I Will *Never* Cook Turkey on Thanksgiving — Plus, 8 More Holiday Rules I Proudly Break

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I don’t alert connected holidays, because I for illustration to spot my family erstwhile it doesn’t costs nan balanced of a owe costs to bask their company. Besides redeeming money, this besides intends that connected astir holidays, nan only personification I person to please is myself. I emotion eating homemade pome pie, creating goofy vacation cards, stuffing stockings, and decorating nan tree. Over nan years, my small family of 4 has slow dropped each contented and anticipation that doesn’t bring america joyousness (I’m looking astatine you, Elf connected nan Shelf). Here are a fewer vacation “rules” and customs we break — pinch zero regret. 

I don’t confine the turkey ban to Thanksgiving — I perfectly ne'er walk money connected nan driest of barren birds. We usually eat short ribs alternatively because they’re easy to hole successful nan slow cooker and reddish nutrient is an infrequent dainty astatine our house. When I show group this, they look astatine maine nan aforesaid measurement they do erstwhile I opportunity we ne'er did nan Santa thing. Yes, it’s true.

2. I observe Christmas, but I ne'er pretended Santa was real. 

My kids person still had a magical childhood, I promise. In fact, they erstwhile group retired treats to trial nan Santa presumption and were delighted erstwhile nan cookies he didn’t eat were still disposable to them successful nan greeting (they generously near nan carrots for nan grown-ups to enjoy). 

3. I ne'er make anyone opportunity what they’re grateful for. 

I quickly learned that thing makes my children consciousness little thankful than having to denote their gratitude to nan table.

4. I ne'er person caller flowers connected my tablescape. 

5. I ne'er navigator thing connected nan existent holiday. 

6. I don’t dress up for nan vacation meal. 

At our house, we dainty holidays for illustration nan very champion Sundays, erstwhile each plans are canceled and we tin deterioration pajamas each day, eat pie for breakfast, publication by nan occurrence until our necks hurt, and past binge-watch Thanksgiving episodes of Friends. We do eat astatine nan table, but we deterioration immoderate we want. 

7. I don’t do immoderate *extra* cleaning. 

I can’t bask nan vacation if nan location isn’t tidy, but I’m decidedly not cleaning impermanent bathrooms aliases scrubbing baseboards. 

8. I ne'er aftermath up early connected holidays. 

We person obscurity to be, truthful there’s nary rush. (And my kids are adolescents, truthful they don’t barge into nan chamber astatine dawn connected Christmas greeting anymore.)

9. I ne'er big a party.