Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy family and spend the most time that you can with them. However, sometimes it can still be a lot to deal with when you’ve got a big family. It’s safe to say since COVID we have run into the common issue of fewer family gatherings and I feel that there are both pros and cons to both sides.
Pros of not doing a big family Thanksgiving dinner:
One of my favorite pros is the lack of need to get dressed up. I have never quite understood the whole theory of getting dressed up to go eat a ton of food. By the end of the day, your jeans are digging into your stomach and your sweater is making you too warm. Not having a lot of family all together means that you can get away with leggings and maybe a sweater or sweatshirt.
Another good pro is that there is less of a line for food and a lot fewer awkward questions. When there isn’t such a large group of people, I feel like I am able to avoid the worst questions. If I have to answer it, at least I face less embarrassment than if it were the whole big family judging. I feel most comfortable with this because I don’t feel like the topic of conversation.
The cons:
As expected is the overall feeling of loneliness or missing the family in general. Being someone who really loves their family and used to love getting to see them more has made it difficult not to be able to have this time with them. I miss seeing them and getting to hear about what everyone else has been busy doing. It made things feel like we were missing out on a lot less. However, as people move on with their lives and cousins go to their partner’s family, and some cousins aren’t with their parents that weekend it has become harder to get everyone together at the same time.
That being said, the topic has both its pros and cons, and it’s safe to say I wish I could go back and experience a big Thanksgiving again. However, I am happy to be able to spend it with my immediate family and reconnect about things that we all may have missed.