Thanksgiving: Your House or My House?

As someone who loves any excuse to travel, Thanksgiving has to be one of my favourite long weekends throughout the whole year. Not only do you get to travel, but you get to see distant relatives who you would probably never see if it wasn't for holidays like this. Sometimes, you may find yourself in the lucky position of being the host and in that case, you get to prepare the turkey just the way you like it.

However, planning Thanksgiving dinner, as joyous an occasion as it is, can be a stressful ordeal. You have to make enough food for all your guests and cater to those with special dietary needs, such as preparing vegetarian dishes or low-sodium options for those with high blood pressure. Not to mention all the cleaning and organizing and, if you're up for it, some minor decorating. And after your guests leave, you'll be left with a mountain of dishes and a kitchen that will look like a storm passed through it.

On the other hand, as the host or hostess, you have the added bonus of not having to trek the long, tiresome journey home. You also score major brownie points with your relatives and the pressure is off for you to host the next holiday get-together.

The advantages of travelling for Thanksgiving go without saying. While you may have to pay transportation expenses, it's still much cheaper than travelling at Christmas and you'll save on the cost of food. You can also minimize costs by choosing to stay with your family, rather than booking a hotel room.

Whether you choose to stay home or travel this long weekend, I'd like to wish you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!