ALBANY, GA (WALB) -
For many the holidays mean lots of baking and vast home cooked meals. But for others, it's a mixture of home cooking and food prepared for pick up.
It's one of the busiest days of the year for those providing hams and other holiday favorites.
Many people spent the day cooking for family members, but others chose to wait in line instead.
"It is very convenient, and you don't have to cook," said Jeanne Pollard.
Each year more Americans decide they won't spend their holiday slaving over a hot stove.
"I am picking up my honey baked ham," said Pollard.
We caught up with Jeanne Pollard at Honey Baked Ham. She says it has been a tradition in her family for years to pick up a cooked ham rather than cooking one, themselves.
"I am picking it up for the convenience and everybody enjoys it," said Pollard.
And it wasn't any different over at Taylor's Market.
"We do a lot of hams, a lot of turkeys, we do fried turkey's also," said Buddy York, Taylor's Market Co-Owner.
Dawn Cannon is choosing to cook but as she waited for the steaks she ordered, she saw just how many people were picking up pre-made food for the holidays.
"They are picking up everything, from pimento cheese, to ham, I have been watching people pick up all kind of things today," said Dawn Cannon.
Proof that more and more people wanted to skip the headache of cooking and decide to pick up their Christmas meal instead, freeing up more of their time for family.
"I think it is just so they can spend a little bit more time with their family, I think it makes it easy for them they work all week like the rest of us, and it is just one of those deals where you come in and get it and grab it hot and eat it," said Dawn Cannon.
Whether you are having a traditional holiday feast or maybe an untraditional ready to eat one, most people just want to be surrounded by their family for the holidays.
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