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This is what we’ve been training for our whole lives: pre-gaming the long-awaited return of Gilmore Girls with copious amounts of Thanksgiving food.
Since Thanksgiving falls on the eve of the most anticipated Netflix revival of the year -- Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life -- it only seems right that we take a moment to praise and learn from the two most talented eaters in our lives, Lorelai and Rory.
If you've accidentally committed to FOUR Thanksgiving dinners this year like our favorite Stars Hollow girls, or are just particularly nervous about being in a room with your family members for more than 20 minutes, we've got you covered.
SEE ALSO:Every single terrible hat Rory and Lorelai wore on 'Gilmore Girls'Season 3's "A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" taught us how to appropriately tackle whatever this food-filled holiday has to throw at us, and with the revival quickly approaching, this Thanksgiving has the potential to be your finest hour.
Practical question: How are you going to eat four Thanksgiving dinners?
The general preparation:
If you're ambitiously attending more than one Thanksgiving event, it's important to make sure your appearances are adequately spaced out throughout the day. The schedule is half the battle my friends, and the other half is eating. Here are a few things you should know before you go:
Skipping an event you were invited to is not an option. You willdisappoint people, even the strong, plaid-wearing Lukes of the world.
Make sure every host feels important. If you're going to be ducking out early to hit another dinner, the least you could do is come bearing gifts. Might we suggest some flowers and chocolate turkeys to add a festive air, and maybe throw in a can of cranberry sauce -- you can never have too much.
Though they are amateur pills we highly advise investing in some Tums, just in case.
Consider skipping the rolls.
What to do at Thanksgiving with friends that disapprove of your life choices (Mrs. Kim, we're looking at you):
Get this one out of the way early while you're on your best Thanksgiving behavior.
Present your gifts to the host/hostess carefully. You wouldn't want to hand over your personal chocolate stash -- that would be embarrassing.
When offering to eat food you are not comfortable with — say, Tofurky, for example -- at the risk of insulting the chef, fill your plate with the understanding that your "slip it into a napkin" maneuver may be anticipated.
Going to a somewhat unconventional Thanksgiving?
An event with your slightly wacky best friends and a bunch of their family members who you don't know is a perfect mid-afternoon event.
Do your best to be supportive and keep an open mind when it comes to new Thanksgiving traditions, like deep frying an expensive, beautifully grown organic turkey in a vat of hot oil.
Be prepared to lighten the mood with topical references (as Lorelai did with her Visigoths and Thunderdome material).
Pour some alcohol, and keep it coming.
What about the relaxing, calm-before-the-storm Thanksgiving:
This right here is the main event. A chill Thanksgiving dinner with people you love is the perfect time to unwind from your hectic day.
Partake in your annual traditional banter, pull out some jokes and stock up on some extra marshmallows.
Take the time to really give thanks for all the good in your life, and hold onto that feeling as you make your way to...
Thanksgiving with your family:
This isn't your regular Friday night dinner, people. Thanksgiving is serious stuff and if you’re unable to skillfully avoid your family member's calls, there's a good chance you'll be joining them for the holiday.
Set a strict time limit (exactly two hours and not a moment later).
Compliment the table setup -- this is the Thanksgiving version of discussing the weather.
Invite non-family members to help ease the tension. If you consider extending an invite to a couple who speaks another language or Jennifer Aniston’s father, perhaps, you might be able to get away with saying nothing more than "hello," "goodbye" and "pass the gravy."
Stay strong during inevitable heavy dinner table conversation, which will likely include discussions on education, politics, employment and, of course, your love life.
If all else fails, leave early. You'll wind up having three dinners instead of four, in which case you can eat all those left-over rolls you skipped.
Get inspired and save some leftovers to eat while you're binge-watching A Year in the Lifeon Friday.
TopicsNetflix