This article is part of a series in partnership with Lalo, an ad-free social media app for family and friends. Share your memories in a safe and private space.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It has all the splendor of Christmas with (almost) none of the disappointment. Don’t get me wrong. I’m sure I’ll wear those Daffy Duck boxers sooner or later, kids but the way this Candied Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie is hitting right now, it’s a no-brainer. Color me team turkey.
.It’s not that we need to go about the business of comparing holidays. It’s just that the last quarter of each year is filled with so much action for Big Brown Fambam, with back to school, flag football, tall flags, two birthdays and five holidays, we have to prioritize and minimize, rank then file.
Each Thanksgiving, we go BIG. And by we, I mean my aunt Missy. She doesn’t play.
Having been the thankful recipient of high quality Thanksgivings, allow me to offer a few ways to elevate your Thanksgivings moving forward.
- Thanksgiving is for family…photos.
If there’s food there’s photos and video, too. Help yourself by getting a haircut, trimming the facials and putting on Thursday’s best. It’s Fall. Pull out the faux cashmere and lone pair of brown dress shoes.
- Turkey takes the cake.
I’m as American as they come. Born in California, I’ve pledged allegiance to the flag (up until 3rd grade) and treat football as my religion. While proud of our Mexican heritage, you won’t find a lick of Mexican food on our table (notwithstanding the fact that turkeys are native to North America. Probably pumpkins, too. And corn). We save tamales and menudo for Christmas and New Year. On this high holiday, though, color me pilgrim.
Also, fuck the pilgrims.
- Pray for the prayer.
Fun. Games. Gossip. We’re having a blast. But when it’s time for the prayer, I suggest exercising discernment. If the person praying is most familiar with Grace and Mercy because they dance at Spearmint Rhino, have them step aside. Similarly, if the person praying hasn’t confessed their sin in the last year, they’ll be tempted to do so during this prayer, so please have them step away, too.
Your best bet is to let one of the kids pray, even if they’re most thankful for Xbox.
Look. I’ve seen the photos from Thanksgiving dinners from across the country. Many of them violate the principles laid out above. Haircuts that weren’t. Weird beards. Foul food. And some straight hood activities, including stepping outside before family prayer to smoke another blunt with your primo because you still have 9 minutes before the turkey hits the table.
Some of these moments are best kept within a tight circle. That’s why I recommend Lalo, an app where you can keep memories in a secure, private, ad-free environment. You can add family and friends to the memory capsule and enjoy the excuses about why you and your cousin smelled like a Christmas tree while at the Thanksgiving table.