LUDLOW, Vermont ??” It’s a dilemma as old as the holiday itself ??“ who will do the carving this Thanksgiving? Okemo Mountain Resort has the perfect solution with a new carving tradition. Whether they’re on skis or snowboards, every member of the family gets to carve…turns, that is, on Okemo’s perfectly manicured trails this Thanksgiving Day.

On Thursday, November 24, Okemo will be open for skiing and riding from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Skiing and snowboarding on Turkey Day doesn’t mean having to miss out on the feast. Okemo’s Willie Dunn’s Grille and Coleman Brook Tavern at Jackson Gore will do the cooking, set the table and even carve the turkey. And since variety is the spice of life on Thanksgiving and every day, diners may choose unlimited trips to the buffet at Willie Dunn’s or a more traditional dining experience at Jackson Gore’s Coleman Brook Tavern.

At Willie Dunn’s Grille, a “Soup to Nuts” Thanksgiving Buffet will be served from 3 to 8 p.m. The groaning board will be set with selections such as cinnamon butternut bisque, hand-carved Vermont turkey with homemade gravy, maple glazed ham, roasted pork loin with an apple cider glaze, seafood scampi over linguini, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, maple-glazed carrots, homemade stuffing with cranberries, salad bar with oven-fresh assiago bread and an assortment of holiday pies. Unlimited trips to the buffet are $22.99, plus tax, and half-price for children 12 and under. (18 percent gratuity will automatically be added to the final bill.) Thanksgiving Buffet reservations will be accepted from Monday, Nov. 21 through Wednesday, Nov. 23, between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., at (802) 228-1387.

For couples or families who gather ???round the table at Jackson Gore’s Coleman Brook Tavern between 3 and 8 p.m., Thanksgiving Dinner will include butternut squash sherry bisque with forest mushrooms or mixed green salad with candied pecans, dried cranberries and chevre maple dijon vinaigrette, Potato pancakes topped with smoked salmon and lemon cr??me fraiche,

roast turkey with cornbread sausage stuffing, roasted root vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, cranberry compote and sage gravy, and for dessert: pumpkin cheesecake, apple cobbler or Wilcox Dairy selected ice cream. Dinner is $29 prix fixe for adults and $15 for children under 12 (entr?В©e and ice cream only). Beverages, tax and gratuity are additional. Other menu selections will be available a la carte. Reservations may be secured by calling the Coleman Brook Tavern at (802) 228-1435.

A weekend of tradition and giving thanks continues with “Okemo Cares & Shares” on Thanksgiving Sunday, November 27. When skiers and riders present at least 3 non-perishable food items, a new child’s toy or a new clothing item at the ticket window, their generosity will be rewarded with an entire day of skiing and riding for just $25. All donated items will benefit the Black River Good Neighbor Services Christmas Basket program and needy families in the Okemo/Ludlow region.

For more information about making Okemo a new Thanksgiving tradition, please call (800) 78-OKEMO (786-5366) or visit www.okemo.com.