How to Calm the Thanksgiving Blues!

So many of us look forward to Thanksgiving with anticipation of friends and family gathering around for a delicious meal as well as good, lively conversation.

However, some people may actually dread the holiday, especially this year and see it as a lonely and disappointing time because they are going through a bad time in their life. Tough times don’t take a holiday! For them, Thanksgiving may be the beginning of a long string of “holiday blues” because Christmas is close behind.

Here are ideas to shed a different light on the holiday season and calm the Thanksgiving blues for others and will make you feel good as well.

Write a card or note of thanks. We all would love to hear words of thanks! Write a quick note, send an email, or make a phone call. Simply say “Thanks for being you!” or “Glad you’re in my life!” Thanksgiving is the perfect time to let them know!

Share your Thanksgiving meal if you are comfortable during that this year. An invitation to Thanksgiving dinner is a great way to include others. Do check to see if they have food preferences or restrictions.  Extend the invitation ASAP. Sometimes, just anticipating the fun is as enjoyable as the real event.

Deliver a Thanksgiving meal. If a person is too sick or too sad to join you for Thanksgiving dinner, deliver the meal to them. This can be for one person or rally others to contribute to a Thanksgiving dinner with a side dish or dessert and deliver meals to several people. Deliver the meal with a caring note and heating instructions. If time doesn’t allow for this, just deliver a piece of your favorite pie.

Plan something fun to do over Thanksgiving weekend. Take some of the loneliness out of the weekend by going shopping, seeing a holiday blockbuster movie, or going skiing or ice skating. Each town has its own fun activities so check online or in the newspaper for ideas.

Involve the kids. Help them create a Thanksgiving Day greeting card for a shut in. Provide craft supplies and let the kids create them and have them deliver their homemade cards or send them in the mail.

Help with holiday decorations. Make someone’s home a bit cheerier by helping with Thanksgiving decorations. Don’t forget to help take them down at the end of the season.

Illness and accidents don’t take a break just because it’s Thanksgiving. Think of visiting someone who is ill (not with COVID) and home bound with a noncommunicable illness, or a person who had an accident who is home bound.  If appropriate (especially this year), provide something fun to do, or if time allows, watch a game, movie, or parade. A short visit will be appreciated as well.

A little extra time and effort will bring a smile to someone going through a rough time. It might just help to ease their Thanksgiving blues. And, it will make you feel better, too!

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