All this week we are talking about being Thankful. Yesterday, I presented a short few questions I wish you would answer for me! I need a little more input for tomorrow and Friday’s post. You can see them here and thank you in advance! You can also read Monday’s post, 25 Totally Random & Fun Facts for Thanksgiving here!

Disclaimer: This post is written from an anonymous perspective (almost entirely). Just things I have heard from others over the years, things I have read and in no way reflect on my own family or friends. It is all in good fun! So if any of my own family members snub me tomorrow thinking I was talking about them or anyone is offended, you missed the point of this lighthearted post. And, even better, add your own observances from holidays past!. It’s all in good fun.

Family gatherings bring to mind smiling faces, delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen, favorite relatives conversing in the sitting room and precious little towheads running from room to room in a game of hide and seek.

But then there are the annoying. The Good, The Bad, The Ugly and The Adorable Guest for Thanksgiving. Recognize anyone?

1. The Phone Obsessed. Don’t expect conversation from these people. All day long they will be texting, scrolling and surfing. They come up for air to eat but can still hold the phone in one hand and a fork in the other.

2. The Leftover Hoarders. You fixed the meal, you bought all the ingredients, you did all the work and will be cleaning cranberry relish out of the carpet for days. But these precious saints bring in extra throw-away containers to fill up for their family, their neighbors and coworkers!

3. The Thanksgiving Martyr. They stayed up all night long cooking, cleaning, and preparing for the Big Day. I heard of a lady who literally laid in front of her oven All Night Long baking for her beloved family and had to tell everyone that was invited, and anyone else that would listen, how exhausted she was from the prepping.

4. The Last-to-Show-First-to-Go. Every family has them, every family loves them. You can’t start until they get there because they might be bringing something worthwhile but you can count on them being late. Every. Single. Time. Naturally, they are the first to go as well, always having a busier schedule, more important appointments and little darlings that must have their beauty sleep.

5. The Bragger and One-Upper. Ugh. You listen the first time through the living room but the rest of the day you avoid them if possible. How much money they make, the influential people they know, the fancy car they drive. They might even stop for a moment to ask what YOU are doing but immediately interrupt to say they did it better, faster, cheaper and for charity.

6. The Political Debaters. Everyone avoids sitting next to, walking by or getting within 50 feet of the relative that is an expert on the current political situation. Of course these are important things but most of us at Thanksgiving are more concerned about who gets the wishbone instead of whether or not Donald Trump should be President of the U.S.A.

7. The Bad Breath Brigade. They may be some of the nicest people to grace Planet Earth but their breath would make the family dog’s seem like baby’s breath. They always seem to want to stand six inches away from you so you are continually making a path in the carpet to try and get away.

8. The Drama-is-your-Mama. It’s a miracle this one made it to the gathering at all there is so much going on in their life. They desire to be the center of attention and usually accomplish it. Woe is me, Eyore is my name. Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, think I’ll go eat worms. 

9. The Best-Friends-As-A-Child-Now-I-Don’t-Know-You-Relative. You were probably the same age, cousins, played together all the time, grew up liking the same things, maybe even went to the same school for a few years. Inseparable. Now they are unrecognizable. Yet your parents keep going on and on about how close you were and how much you had in common. Can anyone say, “Awkward.”

10. The Bratty Kid. You know the one. Every family has them at some point. They are loud, obnoxious and totally annoying. And they won’t leave you alone. The adoring parent never sees anything they do, from picking their nose to stomping your foot every time they pass through the room….your patience is running thin.

Holidays are the best, provide us with countless memories, good and/or bad. They are the backbone of American culture and tradition and we are blessed to have them. For all of the good, bad, disgusting and adorable we are graced with loving relatives and friends that we cherish the most.

They are one and the same.

Yes, it is true. Sometimes we annoy, sometimes we frustrate and sometimes we drive others up the wall. But if we were all the same life would be ever-so-dull! Those annoying family members are also the ones we adore and can’t wait to see…even if we won’t admit it.

So, come tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, look for the silly habits, idiosyncrasies and peculiarities of those that have gathered together.

Then, thank God for each and every one of them and what they bring to the table. You are blessed.

Wishing you a great day of travel, cooking, cleaning, or whatever is on your plate for the day before our Day of Thanks.

Sharing with A LIttle R& R, Wedded Wednesday