Month: October 2023

Make Traveling More Like Home This Thanksgiving Holiday

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering together with the people near and dear to your heart. But if you’re traveling you may feel their absence even more so than usual. November 23^rd is right around the corner and, for those of you who are on the road and away from family, know there are still so many ways you can celebrate and feel the warmth of the holiday.

6 Alternative Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving

1. For those like me who don’t cook that much – mostly because I don’t want to inflict my cooking on others – there are a number of restaurants open on Thanksgiving that have special Thanksgiving feast options available for one or more people.
2. In this age of ‘Dave, you’re on mute’ we are all familiar with facetiming or hopping on Zoom or Teams. If you have people in your life celebrating, but you won’t be able to make it, try attending virtually! You get all the warmth and connection of your loved ones without having to worry about your yearly cheek pinching from Great Aunt Gladys!
3. If you really want to go somewhere and be with people, but aren’t picky about who they are, please consider sites like Meetup and Eventbrite. I found numerous gatherings already scheduled for Thanksgiving 2023 that allow strangers to come together for everything from a home cooked meal to community craft fairs, to live music!
4. If you have the day off, it may be one of your few chances to have a chance to decompress and focus on yourself. With that in mind, you can bundle up with one or four blankets and watch Steve Martin struggle to make his way home for the holiday with John Candy in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.
5. At the heart of the holiday is gratitude and giving thanks. What better way to do that than by taking the time to give back to those less fortunate? Volunteering opportunities are available everywhere and such organizations are always in need of help. Consider joining in with the community to help others celebrate during a time in their life where celebrations are rare.
6. I am of the opinion that running is not a hobby to partake in for fun. I have said on more than one occasion that if you see me running you should also be doing so because something is chasing me with the intent to do bodily harm. Nevertheless, for those who enjoy the dreaded activity, there’s always the Turkey Trot!

If you found this advice helpful, you’ll find more great tips on how to make a holiday away from home easier by reading Not Home for the Holidays too. And if you’d like to learn about more reasons to celebrate read our blog on Winter Holidays and Celebrations Around the World.