Expectation VS Reality: Thanksgiving Edition

Drexel is home to many international students and with that comes inexperience with a quintessential American holiday: Thanksgiving. But whether it is your first Thanksgiving or you’ve been celebrating since infancy, one thing we can all agree on is that Thanksgiving is not as perfect as movies and TV shows make it out to be. So to celebrate Turkey Day we’ve compiled a list of the preconceived notions that are actually (sadly) false.

Expectation: A table full of fancy food.

Reality: Enough food to last until mid-December

Expectation: Fancy china and silverware for every guest (even if they are over 15 of them)

Reality: Paper plates to make clean-up easier

Expectation: Pumpkin pie for dessert!

Reality: Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cookies, and other sweets until you’re full just thinking about it.

Expectation: Dinner at 6 pm, as it is supposed to be.

Reality: Dinner at 4 pm, because that’s when the food happened to be finished

Expectation: Tons of shopping during Black Friday.

Reality: Deciding to stay at home because going to a packed mall at midnight sounds dangerous on a full stomach

Expectation: Sweater  and a skirt weather.

Reality: Sweater, coat, scarf, boots, gloves, and long-johns weather.

Expectation: Spending the day with family

Reality:  The boys are watching the game, mom is cooking, and the kids are going to meet friends.

Expectation:  Everyone is calmly shopping during Black Friday

Reality:  Everyone is fighting for EVERYTHING

Expectation: Going to see the parade live

Reality: Watching the parade on TV

Expectation: Being able to eat your food right away

Reality: The food has to get to the table, people have to take pictures, something’s been left in the oven, and then the food has to get passed around—all before you can take a bite.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! Enjoy time with your family, friends, and the delicious turkey