In the past, I used to get jealous of all of my peers who went to, or hosted, Thanksgivings that involved extended relations and included anywhere from 20 to 50 people crowding into one home. I do love my own extended family, but I can honestly say that my four person Thanksgiving is idyllic, and here are a few reasons why.
1. Pajamas. All day.
That's right, even when we gather for dinner in the dining room, I get to stay in my pajamas because who is there to impress? Plus, if I wore nice clothes, they would inevitably be stained with gravy anyway.
2. Food on food on food.
If you're someone who likes the feast fresh from the oven, then a single digit number of people at the turkey day table keeps you from having to wait for the food to come your way, and you're all the more likely to get exactly what you want in almost unlimited quantities. For me, though, with only four people taking on the meal, including my sister who isn't a big fan of the standard spread, it means great leftovers with enough turkey remaining for my mom to make her specialty, turkey noodle soup.
3. Less mess means low stress.
Even with all the bulky dishes to clean after dinner, with only four people there isn't the additional disarray from snack plates and cups everywhere. Actually, I think four is the perfect number: one person to clear the table, another to pack up leftovers, the third to wash the dishes, and the fourth to dry and put them away.
4. Peace and quiet.
Don't get me wrong, I can still see the appeal of having a big family get together; it's quite a novelty after all. But after a big dinner, I am one to pass out or, at the very least, snuggle up on the couch and start a Christmas movie, and none of these go well with a jam-packed living room with people of all ages chattering away.
5. Ongoing festivities.
Since the rest of my family lives across the state in Philadelphia, we usually have one big family get-together between Thanksgiving and Christmas; it's low key and always great to see everyone. But what I like most about our celebrations is that they turn an average day in December into another mini-holiday to keep that festive spirit alive!
For me, Thanksgiving has become a day to relax and spend time with my parents and sister, which is becoming increasingly rare as we get older and are separated more often. The added bonus of this is that when I see my other relatives, I get holidays on ordinarily typical days. So, to all those who have massive Thanksgiving shindigs, I'm sure there are perks that my party of four can't achieve, but don't fools yourselves into thinking my little celebration isn't one to be envied.
