Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but it’s a holiday that’s completely different as an adult than it was when I was a kid. For anyone who’s moved away from their hometown, it’s hard to make it back home every year for that special meal. Traveling is expensive and sometimes it’s hard to get time off work. If you’re having one of those years when you just can’t make it home for turkey day, consider having a “Friendsgiving” potluck dinner with your friends in your current city who also can’t make it home for the big day.
- You get a whole meal at a fraction of the cost by doing it potluck style. It’s expensive to put on a whole Thanksgiving dinner, and it’s way too much food for one or two people to eat. If each person just brings one dish, it’s cost effective for everyone and you get to find out what everyone’s cooking specialty is, which is a fun topic for conversation.
- The more, the merrier! For some of us, we don’t always think more is merrier, but Thanksgiving is an exception. Nobody wants to be alone on Thanksgiving. Even if you have a significant other, spending the day with just each other feels a bit lonely because it’s supposed to be a day of sharing food with our loved ones, not a singular loved one.
- Wine! Oh, so much wine! Most people, in the spirit of a holiday meal, will automatically assume that contributing a dish for a potluck should include a wine contribution as well. If not, maybe you should find better friends. I’m kidding, but it’s seriously awesome to kick back with your friends on Thanksgiving and drink wine. Cheers!
- You can watch football or hang out with people who don’t watch football. There are always two camps when it comes to the football debate. The diehard football fans will crowd around the TV, and the ones who aren’t into it will find something better to do together. Either way, you’ll be around some like-minded people and have fun.
- It’s the only day of the year when pie is mandatory. If you randomly baked 2-3 pies on any other day, people might think you’re a bit odd and half of them would be on a diet. Not on Thanksgiving! No one in their right mind diets on Thanksgiving, and pie is mandatory. Long live pie!
- You can pair a cute flowy top with your yoga pants or leggings for comfort. You know you’re going to eat 3 days’ worth of calories, and you don’t want to pop the buttons off your favorite jeans. Good thing stretchy pants are stylish when paired with the right top! You’ll be comfortable and you can eat as much as you want.
- You get to think/talk about all the things you’re thankful for in your life. As Americans, we’re constantly on the go and we rarely stop to take a deep breath and appreciate all we have. Thanksgiving is a day when we take a break and give thanks for all the wonderful people and things we have in our lives. That’s valuable, so take the opportunity to give thanks for everything that’s going right in your life (like the fact that you have friends, wine, and pie).
