Thanksgiving With Friends

Over the last few years, I have realized that one of my favorite parts of the holiday season is having Thanksgiving in San Francisco. My family is so spread out, and it just seems too difficult to go home for the couple of days when my college age brothers are home for a month a couple weeks later. So, I stay near work, forget about traveling on the busiest day of the year, and I get to relax with my friends who also stick around for various reasons. I love it because we always end up inviting random people to come along and eat the delicious food that my culinary adept friends make.

One of my favorite parts is talking about what we are thankful for. I feel like close friends always have a good sense of this, but I always learn a little more about the slightly more distant friends based on what they are thankful for. Sometimes I learn about job promotions, sick parents, or other news that doesn't come up in the "Oh! I haven't seen you in so long! How are you?" conversation. This inevitably brings me closer to my friends!

This year's festivities haven't yet been planned, but I am sure that we'll play some Catch Phrase and Apples to Apples, and eat some delightful vegetarian food (don't worry, there will be turkey as well!) and catch up on our busy lives. This year, my few minutes rattling off blessings will include a great job when others aren't so lucky, a broad net of friends that support me in trying times - I'm looking at you 2009, and the fact that even though 10 months ago my dad was told he would never walk again and that he had cancer, both aren't true anymore! 

What are your unique traditions surrounding Thanksgiving?

-Christina is a blogger for The Daily Vine. Check out her bio to see where her view comes from.