In the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is coming up this week. There are a lot of mixed feelings in my country about whether we should still celebrate the holiday, given what it is supposed to commemorate. And I agree - it's not what we were taught it was in school.

But I also think having a holiday to celebrate the harvest and spend time with loved ones is a holiday I want to have, so my family uses the time granted off from work/school to do that. It's really hard to find time when everyone can get enough time to have any kind of visit, especially if travel is involved. So I am grateful to have an established holiday that allows for that (though I would be just as happy if we renamed it, or moved it, or both - we need to stop venerating false history).

We do not do Black Friday shopping. The Husband's family would usually do that when we spent Thanksgiving with them, but I never went. That was never my jam and it's especially not now.

Planning for holidays usually involves a lot of food planning, whether you're traveling or not (traveling just means you also have to figure out what gets made/prepped beforehand and what is going to be cooked upon arrival). So that's what I've done today. Planned for the meal we're having with my sister and her family.

We've been slowly hammering out who is responsible for what over the past week or so, and today we made sure our lists were in alignment. We are all set. I am happy about the menu and I think it's going to be a really good time.

It's always a little challenging to plan because my family is very much about traditional dishes, like mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and rolls (lots of starch and gluten).

But if you're eating dairy and gluten free, adjustments need to be made. But we've been doing this every other year for a while now, and it's a lot easier now than it was originally. We have found where we are complementary and we have found a way for everyone to get some things they can eat (and like).

My sister is one of my very favorite people. I'm very excited we'll get to see her, my BIL, and my nephew. My husband will probably run another one-shot (my nephew LOVES D & D and had such a good time last time they visited - The Husband is a gifted DM).

I get to be off work for several days, which I am grateful for and fortunate to have. I also took one day off after everything is over. I usually need a day to recover from a "vacation."

@AngelaPreston
Husbear and I hammered out the dishes, assignments, and shopping list over dinner earlier tonight. Usually my sister hosts at her home in New Jersey, but this year we have the honor. We will have a few friends join us, as well.