Thanksgiving Dinner: The Ultimate Table for One?

In her book, An Alphabet for Gourmets, the late M.F.K. Fisher wrote that “dining alone” has its place, however unpopular. “This misanthropic attitude is one I am not proud of,” she writes, “but it is firmly there, based on my increasing conviction that sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.”

— A Mighty Appetite: Thanksgiving Table for One

Like a good segment of the population, I’m at work today and I’ll be at work on Friday. In between I get a day off, and that’s great, but right now it feels much more like a day off than anything else. I currently don’t have any set plans for Thanksgiving, no travel, no dinners, no gatherings, nada. I’m actually pretty ok with that, I’ve done it before and it was no big deal. I appreciate the holiday as a “national day of giving thanks” and all that, and the generosity that people show this time of year is great, but why not year-round? Do you really need to be told to “be thankful”?

I guess I knew, but never paid attention to how big a deal it can be for some people. When I told people that I had no Thanksgiving plans, the reactions have been rather extreme. Offers are extended, people say they’re sorry to hear it, they assume something must be wrong, etc. In contrast, when I hear how frustrated many people are after all of the preparation, travel, and shopping, among other things that take place around Thanksgiving, I feel like I’m getting off pretty light.

I look forward to a quiet day off, perhaps getting some much needed work around the house done. Maybe I’ll go over my resume and prepare to get it out on a few job sites. Laundry beckons, as do a stack of dvd and online movies, there are projects everywhere. At the least I should start listing the chores that need doing in an attempt to break them down and make them less overwhelming. And there’s always online shopping! 😀 I had ideas about a little feast to put on, but I realize that will leave me with a lot of high-calorie leftovers that I’ll just feel guilty about for the following week. I’ll catch up with the family, which is fraught with drama at the moment, and the next morning I’ll enjoy an easy-commute and quiet Friday at the office.