Celebrate in game

Friend or Fowl.
After you've eaten your turkey dinner and said goodbye to the family, take some time and go kill 15 turkeys in under 3 minutes.
The best spot to become the harbinger of turkey death is in the Howling Fjord around 69, 65. This is up the western road from the Explorers' League Outpost, and south of Nifflevar. You'll notice a large rock with some turkeys on it. Kill them and run around the rock killing every turkey you see. It only took me about 45 seconds to get all 15, but I was the only person around at the time. After you've killed your 15 you'll get that special ding and earn the Friend or Fowl achievement.
So celebrate Thanksgiving by slaughtering some turkeys over in the Howling Fjord. And next thing you know WoW Insider will be holding a press conference on a turkey farm.

This Thanksgiving there is much to celebrate in game. Leveling from 70 to 80 is the most fun many of us have ever had leveling, there's tons of shiny new gear in Northrend for everyone, and guilds everywhere are beginning to enter and enjoy the splendor that is Naxxramas.
But don't let all this endgame stuff get in the way of the one true important achievement in Wrath.

Tags: Leveling from 70 to 80

Daniel Howell contributes BigRedKitty

Wait, these are Orcs we're talking about...OK, who seriously hunts in the buff?
Taurens should either be warriors or druids, period, not hunters. Tauren warriors rock our socks, but Tauren hunters? Excluding Rhino-pets, the size difference between a Tauren and his pet is just silly. If you're a Tauren hunter and don't have a Rhino, you're not bringing it like you should. A Survivalist Tauren hunter is about as wrong an idea as there can possibly be. Survivalist? How are you going to 'survive' when every member of the Alliance has targeted you, just because you take up one quarter of their screen!If we were to ever re-roll Horde, we'd be a female Troll hunter. Yes, the Trolls got their kiesters kicked by rampaging murlocs -murlocs! -but the ladies can be hunters, and have just enough ‘oomph' in both looks and performance to make them our first choice should the Alliance ever be eliminated. What about our other options?
Orcs are just too steel-plate-in-the-skull dumb for our liking. Nobody does nude better than Orcs, but who hunts in the buff?

Nobody likes Blood Elves, not even other Horde. Are we right? Of course we are.
And the Forsaken can't even be hunters; they deserve our pity more than anything else.
But we're not going to re-roll, for we are a member of the best race in the game. The race that Warcraft made its cover picture, the race that introduced WoW to millions, the race that oozes -both literally and figuratively -charisma, competence, and warm ale: The Dwarves.
Humans cause 85% of the problems in WoW. Arthas, need we say more? Plus, they can't hunt, so end of story.
Gnomes can't even retake their capital city. We like gnomes, we really do, but fellas, call us when you're not renting, OK?
Night Elves can hunt, but they've got a priest leading them. A priest as your battlemaster? If it ain't DPS, it's crap. Plus, her mate is a druid. /eww Next!
Draenei...let's just admit once and for all that the Draenei should be eliminated as soon as possible, shall we? It was a huge mistake to allow a space ship crash to disgorge a new race just so the Alliance would have something to counter Blood Elves. Memo to Blizz: Alliance doesn't need Draenei and we loathe their accents. "May the light embrrrace you!" Shut up already! If the dwarves had just been allowed to be shaman instead of introducing the Draenei, nobody would've complained at all.
Dwarves, dear readers. We can tank, we can DPS, and we can heal. We are the masters of beverages; there's even a holiday in honor of our skill with liquid refreshments. We dig up the best enemies to raid. We have the largest collection of insane quest givers. We have the most efficient capital city. We are exploring every nook and cranny of every continent looking for fun, excitement, knowledge, and drinks. We are the most dedicated, creative, and motivated race, period.
If you're at a party, and a pack of Gnomes wander in, you just hold your head and pray they don't talk to you.
If a gaggle of Humans blow through, you know they're going to start prattling on about Medivh or some other powerful human who abused his powers and screwed everything up.
But when a passel of Dwarves roll in, you know they're hauling their own keg, that they have an iPod loaded with party songs, that they've got a 1000-watt mono-bridged amp powering dual 15″ subwoofers installed in their ram, and the girls are going to be loud, busty, and easy.
Now the boys are loud, busty, and easy too, we'll grant you that, but Dwarf-tuckus is a heck of a lot more appealing than some crotch-grabbing Human-dude. Can we get an ‘Amen'?
If an army of Orcs smash down the door, you're expecting a high repair bill from the furniture-repair guy and stains on the carpets, 'cause Orcs don't do coasters, placemats, or doilies.
If a swarm of Trolls take over, you know the CD player is going to be reprogrammed with some bizzarre band you've never heard of, and the kitchen is going to be a huge mess from the jambalya.

base steps into Northrend

Training and leveling

While leveling your skill, I recommend staying in the two starting zones, the Borean Tundra and the Howling Fjord. Despite the fact that they are still somewhat crowded, the volume of herb spawns is high, and the difficulty of reaching each mob will be lessened by the fact that the mobs are in the high sixties.
If you press on into Dragonblight, be aware that the frozen herb nodes will yield a random herb, and rarely ever gives more than one. Still, it only takes one for a skill point!
In fact, you will also find your trainer in the starting zones. For the Horde, Marjory Kains resides in Vengeance Landing, and will teach you all that you need to know. If you find yourself in the Borean Tundra, then search the second level of Warsong Hold, behind the stairs, for Tansy Wildmane.
Alliance members in the Howling Fjord should seek out Fayin Whisperleaf in Valgarde near the Inn. If in the Borean Tundra, pay a visit to Kirea Moondancer in Valiance Keep.
Sweet spots

The Sholazar Basin seems to be the most fertile area in Northrend. Once you have leveled your character to the upper seventies, you should survive while herbing there.
Of course, not all herbs are found there. Talandra's Rose, for example, is found most commonly in Zul'Drak, a level 74-77 zone. Lichbloom and Icethorn can be found in The Storm Peaks (76-80) and Icecrown (77-80) in heavy numbers.
Herbs like Deadnettle, Constrictor Grass and Frost Lotus are occasionally found inside the spawns of other herbs.
Herbalism

Being an herbalist in Northrend is a tough job. Your toes, or perhaps hooves, are freezing. Your eyes, or eye sockets, are blinded by the wind and snow. Yet you must push on through it all, bravely climbing slippery mountain slopes, balancing on cliffs, and wading through camps of hostiles, all with one goal in mind.
When you finally reach the herb and finish carefully extracting it from its icy tomb, you have to pack it into your bags between your mace that glows with magical fire and your chocolate cake. Try not to ruin it!
Special abilities

Herbalists are awarded with their very own self-heal, Lifeblood, that upgrades as your herbalism skill does. Over the course of a short five seconds, you are healed for:
300 with rank one.

480 with rank two.

720 with rank three.

900 with rank four.

1200 with rank five.

2000 with rank six.

Mining

Miners in Northrend are hereby advised to bundle up. A warm hat and a sturdy pair of gloves that afford a good grip should do the trick.
Training and leveling

The Alliance trainer in Howling Fjord will find Grumbol Stoutpick of Valgarde near the forge. Fendrig Redbeard of Valiance Keep awaits eager miners in Borean Tundra.
Jonathan Lewis resides in Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord, for the Horde, while Brunna Ironaxe can be found in Warsong Hold in the Borean Tundra.
Just like herbalists, I am going to advise that you do much of your leveling in the starter zones, simply because you will be able to spend less time killing monsters in order to reach your nodes.
Sweet Spots

Once again, the Sholazar Basin is home to much of the ore that you will seek. It has the most number of nodes for both Titanium and Saronite. If you find the area is packed with miners, then check out Icecrown and the Storm Peaks.
Cobalt, on the other hand, is found most notably in Zul'Drak, along with the two starting zones.
Special abilities

Miners are granted a special ability called Toughness. It increases their maximum hit points by a number that is relative to one's abilities.
Rank one: 30hp.
Rank two: 50hp.
Rank three: 70hp.
Rank four: 100hp.
Rank five: 300 hp.
Rank six: 500hp.

Skinning

Skinning is very different from the other two gathering professions, as it allows you to create your own ‘nodes.' As you quest, you will inevitably be killing beasts, affording you the opportunity to skin the corpse. You will also happen upon corpses of beasts killed by non-skinners, which always feels like a bonus.
Sweet Spots
The pit outside of Warsong Hold in the Borean Tundra. There are boar at a farm to the North West of Warsong Hold.

Check out the worgs that spawn to the South West of Vengeance Landing in Howling Fjord. There are many mammoths that roam the Borean Tundra, and shoveltusks that roam the Howling Fjord. Beware that, because they travel in packs, attacking one will bring a swarm of vengeance upon your head. In Dragonblight, there is an area full of diseased animals that are part of a quest or two. You can find these animals lurking near Azjol-Nerub, west of Agmar's Hammer.
Training and leveling

In the Borean Tundra, Trapper Jack awaits Alliance skinners in Valiance Keep. Frederic Burrhus of Valgarde is located in the Howling Fjord.
The Horde can choose to visit Roberta Jacks at Vengeance Landing in the Howling Fjord, or Tiponi Stormwhisper within the inn at the Taunka'le Village in the Borean Tundra.
Leveling skinning quickly is a matter of finding ideal circumstances and then getting to work. For example, Horde skinners need only to step outside of Warsong Hold to find a pit full of quick-spawning skinnables associated with several quests. Not only could you knock off those quests, you would be able to reap benefits from everyone else's labors.
Another method of farming skins is to locate an area full of mobs that drop something else that you need. Perhaps they have a specific meat type that you require to level your cooking, or that can be sold for a high amount because it is part of a sought-after cooked item.
If you are not a craftsperson in need of your skins, then get ready to make some serious money for every Arctic Fur that you find! Currently, on my server, each is a guaranteed 35 gold minimum sale on the Auction House. This is found randomly while skinning.
You will also notice one important difference in Northrend skinning that is not present in the profession for other skin types. Normally, you need to be a leatherworker to convert skins. The following is a paraphrased version of a recent [1: General] conversation:
Some Guy: "Can anyone tell me when we learn to convert scraps into leather? I have like 350."
Helpful Respondant: "Just right click on them."
Some Guy: "What? Seriously?" (Profanity removed for your protection. Try picturing yourself on a beach instead. The sound of the waves is soothing, isn't it?)

Tags: Northrend