Friends or Family?

Personally, I absolutely love Thanksgiving. Maybe because I’m about 12% Cherokee? I don't love the traffic, plane ticket prices, and I really can't even say I love the food. Turkey is not my favorite, it tends to be a little dry and bland in my opinion (recently, I have discovered that I like dark meat, despite my fears of it). Gravy is usually pretty bland for me also, making it so not worth the calories I see when I look at it. Cranberry sauce. I would never stick a spoon in a jelly jar and eat it, so I don't know why I would start on Thanksgiving. I do love mashed potatoes, but nobody makes them like my (technically ex) step-dad, and it’d be World War III if I spent the holiday with his family instead of any two of my other four parents and their kids (no, I’m not making this up, that’s a whole other blog). And last but not least, pumpkin pie. Is it just me, or does pumpkin pie just smell so much better than it tastes? Maybe it’s a texture thing. Speaking of texture, I almost completely forgot about stuffing, let's just say I'll pass completely on that one.

Don’t get me wrong, despite all of these downsides I mention in regards to the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I still will inevitably eat myself into that much anticipated “food coma” and I really do love Thanksgiving. It is the only time of year where friends, family, and even strangers all come together in celebration, without the expectation that usually leads to disappointment and months of credit card payments. This time of year, it seems almost foreign to people that one would even consider staying in Los Angeles and not flying "back home" for the holidays. I will miss my family this Thanksgiving, but I love the fact that this is a time of year that friends and strangers become like family, even if just for one day. Since living here, my husband and I have spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with friends, family, family friends, or whatever combination thereof, and they have all made lasting impressions. "You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your family" is an oldie but goodie.

The real reason that I love this day, though, is that all over the country, people are getting together and doing the thing that I try to challenge myself to do every day. Simply being thankful. Giving thanks. Appreciating all that we have and doing this corporately. I love that. No matter who you are with this Thanksgiving, here is some very wise old advice that is sure to make your holiday even better.

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