Ah, Thanksgiving. It's the second-most wonderful time of year (Christmas, duh) filled with family and friends and is the perfect occasion to see those that you've been missing for months. Cue the fantastic grandparents, bajillion cousins and all other relatives! Here's what you should expect this thanksgiving:
1. Hugs. LOTS OF HUGS.
Your family members haven't seen you in months, what did you expect?
2. Questions. So many questions.
How's school? Do you have a boyfriend? What are your career plans? Have you been going to church? Tell us everything about everything! What is this, a Thanksgiving celebration or a love-filled interrogation?
3. Catching up on the family drama.
Your uncle Jerry helped open a Disneyland in China (true story), your cousin is apparently an olympic athlete now and your great aunt Susan just got a titanium. You all have some serious work cut out to get everyone up to speed on everything.
4. Showing picture, after picture, after picture...
Well of course after everyone is caught up they're going to want photo evidence of all the cool stuff they just learned! Get out your phones, everyone; you will most likely pull up a picture for your grandpa to see then wonder which relative has your phone the rest of the night.
5. Helping prep during the pre-feast chaos.
You're not a little kid anymore, so hide and seek in the backyard is no longer an option while the grownups take care of things (welcome to the adult-world, kid). You're now on duty in the food assembly line, probably marinating green beans or sticking vegetables in a turkey's butt. Truth is, everyone is panicking to make dinner come out on time, and you all are totally bonding over it.
6. Sitting at the kids' table.
Yes, you're a "grown-up" when it comes to being forced to work in the kitchen, but once the food is on the table you'd think you guys are 6 years old again. Some of you and your cousins are well over the legal grown-up age, yet you're hanging out with the younger relatives while your parents laugh and drink alcohol (not fair, but the kids' table is more fun anyway).
7. Quality time.
Whether it's the catching up or the chaos or the meal, you'll realize that you adore your family and missed them even more than you realized those past months. You'll be so proud of what your cousins have achieved, amazed at how much some of them have grown and happy to be back with your people eating grandma's food (YUM).