So, Thanksgiving this year could be, um, a bit more awkward than usual. Many of the holiday’s traditions remain intact. You’ll have a nightmarish time on the way out getting through DC’s traffic. You’ll eat. You’ll watch football. You’ll grouse about the big-box stores that are forcing their employees to work “Black Friday” sales that start on Thursday. (3 PM on Thanksgiving Day, JCPenney? AYFKM?) And, depending on what your family and friends did a couple weeks ago, your holiday feast might wind up teetering on a food fight.
But Thanksgiving doesn’t need to be an airing of grievances. (That’s not until December 23.) If Thanksgiving at your house means an emotional roller coaster, here are some GIFs to help you ride it out.
When you realize it’s going to be a very short work week.
When you know it’s time to board the plane back to your home state, which voted for Donald Trump.
When someone says they know the back roads way to avoid Thanksgiving traffic on the Beltway.
When you’re pretending you’re adult enough to host your own Thanksgiving.
When someone asks not to talk about politics over dinner.
When you remember rent is due just a few days after Black Friday.
How you think you’ll look during the Turkey Trot…
…even though this is how you trained for the Turkey Trot.
When someone asks you to cook something.
When someone starts explaining why they voted for Trump.
When someone starts explaining why they voted for Trump.
When someone starts explaining why they voted for Trump.
When your friends and family still don’t understand your job.
When everyone starts arguing over whether to see the new Marvel movie or the new Harry Potter spinoff movie.
When you can’t stop eating all the pies.
When your host sends you home with leftovers.
When you’ve made the switch to calling DC home.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
