Skipping Thanksgiving

24

Replies

  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:



    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    end thread
  • Candi_land
    Candi_land Posts: 1,311 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    25ibrwo.gif
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Skip Thanksgiving?

    tumblr_mt90e1xAv71snn622o1_400.gif
  • dare2love81
    dare2love81 Posts: 928 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    QFT.

    Or, here's a thought, bring the book with you and curl up on the couch there. At least then you're with your family.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    This is a holiday to honor all of the pilgrims who died from starvation and finally got to eat when they took over the country and you want to skip it?!??!?
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    I had an incident a few years back. I planned on going to my parents for Thanksgiving. The whole family was going to be there. I had no food in the house as I was planning on being gone for several days. Thursday morning, I woke up to find a huge snow storm had blown in. I was pretty much trapped in my house. The interstate was closed in several places between my house and my parents. I was unable to go. To top it off, the grocery store closed early that day ebing Thanksgiving and all.

    So, I looked for what I had to make the best of it. All there was in the house were a couple of Banquet frozen dinners. I ate one of those, and just relaxed and read a book all day. Spent some time with the kids and the dogs, and enjoyed playing some games with them. I realized how nice and peaceful that it was. Ever since then, I don't really give a rip about the "feast" aspect of Thanksgiving. It's just fine to stay at home and have a relaxing day where you aren't stressing over getting all the cooking done.

    These days, if there is a family gathering and someone else is doing the big spread, I will go. However, if not, I don't sweat it. I just make sure to buy several large turkeys in the weeks leadingup to the holiday (when they are dirt cheap) and freeze them. That way I can do the big turkey, smashed taters, and stuffing other times throughout the year, when there is more time.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    This is a holiday to honor all of the pilgrims who died from starvation and finally got to eat when they took over the country and you want to skip it?!??!?

    Wow, your American Thanksgiving is different from ours. We're just thankful for all the things we have without any Pilgrim invasions!
  • SpeSHul_SnoflEHk
    SpeSHul_SnoflEHk Posts: 6,256 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    She said that was just a bonus. The point I believe was not having to deal with family and being able to just spend the day relaxing.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    If you think 1 day will derail you.. your already derailed.
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
    I understand where you are coming from, but I think one day you might look back on it and feel that you should have just gone.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Staying away from the crazy? Are we related??

    Oh wait..........you were talking about the food. My bad! Seriously, if its just the food - who cares? Have fun with the family. If it's the family - girl, stay home! Take a day for yourself!!

    I was soooo helpful! :flowerforyou:
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    Sad.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Its not just about food! Go and practice willpower!

    My mom was vibrant and healthy 5 months ago and now this may be her last Thanksgiving, if she makes it til then.

    Dont take your time with loved ones for granted!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I kind of understand but Thanksgiving is for family and you never know when it will be the last one with any particular family member.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    She said that was just a bonus. The point I believe was not having to deal with family and being able to just spend the day relaxing.

    It sounds like she doesn't want to go to avoid telling her family she doesn't want to eat their high calorie foods.
    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    It didn't say anywhere in the original post that they were a pain in the butt or that she didn't get along with them. So my point still stands in everything I said in my post - family, memories, and not getting fat/losing all your progress in ONE damn day.
  • sarah456s
    sarah456s Posts: 98 Member
    I used to love spending time with my family at Thanksgiving. Then we acquired some crazy step family and they kind of ruined it all for the rest of us.

    So. I understand avoiding craziness. I may skip it myself this year.

    But just because of the food? Meh. Go and just be mindful of what you put on your plate.
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  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    I understand the desire to avoid the potential diet pitfall, but Thanksgiving is about your family. Go spend time with them, even if you don't like them. They're your family.

    As for the food, well, do your best. You make choices about what you eat every other day of the year, why is this day any different?
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    So, how do I just say, "I'd really like to just have a quiet time at home, alone on Thanksgiving." I think that sounds amazing! I'd love nothing more than to curl up in front of my fireplace with a book and just relax that day.

    Staying away from the crazy, calorie laden foods of the day is just a bonus. I'm not in the least bit sentimental, and I don't attach emotions to food.

    I just don't know how to get my point across to my highly sentimental relatives that I'm just not all that into stuffing my face this year. Food = Love in my family.

    Maybe I'll just come down with the "flu" or something. :ohwell:

    Ummm...let me get this straight. You are going to avoid spending time with your family because you don't want to deal with crazy laden foods.

    Wow. I know if I could have one more Thanksgiving or holiday with my dad, I'd say eat all the foods and just stay fat for the day because no diet is worth the opportunity lost for memories with loved ones.

    Plus..no one got fat in a day.

    She said that was just a bonus. The point I believe was not having to deal with family and being able to just spend the day relaxing.

    There are sooo many other days to relax. She should go see her family.
  • i just make sure there are a few items i would definitely indulge in (healthy items)...perhaps green beans, asparagus, broccoli--and a fresh salad. in additional, i stay light on turkey and avoid the rest.
  • czechwolf52
    czechwolf52 Posts: 194 Member
    Just go but don't eat that much. I love spending time with my family but I don't care for Thanksgiving food at all (yes I'm very weird like that). So I get to spend time with my family without feeling stuffed. You can't use the avoidance strategy for your whole life, you have to learn to either have a "bad" day and move on or try to eat sensibly.
  • UrbanLotus
    UrbanLotus Posts: 1,163 Member
    Unless you detest your family, I don't get this AT ALL. Its one day - the only day of the year you celebrate Thanksgiving, you have every single other day to curl up in front of the fireplace with a book and just relax. Why not pick ANY other day to do this, and spend Thanksgiving being thankful that you have loved ones.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I want to do this at XMAS,
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Why do you have to stuff your face...why can't you just go enjoy a nice meal with your family and/or friends? It sounds to me like you're actually scared of food and lack self control and you're just hiding behind some vale of not being sentimental or whatever...
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    My husband and I started a tradition of skipping Thanksgiving about nine years ago. Personally, I just don't enjoy the meal (not that into turkey with all the trimmings), the feeling of being stuffed or the long drive to get to my family's house.

    So, we get up early - go for a long hike and then eat gourmet homemade pizza and drink wine while watching movies.

    It's so relaxing and peaceful!

    It was uncomfortable and tense the first year we announced our alternative plans to family. The next year, there was a little guilt-tripping followed by acceptance. After that, I think they got used to it. Now they just ask 'So... are you doing your crazy Thanksgiving again?'.

    Yes... yes, I am!

    (And for the record, I love my family and see them all the time on other holidays, weekends, birthdays, etc. I just really like having one holiday that is just for my husband and me)
  • plm209
    plm209 Posts: 222 Member
    or, just go and spend time with your family and eat sensibly. Its not mutually exclusive.

    ^^ This
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    You don't have to eat like a pig you know. Just go, make your family happy, and spend Black Friday doing whatever you like to do all by yourself. I am a loner, but even I draw the line at blowing off the major family holiday to hang out alone.

    I have one child and I know that eventually he'll marry and we won't see him at the holidays. That's ok, but if he blew us off to read or watch TV I'd be pretty upset.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I understand where you are coming from, but I think one day you might look back on it and feel that you should have just gone.

    Agreed... This is the first Thanksgiving without my mom and yeah.. I wish I could spend it with her.
  • Why do you have to stuff your face...why can't you just go enjoy a nice meal with your family and/or friends? It sounds to me like you're actually scared of food and lack self control and you're just hiding behind some vale of not being sentimental or whatever...

    I think a lot of people are scared of their lack of self control. it is a family event, and in many families (not all) emotions run high. it makes sense that someone would be hesitant to engage in all that. not only that, but many families drink, and even more emotions come out. do what feels best. i have skipped "holidays" for my own sanity at times. i respect all those that have made their own traditions.