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For a lot of people Thanksgiving means visiting family or hosting family and just eating a lot of food.. But I haven’t done that the past couple years and I kind a love it. The closest family have lives about a 3 1/2 hour drive away and they’re great but I’m not particularly close with them if you know what I mean. So the last two years instead of traveling to see them for Thanksgiving I’ve stayed home. And it’s been awesome.
I actually Take a Break, How I Spend Thanksgiving
See, I’ve been taking Thanksgiving off pretty much every year of my life (except when I had to work retail) so I’m used to using it as a break. Being self-employed means I can work all of the time. However, having this practice in place means I actually take a break.
And instead of working, I do a lot of what other people do. I cook my favorite foods, but because I’m by myself and not hosting someone I’m only cooking my favorite foods. And frankly I spend the day drinking champagne and eating. I love it. I relax. I’m not filled with anxiety of trying to hang out or make conversation.
This break give me an energy reserve I need to face the holidays. Come Christmastime I will go from living alone with just my animals to being surrounded by 10 other people constantly. It’s a jolt to my system every year.
I love my family and Christmas is super fun but it’s so different from my day-to-day that it becomes absolutely exhausting really fast. So having that time on Thanksgiving to just chill and do what I want, having my own little holiday tradition makes it easier to really enjoy all the holiday traditions that come with Christmas and my family. Plus it means no one else stealing my Thanksgiving leftovers. Also did I mention champagne?
via GIPHY
Being an Introvert, it Saves on Stress and Energy
Believe it or not I’m an introvert, I also occasionally suffer from anxiety attacks. Having just spent time in September and October traveling to conferences and visiting friends, which I loved doing and were tons of fun, I need a break. And Thanksgiving is when I take the time off work and give myself that break. I relax, eat food, browse Black Friday ads and maybe buy cheap movies and I enjoy a favorite drink.
Being an introvert means I get my energy from spending time alone and as I mentioned earlier I don’t really get to do that at Christmas. Now I don’t get to see my family too often so I love getting to see and hang out with them. But that desire to spend time with them doesn’t make my need to be alone or my anxiety flare ups go away.
So Thanksgiving is my holiday to rest and relax and save my energy and just to do whatever I want because let’s be honest holidays and celebrating with others involved compromise. Not that I mind compromise, but I don’t often have to compromise on many things since I do live on my own. Making it nice to just have a holiday without compromise.
It Also Saves Money
Seeing as this is a personal finance blog, I should probably tie money into this conversation. Spending Thanksgiving on my own, lets me save on travel and other expenses.
First of all, I’m not traveling. I’m not buying an expensive plane ticket or driving for hours in traffic, spending money on gas and energy on travel. Not traveling also means not spending money on a dog sitter.
Also since I like to contribute to Thanksgiving and the meal being enjoyed. Which may mean making food I don’t really like and probably wouldn’t buy myself. I’m saving money on food because I’m only doing things I absolutely like to eat on Thanksgiving. BTW I’ll be honest I realize last year I don’t actually like turkey that much. Plus by drinking champagne all day I’m limited on my ability to go shopping. Because drinking and driving is not cool.
Wrapping it Up with a Bow on Top
Ok so wrapping it up, I love my Thanksgiving alone because it gives me the mental health break I need after recent travels and prepares me for what’s coming at Christmas.
I love eating only food I want and spending money on only the food I want and drinking and chilling with my animals at home. I love saving money by not having to travel or be exhausted by the travel. Overall I’m thankful that I can have Thanksgiving as my time. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, no matter what your traditions are, don’t spend too much on Black Friday 😉
FAQs
Ultimately, how you spend Thanksgiving is entirely up to you and there's no right or wrong way to celebrate the holidays. Remember that you shouldn't be too hard on yourself for avoiding family during the holiday season. “If Thanksgiving looks different for you year after year, that's okay.
What do single people do on Thanksgiving? ›
Volunteer. It's a classic for a reason. If you don't want to be alone on Thanksgiving, focus on being there for others. You'll have the chance to connect with fellow volunteers, and you'll get to spend your day doing something useful, whether it's passing out meals or raking leaves.
How do you deal with being alone on Thanksgiving? ›
Try to focus on the present and what might make things feel even a little bit better. Would a phone call to a friend help, or perhaps a dish of ice cream? Give your day some structure. Making no plans leaves you at the mercy of an empty refrigerator or a long day of random podcasts and TV reruns.
What percentage of people are alone on Thanksgiving? ›
About 11% of people said they celebrate with friends instead of family, while 3% said they usually stay home alone without inviting anyone over.
What can I do for Thanksgiving without friends or family? ›
What to Do on Thanksgiving Without Family
- Book a night at a local hotel. Anything you can do out of the ordinary will make the holiday feel special and not blah. ...
- Stay in your PJs all day. 0 Guilt. ...
- Don't make any plans. ...
- Play charades over Zoom. ...
- Help a neighbor. ...
- Spend the day writing letters. ...
- Friendsgiving, duh.
Making space for your emotions — even the less pleasant ones — can be part of the healing process the holidays offer. Perhaps spending these days alone may give room for you to express your feelings freely.
How do you celebrate being single? ›
10 Ways To Celebrate Being Single
- Some like it hot. ...
- One set of parents. ...
- Take back the night. ...
- Don't be an ass. ...
- Flirt like you mean it. ...
- Getting to know you. ...
- Bargain basem*nt holidays. ...
- You can get with this or you can get with that.
On Singles Awareness Day, single people gather to celebrate or to commiserate in their single status. Some want to remind romantic couples that they don't need to be in a relationship to celebrate life.
What do most people do during Thanksgiving? ›
People across the country gather together to share a meal and reflect on all the things they're grateful for. But there's much more to do during this beautiful time of giving thanks than just eating. From parades to shopping, running to volunteering – Thanksgiving is celebrated in a wide variety of ways.
Why do people stuff themselves on Thanksgiving? ›
At Thanksgiving, there's always plenty of food around. But that's not the only reason people tend to stuff themselves as much as the turkey. The main reason that people eat so much on this holiday is that they are out of their normal routine. When the routine goes out the window, anything goes.
Reach out to people around you.
If you feel isolated, make it a priority to work on your relationships with others. Exchange friendly words with neighbors or coworkers. Write holiday cards to loved ones. Call or video chat old acquaintances.
What percent of people spend holidays alone? ›
YouGov data shows that one in nine Americans (11%) spent the December holidays by themselves and one in six spent New Year's Eve and New Year's Day alone (16%). About half of Americans (48%) spent the December holidays with members of their household, and even more did so for the January holidays (56%).
How much time does the average adult spend alone? ›
While it's not unusual to spend some time alone, research shows that the average number of hours we spend alone increases as we age. “In comparison, people in their 40s and 50s spend about 4 hours and 45 minutes alone, and those younger than 40 spend about three and a half hours a day alone, on average.
How many people spend the holidays alone? ›
About 1 in 9 Americans spent the holiday season on their own in 2020, which is more than 28 million people.
What are the rules for when Thanksgiving is? ›
On October 6, 1941, the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November to be the legal Thanksgiving Day. The Senate, however, amended the resolution establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday, which would take into account those years when November has five Thursdays.
Is it normal to not like Thanksgiving? ›
For many Americans, Thanksgiving is a special, beloved holiday for eating turkey – or a vegetarian main course option – and spending time with friends and family. However, for others, the celebration is deeply controversial, as Thanksgiving has a contentious history that goes back to when the first feast was held.
What to eat on Thanksgiving alone? ›
10 Single-Serve Recipes If You're Spending Thanksgiving Riding...
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats. PIN IT. ...
- 'French Toast' Crumpets. PIN IT. ...
- Stuffed Turkey Breast. PIN IT. ...
- Turkey, Cranberry and Stuffing Meatballs. PIN IT. ...
- Rosemary Roasted Root Vegetables. PIN IT. ...
- Mini Pumpkin Pies. PIN IT. ...
- Pumpkin Pie in a Mug. PIN IT. ...
- Mini Apple Pies.
Most years, one of the best things about Thanksgiving is spending time with family. Many people live far from family members and travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones. Thanksgiving is often one of the busiest travel days of the year!
