“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

According to AccountingWEB.com, the cost of Thanksgiving has increased this year.

ThanskgivingThey report, “Turkey, stuffing, cranberries, pumpkin pie and all the rest of a dinner for 10 people, will cost $38.10 this year, an increase of $1.32 from last year, the American Farm Bureau Federation reported Tuesday in its 21st annual survey. The higher price of turkeys accounts for much of the increase, but the farm bureau says the dinner is still affordable.”

“The inflation-adjusted cost of a Thanksgiving dinner has remained around $20 for the past 16 years. Despite some significant economic obstacles, including rising fuel costs, American farmers continue to provide wholesome, affordable food for American consumers,” said Terrry Franci, the bureau’s senior economist.

“Adjusted for inflation, the cost this year is $18.99, which is 34 percent less than the first survey in 1986, when the average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for a family of 10 was $28.74.”

But getting to the meal is what’s really going to set you back. Jeanine and I always book early and use free miles, but for most people, The Mercury News writes, getting there isn’t going to be cheap.

“Air fares for Thanksgiving travel have increased 15 percent over last year, according to Sabre Air Solutions, an industry consultant and global reservations system. Gas prices, which reached a seven-month low in October, have been creeping up in recent days, although the average price for regular unleaded in California is still 11 cents lower than a year ago, according to AAA.”

“But AAA said prices might be increasing as a result of expected demand for gasoline during the Thanksgiving holiday. The price for a gallon of unleaded is up nationally almost 2 cents from a month ago.”

“Prices have been going up about a penny a day in the Bay Area since right around the election,” said Michael Geeser, a spokesman for AAA of Northern California. “It’s tough to say why because it flies in the face of what we predicted. Everything pointed toward prices going down.”

None of that news, however, seems to be dampening travel plans notes Michael Martinez at The Mercury News. “Even with the hassles and expense of traveling at this time of year, people still want to spend it with friends and family, and that outweighs the cost and the headaches,” said Amy Ziff, editor at large for Travelocity.com.

And that’s what we’ll be doing. See you on Monday. Happy Thanksgiving!