9 Ways You're Doing Thanksgiving Wrong

There is a science to Thanksgiving dinner. It's more than just eating too much turkey and drinking too much wine — you need to know how to celebrate Thanksgiving Day the right way. When you are in your 20s, you're just starting to figure it out, since you're probably spending the holiday with your friends away from home, rather than with your family. You might end up overcooking the turkey, or forget to pick up ice cream to go with the apple pie, and that's totally fine because those Thanksgiving fails are expected when you're starting out, and they are not enough to completely ruin your day. If anything, you'll still get a good story out of it, and it'll bring you and your guests closer together.

But the real fails are the subtle ones — the ones that you might not even realize you're making. Most of us are making small decisions that are causing our Turkey Day celebrations to not live up to their full potential. You might think you know how to celebrate Thanksgiving, but even the most seasoned Thanksgiving hosts are making these classic mistakes. So in order to do Thanksgiving right, here are all the ways you're unknowingly failing at Thanksgiving.

1. You're Focusing Too Much Energy On Dinner

Thanksgiving dinner is obviously the best part of the day, but you will get hungry waayyy before dinnertime. Don't forget to put some energy toward making stellar apps and cocktails for your guests to warm up with. They won't mind at all.

2. You're Not Taking A Nap

Eating your body weight in turkey and gravy takes a lot out of a person. As does sitting on the couch watching TV and drinking alcohol. If you get sleepy, lean into it and rest up. You're not being rude to the host, because they probably want to nap as well.

3. You're Watching Too Much Football

I get it, it's a big day for football, but there are some amazing other things to watch on Thanksgiving besides the most popular sport in America. For the non-football fans at your Turkey Day bash, flip back and forth to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and create your own drinking game. Then, catch the National Dog Show and Miracle on 34th Street, which usually immediately follow the parade.

4. You're Wearing Dressy, Unforgiving Attire

Why oh why does anyone wear tight pants or fancy dresses on Thanksgiving? Let's be real here, folks. This is America, and on Thanksgiving we freaking eat. Let's just all lean into it and wear sweatpants together, shall we?

5. You're Not Staying Hydrated

Don't be the one who gets a debilitating hangover migraine before dinner. Alternate salty apps and alcoholic beverages with good ol' H20.

6. You're Leaving All The Dirty Dishes For Later

If you're hosting, dishes are not your deal. You should have guests offering to help with the dishes, because you have generously offered to shove endless amounts of cooked food into their mouths. But you do not want to wake up to a disastrous kitchen the next morning, so make sure the dishes are being cleaned and loaded into the dishwasher throughout the day to stay on top of the mess.

7. You're Not Watching Friends

Friends has the best Thanksgiving episodes of any show that's ever been on TV. There are so many classic moments: Joey's meat sweats, that time Rachel made a custard dessert with peas and onions, the time they went back to the '80s and Chandler lost a toe, the time they had Brad Pitt over and Phoebe couldn't stop touching him... ah, memories. Friends needs to be your Turkey Day background noise.

8. You're Not Leaving Enough Room For Desserts

The main course is not the best course. WHAT. ABOUT. THE. PIES. And don't forget about all of those delectable crisps, crumbles, and cakes, too.

9. You're Sacrificing Sleep For Black Friday Shopping

Am I the only one who thinks Black Friday shopping is a complete waste of time? And also dangerous? People who are over-tired, cranky, hungover/possibly still drunk, fighting over clearance TVs they don't even need? I think it's time we embrace Cyber Monday, and spending all of our money without leaving the house. Yes? Yes.

Image: NBC; Giphy (9)