Purple Thursday for Many on Thanksgiving

Vivian Kerner usually is busy preparing a golden brown turkey on .

The 34-year-old Chase resident almost always has the holiday meal set for 4:30 p.m. at her house with her husband, two daughters and the rest of her family.

But a purple and black bird has Kerner changing her plans this year. The Ravens are set to host the San Francisco 49ers in an 8:30 p.m. Thanksgiving NFL showdown at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

The prime time football contest has caused many people in the Baltimore area to adjust their Thanksgiving plans accordingly, including the Kerners.

“We moved our dinner back to 12:30 in the afternoon and are having it at my parents' house so that we can eat and get ready to tailgate,” Kerner said. “It’s going to be a big game and it’s really historic.”

Along with Thursday’s game being the first Thanksgiving contest for the Ravens, .

John Harbaugh is in his fourth season as head coach of the Ravens, while his younger brother, Jim, is in his first at the helm with the 49ers.

Being a part of history is one reason why White Marsh resident Brian Pollara plans on being in the stands on Thursday.

The 33-year-old married father said he plans on having dinner around 3:30 before heading off to the stadium around 6:30 p.m. for a quick tailgate and then taking his seats in section 109, row 12, with his dad, who has been a season-ticket holder since the Ravens came to town in 1996.

“I've always wanted to see the Ravens play on Thanksgiving and the fact that it’s in Baltimore makes it even sweeter,” Pollara said. “Nothing like eating a huge delicious meal with family and then getting together with 70,000 Ravens fans to watch a great primetime game.”

At the same time, the start of the game offers conflicting emotions for some Ravens fans. With some stores set to kick off their “” deals at 10 p.m. or sooner, some fans will have to choose between getting a great deal or watching the game.

“The late game cuts into my Black Friday shopping,” said Ravens fan Danielle Tarburton. “If you’re waiting for a big ticket item, you might as well count on not watching the game.”