I'm all about family togetherness, so the last thing I want to do is sound like the Thanksgiving grinch. However, Turkey Day has never been one of my favorite holidays. I want to like it, but at the end of the day I'm always stressed, bloated, bitter and suffering from a tension headache. It's nothing like the old advertisements...
I think the biggest problem is the expectations. Know what you're getting into. It's not going to look like a Norman Rockwell painting. Quite the contrary. Sure, it's remotely possible you may be one of the lucky ones who has a Little House on the Prairie Thanksgiving each and every year, but for 99.999% of America the holiday mainly consists of uncomfortable moments and severe indigestion. But as long as you don't have unrealistic expectations going in, you might have a good time after all. So, let's take stock.1. The Macy's Parade will become intolerable quickly. The Garfield balloon will not impress you.
2. The family gathering will be punctuated by awkward silences and uncomfortable comments.
3. At least one child will mortify their parents; this could very well be you this year, so be prepared.
4. Even if you are not on a diet, you will feel guilty and self conscious about how much you ate.
5. The bloated feeling will cause you to become irritable and drowsy; a bad combination when fraternizing with judgmental relatives who are also edgy.
Once you accept these facts, you are on your way to having a somewhat bearable or relatively pleasant Thanksgiving!
Read on to peruse through a small gallery of vintage "Ladies of Thanksgiving". Hopefully, it will add a little cheer to the holiday. Enjoy!
image source
image source
