by Ellie White and Michael Schaeper
Thanksgiving Day, a time to celebrate what your thankful for and then a time to get into a battle of wits with your Uncle Jerry. Worried about your family’s peaceful dinner turning into a shouting match between two relatives or worse, you and a relative? Well, the Milestone is here to help navigate the treacherous waters of Thanksgiving Day.
Do wake up on time for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade is a staple of many households. It’s a wonderful way to begin your day with the entertaining parade from 9 a.m. to noon on Thanksgiving Day on NBC. No cable? Stream it on the NBC website. The parade shows everything from balloons of cartoon characters to live bands to Broadway musical performances. This year will be the 92nd annual Macy’s Day Parade, so if you’ve never seen it, make it a priority to watch this year.
Don’t eat too much before Thanksgiving dinner
Many are often amazed by how much food is at the table by the dinner is ready and “run out of room” before they can enjoy most of it. So a good fix for this is holding out on eating before Thanksgiving dinner. Eat a small breakfast but then hold off on eating before dinner, so you can get a taste of everything from turkey to stuffing to pumpkin pie.
Do help your family with the meal
A crucial part of the holiday is the food. Everyone wants turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie, but many don’t think about the time spent to prepare it. Show your thankfulness to your family by helping out in the kitchen, or if you aren’t the cooking type, help set the table.
Don’t start eating before prayer
Yes, I know you’re hungry, and yes, I know Grandma’s prayer is going on forever, but do not eat before the final Amen. You are just asking to get kicked back to the kiddy table, and no one wants that. Be patient, and then you can tuck into all that delicious food.
Do share what you are thankful for
That is what this holiday is all about after all. I know that as teenagers we tend to keep those gushy corny feelings inside, but think about thanking your family for everything they’ve given you.
Don’t talk about politics
Under no circumstances, even under threat of more green bean casserole, should you ever bring up your political beliefs. It doesn’t matter if your family is one party all the way, someone in your family is going to disagree with you. The last thing you want for the holiday dinner is for someone remembering how you were the one who started the fight that ended with Uncle Joey leaving dinner early.
Do talk about your achievements
Your family loves you, and they love to hear about what you’ve been doing in school, especially if you’re one of the younger kids. Rather than insulting your aunt’s green bean casserole, bring up how you got an A on your last math test, or that time you scored for your sports team. It’ll be worth it, trust me.
Don’t ask about anyone’s relationship
Many relatives like to ask who you are dating. This often puts people in an awkward situation because if you say yes, you will get questioned until you leave. If you say no, they will question when you are going to find a nice girl/boy. The best thing to do would be to ask how life has been or what they are up to.
Do try and get a slice of pie
Often the desserts are the first foods to exit the table, especially apple and pumpkin pie. If you enjoy desserts, you have to be quick to the table before your other relatives get their slice of pie first.
Don’t eat yourself into a food coma
People often eat so much food that they fall into a food coma after eating Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone needs to pace themselves on how much to eat because you want to be around your family and talk to them. Pacing yourself on food is necessary for making it through Thanksgiving dinner and the full day ahead.
Do mentally prepare for Black Friday
Black Friday is a tradition of many to grab Christmas deals for their family. If Black Friday is a part of your tradition, you need to get mentally ready for busting through the doors of stores to get the best deals possible. Make sure you get enough to eat at Thanksgiving so you don’t have to worry about eating early in the morning. The biggest thing is that you stay safe on Black Friday because people have died on black Friday. Good luck to all those participating in this year’s shopping marathon!
The McNicholas Milestone 