Rethinking Thanksgiving: 8 Ways to Celebrate Solo

Go High-Tech

True, you won’t be able to taste Aunt Sally’s pumpkin pie. But Face-Timing your fam can bring home to you. Without having to deal with endless TSA lines or sleeping in your too small childhood bed. Bonus: You can log off when relatives start reliving all your favorite childhood embarrassments. 

Face-Timing your fam can bring home to you!

Feast It Up 

Make an easy Thanksgiving meal for one. Roast up a 2-pound turkey breast & prepare simple sides like acorn squash & Brussels sprouts. Pick up a pre-baked pie & just pop it in the oven. Or get take out & enjoy some non-Turkey treats like tacos, pizza or pad Thai.

Forget The Whole Thing 

Take a quick trip to Mexico or Canada. In other countries, Thanksgiving is just a weird American holiday you definitely won’t care about as you sip margaritas on the beach. Or chow down on poutine in picturesque Montreal.

Throw A #friendsgiving

Real talk --you’re probably not the only one who’s alone. Reach out to your fellow Thanksgiving orphans & get together over a potluck with no rules. If you end up with 3 kinds of stuffing & no green beans it’s really nbd. 

Embrace Modern Options

You use apps for dating. Why not for holiday hangs? Log online & check out some local Thanksgiving Day Meetups. There are a ton. Or explore a new phenom: Rent-A-Family Meetups.

Give Back To Give Thanks

Bottom line—you probably have at least a few things to be thankful for this year.  So indulge in a post-turkey purge & finally donate that well intentioned sweater-set your grandma gave you at your local thrift store. Someone will love it. Promise. It’s also a great guilt-free excuse to take advantage of one (or many) Black Friday sales to fill in the new gaps in your closet.

Take a moment to reflect on all the things you’re thankful.

Enjoy A Free Staycation

Want to spend a few days in a downtown loft? A beachside cottage? A high-rise in that hip new neighborhood a few miles away? Say hello to house sitting. With everyone else away for the holiday, you can stay in some pretty sweet digs in exchange for hard labor like feeding the fish, watering the plants or walking an adorable dog. Check out sites like trustedhousesitters.com or housecarers.com.

Check Out New Locals Spots

There’s never a better time to go explore your normally crazy city than when it up & turns into a legit ghost town. So go ahead. Walk right into brunch at that spot in your ‘hood with the 3 hour waits. And get a cocktail in 5 minutes instead of 45 at the speakeasy with the line out the door on weekends. Suddenly, being solo isn’t so bad! .

Do Whatever You Want

Literally. Anything. Sleep late. Binge watch every season of Game of Thrones.  Take a long bath with a large glass of wine & a great book. Then take a moment to reflect on all the things you’re thankful for, including this lovely indulgent day.