The holiday season is upon us (whether we're ready or not), and I'm guessing you've either spent a lot of time prepping every last dish and decoration or you've procrastinated completely. I tend to fall in either camp, depending on the year. This year, I've settled in the latter because, well, life happened and I'm tired, you guys. The good news is, there are ways every grown-ass man can help during Thanksgiving to lighten your individual load (and he should be things he's doing anyway, FYI).
Typically, my family's Thanksgiving is spent at a relative's house, so I contribute by bringing dishes with me; mac and cheese, pumpkin pie, and sweet potato casserole (yum). In the past my family has been tasked with hosting the family event, and on those years I use the blessings of crockpots and microwaves extremely liberally. However, I much prefer to not host, because, well, it's a lot of work. This year, my partner is working, so he won't be joining us for our feast. In other words, I'm on my own. However, if he weren't working I'm sure he'd step up as he has many times before (right, dear?).
The truth about Thanksgiving? It doesn't revolve around how much time is spent cooking in the kitchen or making your house spotless or even how well you planned the day's theme and events (feminist Thanksgiving, anyone?). In the end, it's about spending quality time with those you love and are grateful for. With that said, here are a few of the ways every grown-ass man helps during Thanksgiving (and every damn day, really).
He Pulls Out The Neck And Giblets
For the love of all things sacred, every grown-ass man will not only pull out the neck and giblets from the defrosted turkey, but he'll do it without wincing, complaining, or being overly dramatic about it. I'm sure there are some who aren't bothered by this necessary turkey preparation step — and that's awesome — but pulling body parts out of an animal isn't something I care to do in my lifetime.
He Reigns The Children In
The kids are bored. They want to play. They want to help. They're tired. Whatever it is, every grown-ass man will figure it out and take charge with whatever it is they need. If I'm sweating my behind off in front of the oven, I don't want to be bothered every .292 seconds over who pinched whom over the toy no one ever plays with.
He Contributes To Conversations As Needed
I've never been one for small talk. I think it's a waste of human interaction and have always gravitated towards deep and meaningful talks about life, death, and whether or not we could actually survive if ever in a Walking Dead episode. My grown-ass man — a partner who loves to chat — knows when to intervene in conversations and when to let things flow.
He Sets The Table Like A Pro
There really are dozens of tasks to be done for this one meal and I can't do them all. Things like setting the table, pulling chairs out of storage, or, if we're traveling, making sure the gas tank is full (without me asking), are all things grown-ass men to do help out.
He Cleans Up Any And All Messes
I love to cook and try to clean as I go. However, on a day that requires every pot and pan we own (and then some), it's nearly impossible to keep up with the inevitable mess. This is when grown-ass men step up to wash the dishes, put clean dishes away, and keep the house in working order to the best of his ability, while their partner concentrates on more important things (like taste-testing the pie, duh.)
He Takes The Dog For A Walk
We can't forget about our pets during the holidays! We don't have a dog that needs walked (but if we did, it would be on my partner this Thursday), so in our case, my grown-ass man will be in charge of cleaning the cat litter, making sure they have clean water and fresh food and offering the occasional check-in when they're put up to allow for guests to roam freely.
A happy cat is a happy house, right?
Most Of All, He Pays Attention To Your Needs
Every single grown-ass man not only helps with all the tedious things involved with Thanksgiving, or even takes on the larger aspects of the day, but they're in tune to your needs as a partner. If you're stressed, they help out more. It's really that simple.
Grown-ass men aren't the ones who sit idly by while you do all the Thanksgiving prep and work. Nope. That's not a thing. They chip in, not only as needed, but as much as possible. This holiday is a team effort and you're supposed to be in this thing together. If all else fails, hide the pie so the two of you can enjoy it when the day is finally over.
