How to Survive Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, the holiday that brings families together and allows people to appreciate the things in their lives they should be thankful for. And our favorite Gossip Girl characters did just that. For once all the scheming and complicated love circles were put on the backburner so the Bass, Van der Woodsen, Waldorf, and Humphrey family could be brought together. But allow me to be a little frank here; how many of us have Thanksgivings that include dealing with the FBI, running away with your maid, or unlocking safes that contain gold bars, diamonds, and files on you and your sister? Uhhh….not my typical Thanksgiving. I do believe that most families’ holiday seasons involve gathering relatives into one household with the intentions of enjoying each other’s company only to erupt into sibling brawls and drunken arguments. (Or maybe this is just my family?). But what else is expected to happen? Take for example a college student. You have just spent five months living on your own. No parents nagging you to do things. No siblings invading your space. And now you have to come home to the insistent yelling of your parents, your dog chasing the cat around the house, and your little siblings whining at you to change the channel on the TV. But either way, the holidays for everyone is a little stressful because how much time can you really spend with your family? So to secure your sanity for this Thanksgiving I have given you a few tips that I have used through the years.

1. Before the eating time begins, get out of the house for at least 30 minutes. For the past three years my best friend and I have made it a ritual to meet at this certain park. We’ll sit and chit chat for 45 minutes to an hour just to get out of our house and when we return we’re reading for another a second dose of hell. But other ways to get out could be to go for a walk, offer to run to the grocery store, or make an excuse to run to a friend’s house. This little big of time allows you to clear your head and gives yourself some alone time to just breath and get away from the madness.

2. Offer to give a helping hand in the kitchen. Doing this can eliminate awkward or forced conversations with your lonely uncle or brother’s weird girlfriend.

3. Joke with everyone you talk with or be as awkward as possible. When they ask you how college is, respond with “Awesome, I never go to class and I’ve picked up the new habit of doing cocaine”. Doing this makes the other person feel more awkward than you and allows you to laugh secretly to yourself. (However I would save ludicrous comments like this for people who won’t think you are completely serious).

4. Right after the big feast take a good long nap on the couch. Don’t worry, its not rude it was just all the tryptophan in the turkey. And if you’re lucky, when you wake up all the relatives will have left the house!

5. If all else fails, just take a few shots of whiskey, rum, vodka. Just a little something to loosen up a little bit and make you not really about how absurd your family really is. Or if you aren’t the binge drinking type of person slip some Kahlua into your coffee, Jack Daniels in some Ginger ale, or some smooth vodka into your cranberry juice. Just keep everyone away from your drinks. Oh and in case you were wondering no, I am not promoting drinking, I am just trying to protect your sanity.


So maybe these will work maybe not? If you have some of your own personal tricks send me a comment and I’ll make sure to keep them in mind for the Christmas season. Or just tell me what you’re thankful for. Because I am surely thankful that I no longer live with my parents…

You know you love me,


xoxo
g.