1 month until Thanksgiving, 2 months and 3 days until Christmas and 70 days until New Years.

This means that we will be seeing family member after family member, especially the ones we try to avoid the most. Let the awkward conversations and judgmental looks ensue.

So let's begin:

You walk into the house on Thanksgiving and are immediately met with the smell of stuffing and turkey and cornered by family members looking for hugs and kisses that leave lipstick marks on your squeezable cheeks.

Once you, your siblings and your parents make it through the line of people, you sit on the sofa in the man cave where the guys are watching the game or sit awkwardly in the living room with your siblings in a room with your first and second cousins. You have never been so happy to not be an only child.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/inthe-arena/23104932075

Shortly, the food is ready and you take a seat at the "kids" table, even though you are in college, hopefully near a sibling because you have someone to pass you the food you want without you having to ask. It's also easier because sometimes you have no idea what your cousin's boyfriend's name is, which makes it very hard when you want the cornbread that's right in front of them.

Lucky for you, not much talking happens during the meal. Only polite pleasantries as the green beans are passed around, appreciation/compliments of the food and the occasional talk of sports or school with your cousins, the ones you're comfortable with. Following the main meal, as a "kid", who did not help set the table or cook the food that the adults "slaved" over for hours, you have to clear the table and do the dishes. Now, this does not just mean tossing all the dishes in the dishwasher, assuming whoever's hosting is lucky enough to have one. This means, taking every single dish off the table, then sorting leftovers into different containers based on what people want. And if it takes you less than 45 minutes, you did something wrong.

Finally, you can sit down, just in time for dessert, which is when the real conversations start. All the guys have returned to watch the games and the ladies, plus whatever boys don't want to watch the game, sit around the table. Questions begin to spitfire out of your auntie's mouth, then your great aunt's mouth and before you know it, even your parents are asking questions.

Family member: How's school going? How are your grades? Making friends? Making any guy friends? Any boyfriends? *eye roll*

You: No matter how bad school really is, you put on a smile and talk about your best subject which at this point might be the one class that your grade is above an 80. And of course, you befriended everyone on your dorm floor and yes, guys live there. Also, most of them are unattractive and the ones that are, usually have girlfriends or boyfriends.

Family member: But you're so pretty and sweet.

You: just smile and nod.

After a couple of hours of this, you made it through Thanksgiving, but in another month, you'll be doing it again for Christmas. This time, with the other side of the family, which if you're lucky, has lived near you your whole life, so they know everything about you already.