Every year, I get questions about why we don’t see our families for Thanksgiving. Every year, I say the same thing – my husband owns a small business and runs major sales Friday-Monday. We stay close to home (both of our families are out of state) so he can go to the warehouse and work. It’s a nutso weekend for him.
(And the truth is, I am fine with staying home for this holiday.)
I’m getting even more questions this year, because I am on a new team at work, and people don’t know my story (and would probably forget anyway, which is fine). The questions don’t bother me, but some people do ask rather bluntly “Why don’t you see your family?”
So. A reminder: the holidays are hard for some people! If you feel the need to ask them about their family relationships, be gentle about it! And if you don’t know them well, maybe don’t go there? Ha ha. (Again, it doesn’t bother me, just made me think about this!)
This is the first year in a while that we are hosting Friendsgiving! We are hosting two families. Tonight we are going to rearrange the house to fit everyone. I am anxious to see how it all turns out, and excited about visiting AND EATING!!!! with everyone tomorrow.
Old photo, but accurate representation of what I plan to do tomorrow
Yaaasss to the mashed potato!!
I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving! I don’t think I’ve had many people ask why I don’t go home, but I think I tend to offer an explanation first (“We found it’s the easiest time to travel internationally, and we don’t want to fly across the country twice in one month.”).
I assume you actually are making mashed potatoes this year!
We did! I should probably start with the explanation too, like you do!
Yes! We made mashed potatoes. Probably my favorite dish from the day!
I know that you wrote this forever ago (at least in terms of the holidays!), but I’ve become pretty sensitive about asking people about their plans for BOTH Thanksgiving and also Christmas (not to assume that everyone celebrates Christmas, because they don’t!). Michael and I did celebrate with my family in Texas this year, which is a huge gathering, but usually we don’t – and we’ve had plenty of Thanksgivings with friends and also totally on our own, which, is kind of nice too.
I love the term “Friendsgiving” – it looked like a pretty awesome gathering!
It wasn’t forever ago! 🙂 I think it’s so good to be sensitive about ALL holidays, because you are right, some people don’t even celebrate! There is no point in assuming anything about anyone, for what, just to make small talk?! I hope you enjoyed the huge TX gathering. I am like you – I like the variety of big gatherings and then just us. It’s nice to have that quiet day sometimes! We did have a fabulous Friendsgiving though! 🙂
I knew a lot of people in Chicago who never went home for Thanksgiving because many had to work on Friday. Hence “friendsgiving” dinners! My family would typically come out on Friday and we’d do Thanksgiving over the weekend, but you’re right, holidays can be hard for some people!
Eating mashed potatoes is NOT hard though 🙂 I thought of you when I made a full 5 pound bag of potatoes just for me and Terry. Still working on those…
Oh yeah, and that is another thing to consider – that people might not have Friday off. It makes me nuts that people assume everyone does. It sounds like you guys worked it out well, doing it on the weekend!
Oh man, I wish we still had some left! A lot got taken home with people, and we had just two servings left for us! (actual serving size, not Thanksgiving serving size)