Thanksgiving & the Holiday Season

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Anonymous

11/21/20 at 11:25AM UTC

Lifestyle & Relationships

Thanksgiving & the Holiday Season

Do you love the Holiday season or find it stressful? Is it a time of joy or a time of anxiety? Do you enjoy it or deal with family pressures? When I was growing up in the Detroit area, I loved the Holiday season as a child. As I got older and my family moved to northern Michigan, the Holiday season was transitioning from fun to stressful. Into adulthood and a free spirit, the Holiday season, I began to feel stress and resent about it because of expectations during the time. One of my most meaningful Holidays is when I refused to live up to expectations and stayed home in my apartment without traveling. I had experienced peace and joy. Admittedly, I know some families who truly are friends with each other and get along during the Holidays which is rare. So, whatever your plan is for the Holiday season, treat yourself to some time of peace so that you can have joy.

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Janice Enoch

Associate Director

11/30/20 at 3:40PM UTC

Due to Covid-19 we decided to have a very small Thanksgiving dinner at home with just my husband and two kids. For safety measures no one else was invited and I must say it was soooooo relaxing and stress-free! We lounged around the house in our pj's, cooked an amazing meal and relaxed all day. I did miss my other family members but I absolutely appreciated and enjoyed the calm, stress-free day.

Anonymous

11/27/20 at 4:41PM UTC

I have worked in retail for 26 years, so I haven’t been able to enjoy the Holidays with family. This year I can, and taking full advantage of family and the true meaning of the Holidays!

Anonymous

11/29/20 at 2:22PM UTC

Yay!!

Marian Dyer

199

Don't be a jerk.

11/25/20 at 2:29PM UTC

I enjoy the planning of a big meal for a crowd but actually do get anxious - is everything cooked well? Are people enjoying themselves? Did they just come because they thought they had to? Do I look OK? and on and on. At the same time, I kind of don't look forward to all the rushing around and stress of gathering. I think my husband is the opposite - he loves the chaos and uncertainty of holiday socializing. That being said, I am not sad that Thanksgiving will have three instead of 13 at my dinner table this year. We will still connect with family but it will be a welcomed low-key affair.

Anonymous

11/26/20 at 12:13PM UTC

Understand the stress. Hope that you find happiness in the chaos.

Eve Koopmann Odar

Thoughtful people leader, mom and wife

11/21/20 at 4:03PM UTC

I love my family, and love being with them - that said, I do not enjoy the chaos of Thanksgiving - it turned out my husband did not either. So....now we travel every Thanksgiving (except this one!) with our kids to see new places. We invite our extended family in case they want to join (they have joined every once in a while) , and we love it. I now love Thanksgiving and feel we have created a great tradition for the kids. Holidays should not be stressful! And you don't have to follow the rules - you are allowed to make up your own. Happy Thanksgiving everyone:)

Anonymous

11/21/20 at 4:11PM UTC

When my family moved to northern Michigan after leaving downriver Detroit, our new tradition was attending the Annual Thanksgiving NFL game of the Lions vs Bears which after the game, we actually had dinner with the Chicago Bears.

Robin Finnell

139

Wardrobe Stylist

11/21/20 at 2:28PM UTC

Agree with the comment above. Don't do everything yourself. We make over 6 christmas cookies and send them many places. While a little stressful (because cookies become stale quickly) it is also fun because my husband and son help. When I used to do everything myself it got old quickly. Let others help and give them some joy in the process.

Anonymous

11/21/20 at 4:08PM UTC

Yum cookies!! It would be fun with your hubby and son.

Kyla Duffy

187

Your Career Alchemist

11/21/20 at 1:13PM UTC

I realized something the other day when we visited our friends' house for their Day of the Dead celebration: they decorated and cooked together. This was profound to me in that I realized I was finding holidays to be a pain in the butt because I was trying to do everything myself. This year, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I'm going to make it a team sport and also let go of expectations to see if it changes a stressful time into a joyous time.