Five Things You’ll Love & Hate About Thanksgiving Travel
Happy Thanksgiving! Today, we’re getting ready for Thanksgiving. We’re also sharing five things you will love and hate about Thanksgiving travel, and the Thanksgiving experience in general.
Thanksgiving Travel Hate #1: It’s the Busiest Travel Weekend of the Year
More Americans travel at Thanksgiving than any other weekend. Airplanes and airports are packed with crazy lines, traffic is horrible, and grocery stores are crowded. For anyone traveling over Thanksgiving, be sure to pack some extra patience. Arrive early to account for long security lines at the airport. If you choose to drive rather than fly, know that the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, is a crazy driving day. Take your time, have some patience and plan a little travel time. With so many people traveling in the same week, it’s extra important to book your flights and hotels as far in advance as you can.
Thanksgiving Travel Hate #2: Family Drama
There’s always family drama at Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone has that one crazy uncle, or siblings you haven’t talked to in years. For many families, Thanksgiving is the one get together of the year, and the drama can bubble up quickly. Again, patience is key to getting through the holiday. (And maybe some wine, too!)
Thanksgiving Travel Hate #3: Holiday Weight Gain
Thanksgiving kicks off the season of eating, which inevitably leads to some holiday weight gain. This is the day we give thanks by eating lots of turkey, pies, sweet potatoes, bread, stuffing, etc. etc. It’s typically a feast of gluttony, so try to watch out for that, or be prepared for an uncomfortable evening.
Thanksgiving Travel Hate #4: Celebrating Thanksgiving Alone
Thanksgiving is really the holiday to celebrate family and friendship, but many travelers end up spending it alone. Whether you’re in a new city across the country, or just traveling abroad where Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday, spending Thanksgiving alone can be lonely. We suggest looking online for a local Thanksgiving volunteer opportunities, or expat groups to celebrate with. If you are with foreign friends abroad, invite them to a Thanksgiving dinner as a way to share your culture.
Thanksgiving Travel Hate #5: The Commercialization of Thanksgiving Weekend
Sometimes, it’s called the Christmas creep, but Thanksgiving weekend has become very commercialized. It’s easy to forget that Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, and a time to be grateful for all of your blessings. However, these days you hear so much about Black Friday deals and retail stores open up at crazy early hours for shoppers to snag doorbuster deals. Some people feel that Black Friday has taken away from the true meaning of Thanksgiving.
12 Days of Christmas Travel Parody Video (Dozens of Cities & Countries in 5 minutes)
Thanksgiving Travel Love #1: Spending Time with Family & Friends
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is getting to see your family and friends. Being together with the people that mean the most to you is a wonderful thing. Most people have the day off on Thanksgiving, so you get to see family and friends that you don’t see very often. As kids, we always looked forward to seeing our cousins at Thanksgiving, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, watching Miracle on 34th Street, followed by a huge feast topped with Aunt Alice’s amazing pie. As an adult, we’ve started new traditions of hosting friends and family for dinner, followed by whiskey. Thanksgiving weekend is also a great time to head out to the local bars and catch up with old friends who are in town for the holiday.
Thanksgiving Travel Love #2: Traditional Food at Thanksgiving
The food at Thanksgiving is the best! From the stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and so much more! For many, cooking the food is the best part of Thanksgiving. If you’re not from the U.S. and thinking about visiting, this is a great time to visit. People are happy, outgoing and in a sharing mood at Thanksgiving, plus it gives you a chance to experience a lot of American customs. We love to show our international friends the customs of Thanksgiving in the States.
Thanksgiving Travel Love #3: Relaxing & Enjoying Life
With nearly everything closed for the holiday, and the kids out of school, it’s a great chance to kick back and relax. It’s so rare to have a day off, with the kids, when you aren’t running to a million different things. With everything closed, it’s a great time to relax.
Thanksgiving Travel Love #4: Shopping Opportunities
It can be a love or a hate, but Thanksgiving brings lots of shopping opportunities, with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. While many lament how it encroaches on Thanksgiving, there’s no denying that the shopping at this time is really good. If you are looking for deals, this is the time to find them, especially if you can get in on the doorbuster deals. The savings continue to expand with different days now, from Thanksgiving all the way through to Cyber Monday. We had fun showing our Italian friends the madness of Black Friday shopping.
Thanksgiving Travel Love #5: All the Things You Are Thankful & Grateful For
The best part of Thanksgiving is having the opportunity to reflect on all the things you are thankful and grateful for. Whether it’s great food, friends or fans, Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to take a minute to reflect on everything good in our lives.
We wish you a great Thanksgiving weekend filled with turkey, pie, family and friends. Thanks for stopping by!
Some Other Holiday Videos You Might Like
Weird European Christmas Traditions