Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Why Having a Small Thanksgiving Gathering Is Better Than a Big Gathering

Photo by Libby Penner on Unsplash

Sitting in the living room, curled up under a blanket while festive holiday shows are playing on television is a part of fall that many families look forward to. As the leaves change colors and drift through the wind, this can only mean one thing: fall is here. Fall is a time of natural changes and getting to spend time with family and friends because of the famous holiday, Thanksgiving. Throughout the years of many traditions associated with this holiday, there are differing ideas of how a Thanksgiving celebration should be spent. Some families prefer to have larger Thanksgiving gatherings where tons of relatives join together under one roof to enjoy a huge feast. Others wish to have smaller Thanksgiving gatherings with a close-knit circle and a few home-cooked meals, side dishes and desserts. Since Thanksgiving is all about being thankful and spending genuine time with family and friends, smaller Thanksgiving gatherings give the opportunity to have heart-to-heart conversations with each other and let people enjoy the true meaning of Thanksgiving: gratitude and family. 

Small Thanksgiving gatherings can lead to having the opportunity to have more intimate conversations between people. When everyone is in close quarters with each other, they are able to have deep conversations with one another. With a small Thanksgiving gathering, everyone is at one table enjoying family time, and the connections between each person becomes stronger. Since smaller gatherings have fewer people, everyone is able to talk to each other and are able to catch up with certain family members that they may not have seen in a while. Having this family time can lead to an environment that is filled with love and trust.

Additionally, a small Thanksgiving also lets families enjoy their Thanksgiving more. Families are able to spend time with each other the entire day instead of putting their time into getting ready for a huge gathering. Since a major part of Thanksgiving is being with family, if someone is cooking or cleaning all day, the joyful aspect of Thanksgiving might be taken away from them. With a small gathering, families do not have to spend all day cooking, and instead, get to spend the day with their family and focus on them.

“Not having the pressure of tons of family over is really relieving and it truly makes a vacation, a vacation because I'm allowed to relax,” junior Aidenn Hafez said.

Some believe that having a big Thanksgiving can be more fun and entertaining because of all the people there and the activities that might be present. While a big Thanksgiving does grant families lots of entertainment, small Thanksgiving gatherings can supply the same amount of amusement, if not more than larger gatherings. In the end, Thanksgiving is about spending quality time with friends and family, and no matter how many people are gathered together around the holidays, fun is almost always guaranteed.

Many families have different ways to celebrate their thankfulness and to spend time with the people they care about. When the question, “What should we do for Thanksgiving,” comes up, families might have differing opinions about whether big or small Thanksgiving gatherings are better. Having a small Thanksgiving allows families to connect on a more intimate level and reduces the amount of stress that comes along with the holidays. One of the most important aspects of Thanksgiving is gathering with family and sharing joyful memories which is exactly what a small Thanksgiving gathering can provide.