you a little preview. Joining me now
is Stay Representative, David Lynsky Representative. Welcome back to Nightside.
(01:58):
How are you, sir.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I'm doing fine and it is always a pleasure to
visit with my friend.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Dan Ray absolutely and David is a Democrat. Represents Natick.
What other do you have? You must have some other.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Community or they also represent Whaland. Natick and Whalen two
great towns in Metro West.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Okay, well, that's so you represent the entirety of Natick
and Whalen. That's good. A lot of state reps, as
you know, end up representing multiple communities, and they might
represent only part of some of the community. So if
you're a listener in Natick or Whaland you were about
to hear from your state representative Dave Lynsky we talked
earlier this afternoon, and you are concerned about the fact
(02:40):
that there's only two days during the calendar year, Christmas
and Thanksgiving, when all sorts of liquor stores, packaged stores
are closed, so people cannot go out and buy themselves
a six pack or a bottle of wine. They have
to think in advance in terms of both Thanksgiving and Christmas.
(03:02):
And if you're driving to someone's house and you'd like
to have a bottle of wine and as a gift
or as a walking in the door present, you're not
going to be able to do that in Massachusetts. And
you have how long have you filed legislation to try
to change that.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
I've been trying to change this for four or five
years now, Dan, And it's really about consumer choice and
consumer convenience. Now, imagine, if you will, two days from now,
we're going to have a great turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.
You know, you're going to go to a friend's house
or a relative's house, and they call you up and
(03:39):
you say, hey, on your way, could you pick up
a bottle of wine. We're running a little short. And
so you go buy the convenience store or the package
as we call it here in Massachusetts, and they're closed
because you can't buy liquor in Massachusetts because of the
antiquated Blue lag that date back to the sixteen hundreds.
(04:01):
You know, look, nobody is going to force anybody to drink.
Nobody's going to force anybody to open their store on
Thanksgiving or Christmas if you want to. But come on,
we're not living in the sixteen hundreds anymore. You know.
It was only a few years ago that we allowed
liquor seals on Sunday. Massachusetts is an outlier when it
(04:24):
comes to the rest of the country. You know, these
blue laws were written by Pilgrims and Puritans back in
the sixteen hundreds in a very different time period when
you know, they were concerned about all kinds of things.
They called alcohol the devil's drink. Well, deven run a
(04:45):
whole lot of Puritans and pilgrims running around Massachusetts lately.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Well, I guess the one of the arguments, and I
think I know what your answer is is that one
of the arguments is that, hey, a lot of people
don't want to work on Thanksgiving and they prefer to
spend some time with their family.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
And I totally, I totally get that, Dan, And so
you know what my answer to that is, don't open
the store. I mean, it's it's simple, you know, but
the reality is a lot of convenience stores and small markets.
We've got a great one here in Natick called called
Tillian Selby's Bacon Street Farm. They're open at least in
the morning on Thanksgiving Day and they're selling food. You know,
(05:31):
people come in, they get the last minute thing for
their for their Thanksgiving table that they want to gobble down,
and you know, they see the bottle of wine there,
but they're not allowed to sell it or beer or lookout,
farm cider from Natick. So you can't do it.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So I'm sure you've talked to the leadership about this,
and of course you got to get it both through
the scent the House, your chamber and the Senate. If
you're going to change it, our liquor stores. And you
probably know this, but I hate to ask, and never
is a lawyer like to ask a question of another
lawyer that I don't that I'm not sure they know.
(06:09):
But I'll make an exception. Our liquor stores open in
surrounding states.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Take absolutely, absolutely they are, or at least if they
if they're full liquor stores or we as I said,
we call them packis here in massa jusets because I'm
a native Bostonian. If they're not open, at least you
can go to the convenience store and buy Darren Watt.
You know, Massachusetts. Wait, our liquor laws aren't antiquated here
(06:35):
in so many different ways.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
So what I started asking the question, what do you
think the leadership? Is this an issue? The leadership is
going to get behind because you and I, well.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
I'm working on it. I'm working on it. Dan. You know,
the reality here is is Massachusetts has changed. You know
we we we don't. The Sunday isn't the Sabbath anymore
in uh in Massachusetts. And people's lifestyles have changed. They
do their grocery shopping on Sunday, and thankfully now for
(07:10):
at least for most of the day you can. You
can pick up the six pack of beer or the
bottle of wine in the grocery store on a Sunday.
You couldn't do that when I first started in the legislature.
So let's just you know, call Thanksgiving and Christmas like
any other day of the year. Look, you know, you know,
(07:31):
people if they don't want to buy liquor, if it's
against their religion, so be it. Absolutely they have a
right to do that. I support it. But this is
about about freedom of choice, and uh, this is where
my libertarian streak comes in.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
Okay, So what about what about the argument of come on,
if you're an adult and you enjoy drinking at some point, uh,
you know, Thanksgivings coming, I mean, it doesn't sneak up
on you by surprise, and Christmas too. Uh, there's plenty
of opportunity in the days and the week ahead to
(08:06):
stock up and get whatever you want. What about that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Argument, Well, because people are busy, that's the reality. And
you know sometimes the same way that you might forget
to bring that bottle of wine, you might forget the
pumpkin pie, or you might forget the extra cranberry sauce.
Or the gravy, So you have to run to the
convenience store to pick that up. I can't think of
(08:30):
anybody who hasn't been in that situation on a holiday
to make that run. Maybe you need, you know, half
and half creamer or something. You know, if the if
the wine is there in the store, what's the harm
in picking up the bottle of wine as well?
Speaker 2 (08:46):
All right, well, Representative, this is we'll follow a will
follow your action on this one, and if it gets serious,
we'll have to bring you in and we'll find someone
to debate you on it, and we'll have that Dan.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
And you know, I love a good.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I know that that is for certain. We've had more
than a few of them. Thanks Representative. Happy Thanksgiving to
you and.
Speaker 3 (09:06):
Yours, Happy Thanksgiving to everybody out there.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
All right, thanks Dave, Dave Lynskey, And okay, here's what
we want to do for this hour and maybe even
a little longer. Thanksgiving is now two days away, and
you know, I'm sure that there's been a lot of
comment and controversy over and I think part of it
(09:33):
is because Donald Trump is president. Over what are the
costs of a Thanksgiving dinner? And all of that and
as I read a lot of these stories in October
and November, I decided to look and do a little
bit of research, and I actually found I'm not going
to tell you, well, I will tell you it is.
It was an NPR who they wrote a piece, big
(09:59):
piece on November seventeenth, Americans could see a big sticker
shock for Thanksgiving turkeys this year. That was the piece
that they wrote, well earlier this week. Seven days later,
on November twenty fourth, the lead story, well, the lead
(10:22):
paragraph of a story was here's something to be thankful
for the price of turkey and stuffing is down this time.
They should have said the price of turkey and stuffing down,
I guess because it really is plural, but the price
of turkey and stuffing is down from this time last year. So,
within a matter of seven days, this very reliable news
(10:46):
source went from big sticker shock to the price being down.
I want to find out from you. Do you think,
I'm sure many of you listened to news reports on television,
on radio, and in newspapers. Do you think that there
were people out there in my business who were overplaying
(11:10):
this story. I think that the statistics now suggest that
the cost of a you know, an average Thanksgiving dinner
are it's going to be a little down this year.
I think the best number that I saw was if
you had a group of people for ten that the
(11:33):
food put aside the alcohol. But if the food would
run about I guess fifty two dollars or something like that,
you know, for you know, per person. We're a year
ago it would have run about fifty five dollars for
a table of ten. So it's down about five percent,
which is not a whole huge amount of money. But
(11:54):
I think that that inflation seems to be under control,
the dock market seems to be doing well. I think
that there's a lot of hope out there. We're going
into the Christmas season. I had a retailerround last night
who and a story on last night that this year,
(12:15):
Americans cumulatively are expected to spend for the first time
in our history, over a trillion dollars on Chris on
the holiday season. Again, I'm not somebody who wants the
people spend like a drunken salor, but look, we only
have so many years on this orbit, on this orb,
(12:37):
you might as well enjoy it. I mean, we could
sit at home all alone and and eat peanut butter
and jelly sandwiches and save a few bucks. But I
don't think that's what Americans are about. So I want
to hear from you. Do you think that that that
story maybe got played a little too much? I think
it really did. I gotta be honest with you, because
(12:59):
I did. And see you know, gas prices are down
across the country. Uh. And by the way, the the
price of the so called Thanksgiving meal, Uh, it differs
from a section of the country. In some sections of
the country, it's actually less by region. I'll break that
down for you, and I want you to participate in
(13:21):
the conversation. Six one seven, four ten thirty six one
seven nine three thirty coming right back after Nightside, right
after this break on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
It's night Side with Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
All right, so we're talking about you know, Thanksgiving. Look,
it's it's probably in my opinion, I know in your opinion,
it's the best holiday of the year because it revolves
around football, fun, family. There's there's no gift, there's no
it's not it doesn't have the anticipation of Christmas. It's
(13:57):
not the excesses of New Year's Eve. It is my
favorite holiday. I hope it's one of yours as well.
And it's not an expensive holiday. Now again, different people.
There are people in this country who end up going
to the Pine Street in to get a Thanksgiving meal,
and they're not the only one. We can't forget them.
(14:19):
But at the same time, I do think that the
media had a take on this that was, in my opinion,
I'm justified. Let me go to phone calls, see what
people have to say. The only lines that are open
are the six one, seven, four, ten thirty lines. Uh,
six months, seven nine, three one ten thirty is full
(14:40):
six one, seven four to ten thirty dialing. Now we'll
get you on a round the country. The Northeast and
California are the most expensive, uh. Less expensive in the South,
from Virginia all the way down through Texas. UH. And
in the upper Midwest what I would call the Midwest,
I guess, including states like Pennsylvania in Ohio, though I
(15:04):
think Pennsylvania might actually be considered I'm I'm looking how
they split the map up. Well, we go the gene
and averagene. Your thoughts on Thanksgiving? What do you think?
Speaker 4 (15:14):
Hi?
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Dan?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
So here's the thing, Okay, So the most of the
major grocery stores were having a price war with each
other on the turkeys. They were on seal everywhere. They
really were on seal many many of the stores. Well
that's good price for the turkey.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
Yeah, that was good.
Speaker 6 (15:32):
But it's the other things. It's the rest of your
groceries that the prices haven't come down on. To be honest,
my cookies are still six dollars a package.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
Would you say that again? I spoke over you. What
was that?
Speaker 6 (15:46):
Many of the other groceries are still up in price.
My cookies are still six dollars a box.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Now, let me stop you for a second. Are those
your Pepperdge Farm cookies or something like that.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
Well, I can tell you the name of them if
you want to know. Yeah, there were shortbread cookie and
they called Launa dunes.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Okay, Well here's the thing. Here's the thing. I used
to buy Pepperge Farm cookies. I like, they had milano
cookies and they chocolate chip cookies. And they used to
be you know, two ninety nine or maybe two for
five dollars when they were on sale or whatever. But
they have gone through the roof and stayed up through
(16:28):
the roof.
Speaker 6 (16:28):
I know.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
So here's the thing. I can find other cookies that
I like just as well. I have, you know, and
so it would be nice for them to bring them down.
But you know what's going to bring the price of
those cookies, your cookies, your Lorna dunes and my peppers
farms when enough people say we're not paying that simple
as that. There's plenty of options there. What other items?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
You know?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
I was looking yesterday. I was at a Shaw's yesterday
and a dozen eggs are now three dollars in ninety nine.
A couple of months ago they were five ninety nine.
So the prices they.
Speaker 6 (17:03):
Have come down, the eggs have come down, only certain
things have come down. On the today I saw listen,
I needed to get green beans. There was a package
of green beans. It was a regular sized package, maybe
a teeny bit bigger. Seven dollars for one package.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
Okay, So here's my question. Here's my question. Were you
in a store where they all whenever you're going to
buy something that's packaged. And I'm a shopper, I'm a
grocery shopping I do the grocery shopping. Whenever you're going
to buy something in a package, it's going to cost
you more. Did they have loose green beans there that
you could buy by the pound?
Speaker 6 (17:39):
Well they do, but everybody's got their hands in them.
I will never buy those. But the thing is.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Off.
Speaker 6 (17:50):
I wear gloves in the store. I picked my stuff
up with a glove or a bag and a person
water dope at home under the faucet. And yeah, but anyway,
because too many people are sifting and throw it's crazy.
But the other thing I wanted I was looking for
a gift for somemer for Christmas. Cups and bowls. A
couple of cups, nice coffee cups and a couple of bowls.
(18:13):
Do you know you can hardly find them? Number one
and number two? When I did find some nice looking
cups at one of the stores, a brand name store.
Eighteen dollars a cup.
Speaker 2 (18:23):
So I told Nick, Okay, can I make a suggestion
to you. Go on to nightside gear dot com and
you can.
Speaker 6 (18:29):
You can get a little particularly just have to be
kind of nice for a dining room feeling.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
These are beautiful. These have right now with Nightside with
Dan Ray twelve dollars.
Speaker 6 (18:38):
You can send me one. No, I know the nice
I know, I know they.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
I'm having some fun with your gene. Okay, I hope
you know that.
Speaker 6 (18:44):
Okay, Look I have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Let's hope the
price of them down. Can I say one thing about
the alcohol I wanted to say about the go ahead,
that a lot of people don't want the stores open
on the holidays, Christmas and Thanksgiving. There are still a
lot of people addicted to alcohol. They will ruin the
family dinner, they will ruin the family's life for one
(19:05):
whole day, and then they abuse women too. Helcohol is
a problem on the holidays. We don't want it sold
in the stores, to be honest.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
Well, some people don't.
Speaker 6 (19:14):
Some people don't, and we'll reasoning a lot of people
don't want it around like that is because there were
some people that can't stop.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
They'll, I understand that, but I'm just saying that there's
there's two sides to every coin as far as that.
Speaker 6 (19:29):
But you know, plan ahead and pick it up, keep
some in the storage whatever.
Speaker 2 (19:33):
Right. But but then you're still going to have those
people who will abuse alcohol, and they'll put a couple
of bets in on a football game and they'll get
pretty ugly. So that's the problem we deal with. There
are people, there are people in our society like that
who unfortunately and you know and some we've all had them,
I guess in our families at one point. Thank you, Jean,
(19:53):
appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (19:54):
I have a nice next saving Thank you, Thanksgiving to.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
You and yours as well. Be right back on nights Side.
We're about costs. It's more cost on groceries as well,
but also with the point of view on Thanksgiving six
one seven, two thirty, six one seven, nine thirty. Coming
right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (20:16):
It's Nightside with Dan Ray on wb Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
By the way, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation,
the fortieth annual Thanksgiving Dinner Survey said that the traditional
average cost of a Thanksgiving staples meal for ten works
open to about five dollars and fifty two cents a person,
five percent decrease from a year ago. The high point
was sixty four six dollars and forty cents a person
(20:48):
back in twenty twenty two when inflation was roaring. Now again,
that's in the wake of COVID. President Trump, I think
is on is making the points he talked about Thanksgiving,
but he's also talked about inflation generally and gas prices.
This is President Trump earlier this month.
Speaker 7 (21:05):
Inflation is way down. The biggest thing is inflation. The
second biggest thing is energy. Energy is way down. And
what's also down gasoling. Also the biggest thing is inflation,
and it's way down. The reason I don't want to
talk about affordability is because everybody knows that it's far
less expensive under Trump than it was under Sleepy Joe
(21:26):
Biders and the prices that we dide.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
He will be eventually talking about affordability because that's what
the issue that the Democrats were very successful on in
the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. And energy
prices are not down. Look at your energy bills in Massachusetts.
Now across the country, it does vary on Thanksgiving, so
(21:49):
out west it's a for the average. Again, these are
meals for ten people, so out west it's a sixty
six dollars and seventeen cents per person. Here in New
England and New York it's sixty six dollars and eight cents.
(22:09):
But down south it's just five dollars a person. And
in the upper in the Midwest, the Upper Midwest it's
five dollars and forty three cents, so it varies from
region region, but it's not something that is beyond the
reach of most Americans. And that was the story that
the media was pumping just a couple of weeks ago.
(22:30):
Bernie in New Hampshire, Burnie next on Nightside.
Speaker 8 (22:32):
Welcome, Hey, Dan, how are we going tonight?
Speaker 2 (22:35):
I'm doing just great, sir. What's your thought on Thanksgiving?
First of all, I hope you and yours are going
to have a great Thanksgiving.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
Oh we are.
Speaker 9 (22:44):
It's my opinion that the Democrats was buying from the
rooftops that everything was going bad, you know, when the
government was shut down, and that was the battles by
people were stopping and the prices control, you know, like yourself.
Speaker 8 (23:02):
I do all the shopping. We check off the circulars
and I went to a place and I got a
turkey for forty seven cents a pound.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I actually grabbed.
Speaker 10 (23:10):
Two when we dropped one off at the uh the
food shelves.
Speaker 8 (23:13):
And you know, my my son, as you all know,
is in Virginia, so we had to have early Thanksgiving
with his twin sister. My daughter, a beautiful girl. She
she's working tomorrow, Thursday, and.
Speaker 9 (23:25):
Friday's working girl and she's going to school and uh
and so we had.
Speaker 10 (23:30):
An early Thanksgiving and it was very affordable. And we're
gonna meet our son and his mother.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Was so overjoyed.
Speaker 10 (23:37):
And we're gonna leave in about two hours and tech
out of Virginia.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
You're gonna you're gonna, you're gonna be driving, and it's
a good time to be driving. Be careful. Make sure
you drink a couple of coffee so you stay awake. Okay,
that's the only thing we'll keep. We'll keep your company. Uh,
I'll keep your company till midnight. But you said you're
gonna wait a couple of hours.
Speaker 10 (23:54):
So yeah, we're gonna leave at midnight. And uh no,
it's good. Then the fights of gas price, I guess
you know.
Speaker 11 (24:01):
Up there in New Hampshire, I paid two sixty eight
a gallon and driving it's I think it was a
little opportunity for some politicians to try.
Speaker 8 (24:13):
And say how bad things are. And you know what,
I grew up very modestly.
Speaker 10 (24:18):
And I know the value of a dollar. And I
watched the petties and the dollars take care of themselves,
and and I do what I have to do. Not
everybody's in that situation. I understand that, and and and
but I.
Speaker 8 (24:31):
Sacrificed the lot for me is and uh not being
with my my my children on the holidays.
Speaker 10 (24:38):
You know, I had the type of job that I
was working.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
No, I hear, I totally hear you. Well, please say
to your son for us down in Virginia. Did you say,
was it Belvoir for Belvoir?
Speaker 10 (24:49):
He's in Belvoir.
Speaker 8 (24:50):
Yeah, we're gonna have a Thanksgiving buffet.
Speaker 9 (24:53):
I jose guys in restaurant and I was in there
and uh, me and my son are gonna watch football
all day.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
Well, you have a great say hi to him for
everyone from nights side. He's you know, serving the military
of the country, in the US military. What is your
daughter doing that she's working through the weekend. What what
sort of work is she doing?
Speaker 3 (25:11):
She's away apple bee?
Speaker 10 (25:14):
Uh right, Yeah, he's a hutful of that one.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Well, hopefully hopefully people will will give her good tips
because they know that that she's out and giving up
her holiday to uh to help them celebrate Thanksgiving. So Bertie,
safe travels and get home soon. And I'll look for
a full report sometime next week.
Speaker 10 (25:37):
Okay, thank you, sir, d you enjoy your holiday and
your family.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
Sure, we'll right back at you all. I'll toast you
with a red wine at some point. So okay, I
toasted the entire audience. Thanks Bernie, dokt you soon. Let
me keep rolling here. Let me go to Alex and Millics. Alex,
you are next on nightside. Thanks for checking in. Alex.
Speaker 4 (25:58):
Hey Dan, I have a Thanksgiving. I just want to say,
we'll go. Yeah, my brother who lives in Wellesley is
hosting Thanksgiving, so.
Speaker 8 (26:09):
We're going over there.
Speaker 4 (26:10):
There will be about twenty five of us. But to
make things easy for him, you know, all of us
are bringing something. So my mother in law is a
really good cook, so she's bringing She's making the spinach
pies and you know, baked potatoes. And Thanksgiving is a
special holiday, but it's just as special as Easter. I
(26:31):
don't know if you know, Greek Easter is like Thanksgiving
on steroids.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I'm a little familiar with Greek Easter. I've had friends
who are of your nationality, and it's a big deal. Generally,
it's a week after you know, Easter that we celebrate here.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
So that's at least town. Yeah, once every four years.
It's on the same.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
So let me ask you this in terms of the
question of the night, how are you doing if you're
the shopper in your family? What what? What do you
see in at grocery stores? I mean I I bounce
between Market Basket, Roach Brothers, and Shaws, And there's a
huge difference between those three. Uh three. One is more convenient,
one is less expensive, and one depending upon what I want.
(27:18):
I trust you know their fish and their and their
beef products and Roach Brothers. It's it's a little high end,
but it's great quality. So that's the way I shop.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
I'm a market basket guy. I'll put it this way.
You know, as as an analogy, you know, going to
you Mask versus going to Harvard, that's what you do
if you went to Market Basket versus Roach Brothers. Okay,
you get the same education basically, Uh but you know,
a fraction of the cough. And I like market Basket because, uh,
(27:51):
you know, they have a lot of registers open. They
don't have any you know, self check, and you know
they get you in and out. And also I find
that I park my shopping cart in uh, you know,
in a safe area, and I go up and down
the aisles because it's mayhem, you know, around around this time.
You know people.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yep. No, that's a good tip as well, Alex, as
I employ some of those tactics as well. If I
know that there's something that just a little ways down
the aisle, leave the cart, move, move like a an
NFL running back down the aisle, get that one item
that you want, and get back to your card and
move on to another another part of the store. Simple, yeah,
(28:33):
noble as that I always put.
Speaker 4 (28:35):
Yeah, I was bring a refrigerated that well, you know,
a n ice bag so that I put my pershables
in there because you know, even.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Though well I haven't done that. I get home quickly,
quickly enough, Alex, hope you and you uys have a
great Thanksgiving with your family in Wellesley. Thank you so
much for calling. Thanks by all right, take it, take
it easy, good night. Six one, seven, two, five, four
ten thirty one line there six one seven, nine thirty.
I guess what I'm trying to get from you is,
(29:07):
did you follow this a month ago where they were
all of these horrific stories about how the price of
a Thanksgiving meal was going to be going up, and
it just seemed as if I don't know, there was
some news outlets that wanted to put a you know,
(29:27):
basically put a little bit of a downer on Thanksgiving,
which again is my favorite holiday of the year. I
didn't like that approach. And now there's stories coming that
I think are being are very accurate that the cost
of Thanksgiving dinner this year for most families is going
to be lower. Now, there were some families who Katie
(29:49):
Bardan or whatever they want, you know, more champagne. That's
a different story. But the average family I think is
going to pay less for Thanksgiving. Won't be a lot less,
but it to be less. I think that the trips
to as you're taking. Many of you probably are listening
right now. If you're listening and want to tell me
where you're whereabouts the Turretpike, you are, where you're heading.
(30:11):
Bernie says he'll be heading out of New Hampshire around midnight.
Let's let's let's celebrate the holiday here a little bit.
Six one seven, uh, and I am I am not
in the mood to fight. I'd love to hear from
if you think that that the economy is just going
into tank. Look at the stock market today, Not that
(30:34):
that is the only thing that you should look at,
but it certainly is an indicator of where we might
be going. And uh, there was an interesting article in
the Globe today. One of the financial writers was essentially
saying that he probably is wrong, was wrong on tariffs.
(30:57):
He back in April was saying that this is to
cost us greatly. And he said that he looks like
he's going to lose a bet on that. I'll talk
about that as well. Only line six, one seven, fill
him up. Be right back on night Side.
Speaker 1 (31:12):
You're on night Side with Dan Ray. I'm w b Z,
Boston's news Radio.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
Back we go. Let me go to Tim and Wilbur
and Tim, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow.
All right, I should say on Thursday. Excuse me, Thursday.
Speaker 12 (31:26):
Go ahead, Thank you very much. I'm waiting for my today. Anyhow,
you are you know you are. You're a great American.
You know you do with this program. You let freedom ring,
that's what you do.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Well, I certainly let people speak, and that to me
is the sound of freedom, Yes it is.
Speaker 12 (31:44):
Anyhow, I got I gotta things from the VFW vessens
the Fallen Wars. I think I told you I'm a
Wiire project and yow, it says the first sentence there,
Miss McMahon. When we began sending out these three special
editions VFW Christmas Guide, God just check with two fifty.
People said we were crazy. Anyhow, I got to check
(32:05):
with two fifty. You know what I did. I know
this guy who has PSTD post Sumatic Stresses order. I
signed it. I said, you go sign it. There's only
two fifty. He said, thanks for me and Tim, so
he signed it over to him. But what I'd like
to do. I got one of these things last year.
There's ten Christmas cards, three pen that say that the
(32:25):
phone was and anyhow I only signed. I only mailed
five of them. I'd like to send this to you
and you can nail these cards out if you like.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Well, you know what, we do a special family card,
and I appreciate your generosity, Tim, but we do one
of these family cards. We had a baby granddaughter in April,
so she's going to be nice prominently in the Ray
family Christmas card. So I'll hold off on that for
another year. And I'm sure that you'll have plenty of
(32:56):
friends that you can send it up to. But thanks
for supporting the VFW. It's a great organization.
Speaker 12 (33:01):
Could you do me a favorite doctor Sal that I
met at your Day at Bola's in Westwood. I have
to go see him. I'm not happy with my dentist.
I met him there. I talked him a couple of minutes.
I want to have to get his number because I
want to make an appointment with doctor Sal.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Okay, I'll tell you what you You called back during
the news, and I will give Rob his number to
give you during the news. You called back during the news,
the eleven.
Speaker 12 (33:28):
O'clock news at eleven o'clock, I'll tell you what I
wish you when you are a happy Thanksgiving and don't
be uhhet the dogs?
Speaker 2 (33:41):
Okay, absolutely, ray M you got it all right, Tim,
call back at eleven and Rob after them before you. Thanks.
Talk to you soon, Happy Thanksgiving. Right back at you.
Let me keep rolling. You're going to go to Michael
and Attenborough. Michael, You're next on night Side. Go right ahead, Mikey,
how are you? I'm doing just great? Michael Hope.
Speaker 5 (34:00):
You know I'm going to throw a wrench.
Speaker 13 (34:03):
You know I'm going.
Speaker 5 (34:04):
To throw a wrench at you. Go right, here's a deal,
Go right ahead, here's a deal. The Thanksgiving things flaying.
Speaker 13 (34:11):
I just don't know why you would quote MPR, because
anything to do with MPR was against Trump.
Speaker 5 (34:18):
But anyway, I'm.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
Calling hold on the point I was making, Michael, and
I'm sure you caught it, but let me make sure
of those who didn't hear it. I found this one
article from the seventeenth of November from a week ago,
which basically said that they were going to be sticker shock.
I think that was the word that they used, stick
(34:41):
a shock at Thanksgiving. And then a week later they
were saying, well, there's a very pleasant surprise. The cost
of Thanksgiving has declined. It says cooking Thanksgiving has dinner
has declined. So I just thought it was interesting that
they go from a headline that says on the seventeenth
about the economy Americans could see a big sticker shock
(35:03):
for Thanksgiving turkeys this year, and a week later earlier
this week, the twenty fourth, the price of turkey and
stuffing is down for this from this time last year.
Now they were either right or wrong. What fun of them?
And then the other but Gouine. I wasn't giving them
a big compliment on that one. I think they got
it wrong, right.
Speaker 13 (35:22):
Good point.
Speaker 5 (35:23):
Okay, now I get it, But I want to get
back to the Blue Laws.
Speaker 13 (35:27):
Sure, I'm not interested if they want to ban alcohol
sales on Christmas Thanksgiving, but I got to tell you,
you know it, and I know it, Sunday was a
sacred day. In fact, I'm sitting in the parking lot.
Now I had to pull over, and.
Speaker 5 (35:45):
You could even bring a kid out to teach them
how to drive on Sunday in the packing lot.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Of them all remember.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
That, absolutely, we all did that.
Speaker 5 (35:54):
I don't know why they want to buy alcohol on
Sunday because that made you if you were a young kid.
Speaker 4 (36:02):
See, I wonder.
Speaker 5 (36:02):
I didn't know why they had the Blue Laws, and uh,
you know yeah. The biggest thing that would bother me
is if I was working in quotations, working on my car,
because I never know what I'm doing. I could go
to Arizona and get a pot.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
But well, the times were changing and it's still alcohol
and liquor stores or packet stores whatever you want to
call them, are not open on Thanksgiving and they're not
open on Christmas. Uh. And I'm inclined to say let's
keep it that way. But we did have the state
representative on and you know what, maybe a year from
now we'll have a big debate about it. We'll see.
Speaker 5 (36:40):
Well, he thinks it's funny, he thinks no big deal.
But the other thing is I left come on and
Farms a little while ago. They sell Next Morning pills
for women right on the right, on the near the register,
and also the men's pills for you know why, right
on the register. There's no law, there's no go to
(37:00):
have an idea what happened, what's going on in the country.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
Well, times there are change in my friend, So you.
Speaker 5 (37:07):
Know again that's not a good thing.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I understand what you're saying. Uh and uh again, we
live in a society where there's a lot of freedom. Uh,
and some people like yourself probably think there's too much freedom.
I got to get one more inb here before the break,
my buddy.
Speaker 3 (37:23):
We'll talk to Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Happy Thanksgiving you, Michael, good night. Let me go to
Frankie in New Bedford. Frankie, I didn't want to make
you wake through the news You're next on night side.
Speaker 14 (37:33):
Well, no, I I just want to I'm not gonna
take too much time on you. I just want to
say a happy Thanksgiving to you.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
Uh okay, all right?
Speaker 14 (37:39):
My nickname you the Hall of Famer because I think
you're a Hall of Famer, and I just want to
thank you for you know, even you know when I'm
away to work, even do out a call at the time.
But I'm a sign and listener. I appreciate your your program,
decide to give a voice to everybody. And I hope
you have a beautiful and happy Thanksgiving. May God bless you,
and may go bless your family and love well.
Speaker 2 (38:01):
Right back at you, Frankie, that was very eloquent. I
am a member of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame,
of which I'm very proud. But I'm just a guy
trying to try to try to do the best I can.
I'm trying to be as fair as I can. I
have a microphone, but I want to share that microphone
with people, because no one wants to listen to me
talk for three hours straight. I want to. I appreciate
(38:24):
hearing from folks like you, Frankie.
Speaker 14 (38:26):
And I really hope you I wouldn't mind listening to
you for three hours.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
You get tired of me. Thanks frank Hey, have a
great Thanksgiving for you and yours. Okay, thank you so much.
Right back at you, Thanks Frankie Tota on Thursday afternoon. Uh,
we're done for the night, Rob. We're gonna get you
that number for Tim. Give me one second. He'll call
(38:51):
back at eleven, hopefully, and we'll take a break here
for the eleven. Be back for the final hour of
this Tuesday night edition of Nice Sid coming up right
after the eleven o'clock news on Boston news station WBZ
ten thirty on your am dial.
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