thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday full of lots of family and friend time. With everyone's significant others around the table, you may have a moment or two where you're feeling a little bit of lack, or even lonely. When the question comes up, and it certainly will if you've got a family like mine, take a breather and give yourself a quick reminder. There are so many reasons to be grateful for the place that you're in today, regardless of whether you've got a beau on your arm or not. Here are five things to remember, and get grateful for, this Thanksgiving.

1. Quality time with your people. It can be a little bit of a battle to figure out where the two of you will spend Thanksgiving. Instead of stressing about splitting the time evenly, all you have to worry about is spending quality time with your family and friends.
2. Holiday movie marathons. While the Christmas movies are starting to pop up on TV, you know that Thanksgiving kicks off the endless supply of full-blown holiday movie marathons. No need to worry about missing back-to-back showings of A Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th Street while the boys are watching what seems like an endless supply of football.
3. Pure freedom. You are the center of your world right now. You've got the privilege of coming and going as you please. There's plenty of time to consider someone else in your future, but right now focus on the abundance of options you have in your life today.
4. Skip the drama, mama. No need to stress about your fam not getting along with your boyfriend, or not so secretly cringing when your brother embarrasses you in front of everyone. The only thing you've got to be worried about this holiday is getting first dibs on your favorite Thanksgiving foods.
5. No settling for this girl! There's a reason you're not in a relationship right now, and it's because you're not looking for anyone, you're looking for the right person. You are awesome enough to recognize that. And that's something to be grateful for.

Thanksgiving is one of those rare occasions where entire families gather, appreciate one other's company, and chow down on some seriously decadent dishes. But with so many dishes happening at once and tons of hustling and bustling busybodies in the kitchen, there's room for a lot of minor (and major!) Turkey Day snafus. While we should never expect the worst, being prepared for whatever predicament presents itself will only make you more grateful.

• Is your turkey still frozen? There's a solution for that.
• What to do once you've brined your turkey.
• Find out a cooked turkey's internal temperature.

Keep reading for solutions to have in your arsenal in case your Thanksgiving feast is falling apart.

With Thanksgiving underway, you may be bugging about all of the family-filled time about to ensue. Maybe your significant other has spent lots of time with your family in the past, or maybe this is his very first time hanging with everyone. Whether you're nervous, excited, or feeling a little ambivalent at this point, here are five reminders of why you should count your blessings that you're in a solid relationship.

1. Quality time together. Holiday time off means you get to spend much-needed quality time together. No need to stress about the regular grind of the workweek. The two of you will have a shot to relax and enjoy each other.
2. Tighten your bond. Meeting the family translates to things getting real. Spending the holidays together will only solidify the foundation of your relationship.
3. Partner in crime. Since you're not flying solo, you won't need to worry about getting bored! Having your significant other at family holiday functions will only help keep you entertained (and get you out of those obligatory events you just can't handle.)
4. Connecting faces to names. Maybe he's been talking about his crazy aunt and uncle for years, but you never were able to put the whole picture together. This holiday is a perfect opportunity to understand the whole landscape of his family situation.
5. Help with the small talk. If you've got a family full of chatterboxes, the holidays can definitely be fun, but slightly exhausting. With your significant other by your side, you'll be able to share the load of the questions and conversation.

Why are you grateful you're in a relationship this Thanksgiving? Share your thoughts below!

Some cringe-worthy moments seem better suited to TV sitcoms, but they can happen in your family: an uncle or aunt who hasn't seen you in a while will ask probing questions about your career or job hunt. Whether you're employed full-time or you're someone who has been on the search for a while, it can be an uncomfortable, and sometimes just plain inappropriate, situation. Here are some ways to avoid the chitchat — gracefully, of course.

• Anticipate the questions. Knowing your family, try think of the most common questions that will be asked so you're prepared with answers. If you heard, "So when are you taking over that CEO position?" last year, then chances are you'll hear it again this time around.
• Use humor. It is, after all, the best medicine, especially if you can find the right time to use it. For instance, if someone asks if you've had any luck with the job hunt, then you can respond with something along the lines of "You mean in this booming economy?"
• Initiate the conversation yourself. If there's someone you just know you can't avoid who will ask improper questions, then start the conversation yourself. That way, you can at least have some control over what subjects you talk about. Be sure to follow up with questions to avoid being on the answering end of too many inquiries.
• Have a back-up plan. Does your cousin or sibling share in your discomfort? Set up a game plan so that if, for example, you give her a raised-brow look, she'll come over to save you from five more minutes of awkward conversation with someone else. Try to also have an excuse handy when you want to exit the conversation: "Did I hear mother say she needs help in the kitchen?"
• Change the subject. If all else fails and you can't avoid the chitchat because you're seated next to the probing person at dinner, then there's nothing wrong with giving a few short yes or no answers and politely saying that you'd rather talk about something else. Turn the conversation back to him by, for instance, asking how his latest trip was.

Have any tips of your own? Share them in the comments!