Thanksgiving Sadness, any ideas?

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So my grandpa died a few months back. It was a blessing as he was really in a lot of misery, could barely hear, eyesight almost completely gone, unable to walk or feed himself, etc. But now I see some unfortunate side effects.

We have always had a strong supportive family but since his death all of the usual relatives that would be at Thanksgiving have decided not to attend the traditional dinner. This means my parents will come visit me which is nice, I like hanging with them and I love them dearly but I feel kind of sad. I have never had such a small gathering, I am used to a big Thanksgiving feast, tons of people, football watching and drinking. And with all the crap that has been going on I really need the distraction that would provide.

Most of my friends are going out of town so that rules that out. There will be a few in town but I am not about to invite myself to someone
 
Why doesn't anyone want to come? Maybe you should try to convince them all that still having full attendance is necessary for coping with the death; everyone can get their feelings out in the open and either talk about it or don't. Families need each other in times of sadness!
 
You could always say fuck it and come here!

nah, we always put up our xmas tree on thanksgiving, and write out our xmas lists. not a whole lot to do though, aside from eat, football and drink. grab a game like taboo or pictionary, something stupid you'll have fun doing drunk.
 
To answer Bathory's question: Because I live two and a half hours away from my family and the ones that normally come have made alternate plans.

To unspun, that sounds great, food, football, drink, games... wish you were closer.:happysad:
 
My Thanksgivings aren't great either. This year, it's going to be me, my sister, brother-in-law and my 2yr. old niece. We're getting Boston Market. :happysad:

I've come to realize that my family makes me miserable anyways. I get made fun of, so I stuff my nose in a book and ignore everyone. Be glad that you enjoy yours.

I'm sure that next Thanksgiving will be different for you. Holidays are especially hard after a loved one dies.

In fact, the Christmas after my grandfather died, no one really did anything. That's normal.

Good luck. :)
 
Same thing happened in my family Darkling. My grandpa kicked it about five years ago after a three-year fight with lung cancer. When he died, I personally felt relieved because I'd watched him get reduced from a tall, imposing, bearish man to a doddering, withered old coot who shat himself. I was glad he was done suffering.

However, he was the bonding force around which the whole family revolved, and now we've fragmented from divorces, alcoholism, adultery, and other shit I don't want to go into. The holidays after he passed, we also got about half the usual attendance. It sucks, but there are just some people who hold the whole family together.

Here's to you, and I hope that you and yours have a great holiday with the people you do get to see. :hug2: If your family is into this sort of thing, try holding hands around the table and saying a prayer. Or, if not, go around and have them all say what they've been most thankful for this year. We do the latter. It's really a great way to bond and quickly catch up with the people you haven't seen for a while.
 
I feel better b/c one of my great aunts lives in my town and she had nowhere to go b/c she can't drive to the rest of the family (plus her closest friend died recently). She was really happy to be invited!
 
My parents' Thanksgiving is going to be really small this year. We usually have a house full of friends and family. This year it's only my parents, my stepmom's dad, my fiancee, and myself. I understand your feelings, Darkling about small being kind of depressing after having large celebrations years before. I'm looking at it now as a sort of blessing, however. Smaller celebrations can make it easier to tighten bonds because everybody can talk to everybody without it becoming a zoo. So, if it helps you can think of it that way.
 
Well this year I am doing Thanksgiving for Max here in England, ive bought all the American foodies, stove top stuffing, cranberry jelly, creamed corn, big turkey etc... and I make a kick'in Pumpkin Pie. Mum and Dad are joining us. Not bad for a Brit.

Hey on the 4th July ill set off fireworks and shout "down with the British". ;)
 
I don't care for my family. I really don't like any of them fuckers. The only ones I like are dead. But my mom is hosting thanksgiving. She said if I don't show up to the dinner I will be on lock down for the rest of the year. But I'd say it is well worth the punishment.

So I guess all that means is that I'm not in a position to help you with your problem because you are going to miss your family while I'm taking tap dancing classes so I don't look like a fool when I'm dancing on their graves.

Oh and Lady Vic, if you ever served me Stove Top stuffing, I'd stab you......well not really. I'd bitch about it a whole lot.
 
We're having our family thanksgiving Today(we all have plans for next week), which will not be composed of much. We will sit around the table for 30-60 minutes, and then go watch T.V. or go back to our computers. Occasionally we might go out side, look at the mountains and talk like a family. But that's about it.

The time I had my first Thanksgiving will my real mother, which was several years back, it actually felt real. Even though it was in August, a couple days before we had to leave Alaska for home. Just the people laughing, happy, drinking, and eating, Was good enough. And the fact that there was 20 drunk adults throwing eachother in the pool, with two or tree kids making fun of them..

Just invite your friends, or family, and if they don't come. So be it. Just try to have fun, make it real, and be optimistic. You'll make it through. :)
 
Now that I think about it, my family attendance went down a lot after my pap died, too. A lot of my cousins ended up with 3-4 kids after my pap died, and now they don't come around at all. A couple of my aunts don't either.
 
I've never even thought that the Brits wouldn't have a reason to have Thanksgiving! Wow, me an my simple mindedness...

But you guys get Guy Fawkes Day sometime in November don't you? The fifth or something?
 
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