LIFE

Holidays can be both fun *and* stressful at the same time. Especially Thanksgiving, which is meant to be filled with food, family and feelings of thanks...however, it doesn’t always work out that way. Before Turkey Day gets here, we want to help you prepare for some of the possible issues you could encounter with these six common problems and the not-so-secret solutions that will make your day easy as (pumpkin) pie.

The sitch: Your grandma asks for the 2943865th time if you have a boyfriend.

The solution: We know hearing the question over and over again is exhausting, but instead of being annoyed, be thankful that you have a grandma who thinks you’re *so* awesome that she can’t understand why every boy isn’t in love with you. Politely smile and say something like, “I’m too busy with school right now,” which will hopefully change the subject to your classes. Or, if you do have a crush, let her know—your grandma would probably love to gossip about boys, and she may even have some useful wisdom to share.

The sitch: Your aunt offers you some of the green bean casserole she made that you hate. 

The solution: Everyone has dislikes when it comes to food, but you don’t want to hurt her feelings. You have two options—the first being to politely decline the food. Chances are she’s not going to take it to heart if you say “no thank you” with a smile. Your second option is to take a little (just a few forkfuls will do), swallow it and wash it down with a sip of your drink or a bite of turkey. Your taste buds change every few years so, who knows, maybe you’ll think it’s delicious! 

The sitch: Your parents are separated or divorced...and both of them want you at their Thanksgiving dinners.

The solution: There’s multiple ways to solve this problem so that everyone involved is happy. Maybe one of them could have their Thanksgiving the day after or one could hold it later in the day so you can go to the other house after you finish your first dinner. If they live far apart, you could spend Thanksgiving with Dad and Christmas with Mom. Whichever way you choose to handle it, be thankful for both your parents and that they want to spend time with you.

The sitch: You somehow end up sitting between your two uncles that you’re not very close to. One only knows how to talk about sports and the other always tells jokes you either don’t understand or don’t think are very funny.

The solution: Smile and nod, ladies, smile and nod. Add in a few comments when you can and laugh at the jokes anyway. They’ll probably be talking to everyone else and you always have the people across from you to strike up a convo with. Besides, with all that food in front of you, who has time for talking?

The sitch: Your mom asks you to set the table but you don’t know how to do that formally. Which side does the fork go on? Is the spoon supposed to be with the knife?

The solution: This one’s easy peasy. The fork goes on top of the napkin on the left, the plate is in the middle, the fork and spoon are on the right with the knife closest to the plate (the part you cut with also faces the plate), then the cup on the right hand corner of the place mat. You can always look up a picture online for a visual or simply ask your mom—we're sure she’d love to teach you.

The sitch: You always get stuck at the “kid’s table” with your cousins that are *way* younger than you, but this year you want to sit with the adults.

The solution: Simply ask your parents or whichever family member is hosting if you can. Hopefully, they’ll say yes and set you a place, or even combine the two tables so everyone eats together. But if you end up sitting with your cousins again, don’t pout. Try to make the most of the situation and have a fun dinner. You probably don’t get to see them often and you have most of your life to be an adult so enjoy this short time of being a “kid”.

What's the craziest Thanksgiving sitch you've been in? How did you handle it? Tell us about it below!

by Maddie Smith | 11/26/2019