By Heidi Hess
It started innocently enough. I didn’t want to make mashed potatoes. Or anything for Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving for me had turned into a “have to” instead of a “want to.” Do I love my family? Of course, but the stress and pressure were real. I found myself dreading the planning (which family members insisted had to be done six weeks in advance). And then there were the guilt laden conversations at the dinner table. Ack. The only thing I wanted to be laden with at Thanksgiving was gravy. I just couldn’t do it anymore. So, what did I do? I skipped Thanksgiving and went to Universal.
That’s right. I went to Universal for Thanksgiving. And guess what? I had one of the best Thanksgivings I had ever had. It was me, the hubby and my kiddos, riding rides, enjoying each other’s company. Thanksgiving dinner was at the Three Broomsticks in Islands of Adventure. It’s a Harry Potter themed restaurant. You order your food, and they bring it out to you. We had something called The Great Feast. Roasted chicken, spare ribs, corn on the cob, rosemary roasted potatoes and other veggies. What part did I have in making this? I made reservations. Turns out I’m a decent cook but I’m better at making reservations.
My son, at the time, was a picky eater. I had my concerns, but to my surprise, he dug into the chicken and potatoes like a ravenous beast. We sat in this medieval feeling dining hall, talking about our day, our lives and had a wonderful meal. It’s something we still talk about.
My point here is, don’t we deserve to give our kids the best version of us? Don’t the kids deserve to create memories with us that aren’t tinged with stress? I think so. You don’t have to go to Universal to make this happen. You can go camping. You can have your Thanksgiving dinner al fresco at a park. Do you have to have turkey? Nope. You can have whatever you want.
Sushi on a picnic blanket next to a lake – Thanksgiving. McDonald’s at a picnic table at the kid’s favorite park – Thanksgiving. Chinese take out and your favorite movie – Thanksgiving. Give yourself permission to enjoy the holidays – whatever way you want to “Thanksgiving.” It’s not about the food. It never was. It’s about being grateful for each other and enjoying the time we have with the people we love.
So, wherever you are, whatever you decide to do, please enjoy your Thanksgiving. And if you want to skip the mashed potatoes, and people get upset, blame it on me. I don’t mind.
Happy Thanksgiving.