Food, fun, and....no family?

So, it’s about that time, eh? Right before our eyes, the weather is changing, evenings are darkening and talk of recipes and family gatherings are all the buzz. They signal that Thanksgiving is rolling around once again. It’s a lovely time of year, but - hear me out here - what if you find yourself, by personal choice or by circumstance, with a plan to NOT spend a “traditional” Thanksgiving day with your parents/siblings/extended family, or the like…? Here’s the thing: Not only is that option actually okay, it can even be beneficial for those of us who do have alternative plans this year.

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~DISCLAIMER~ This UNiDAYS-er LOVES her family. LOVE, loves them all, (Hi, Mom! Hi, Gma!) With that being perfectly clear, here are a few personally validated reasons that prove it’s okay to skip the family get-together on Thanksgiving...

One word: FRIENDSGIVING

Maybe you’ve moved away from the hometown, maybe you don’t have a conventional family structure, or maybe you just… don’t particularly enjoy sitting at a table between Great-Aunt Edna & Uncle Bob, listening to an alternating soundtrack of one same story you hear every year / mixed with unsolicited advice on your lifestyle choices and your dwindling childbearing years. Whatever the situation, you know what’s ALWAYS a good time? Friends! Your friends & food. The end. GIF source

Non-traditional Turkey Day foods FTW

At first this sounds blasphemous, I know, but it can truly be an unexpected thrill to please your palate with a contrarian selection of dishes on T-Day. Stuffed turkey, mashed taters, candied yams, cran sauce, etc. - are they delicious? Yes! However, they’re not the only way to chow down on this classic day of gluttony… GIF source

Some days, you just want it to be about YOU, okay??

Truthfully, maybe this one’s more about ME - and every fellow Sagittariuses who’s blessed with a late November B-day 🙌 - but even if there’s no holiday/birthdate conflict in your own life, everyone deserves at least one day of solid, guilt-free “me time”. So, why not choose this annual 4th Thursday in Nov. for a self-loving, solo fun-having kind of day? After all, it’s kiiiiind of a second fiddle holiday compared to the myriad of other Fall/Winter celebrations (NO OFFENSE to the pilgrims!!). Plus, it makes anticipation for the Christmas/Hanukkah/December festivities even more exciting. Truth. GIF source

Making NEW traditions

One more option to consider, which happens to be my rationale of choice - Why not use this opportunity to create a brand new and totally unique tradition, to celebrate each year in your own personal way? The possibilities are endless, you do you.
Anecdotally, leaving you with mine: this year. as I have for 10 years running, I’ll be hitting up $3 craps tables & dining at old-school steak joints in Vegas with my fellow T-Day buddy, dearest Dad 👌. Gif source

Happy ~insert whatever activity you're doing here~ Day, all!