Different Thanksgiving this year

So this year Thanksgiving is going to be different for my family. I am 45, before I was born my mom's side of the family has always gathered at my grandmother's house for Thanksgiving. All of my extended family, Aunts, uncles, cousins, we all converged at her house. She had a very small house, we ate in shifts, we ate on the porch, we ate sitting on the arm of the sofa. We watched football, we played football outside, we watched the parades on TV. Marriages happened new in-laws came and went, more cousins added to the fold. I looked forward to it every year, it was the only time of the year I saw some of them. I lived close by so it wasn't an inconvenience for me. I asked my Nanny one time about moving to one of our houses because they were a little bigger. So everyone could spread out and it wouldn't cause so much extra work for her. She told me that she had lived by herself for years after my grandfather had died, she absolutely loved the people, the noise, and the work that went along with it to host our family Thanksgiving. .
My aunt and uncle retired from the DC area and moved to the Pinehurst area 15 years or so ago. They instantly wanted to move Thanksgiving to their house because of the room. Some of us really didn't want to but my Nanny was getting quite abit older and we thought it would be best. We moved it down their and though the people were the same the feeling was gone. It wasn't nearly as enjoyable, people spread out that you had to look for them to talk to them. My Nanny passed away about 10 years ago, my aunt passed 4-5 years ago, my uncle passed 2 years ago. I hosted it our house last year, I enjoyed doing it, but I knew it would be the last time. These people have been coming here longer than I have been alive, I have family from Boston, to Alabama. we decided last year was it, the traffic and construction was worse every year, most of the people had never been to their in-laws for Thanksgiving and have been married for decades. We decided on a family reunion style weekend sometime during the summer.
So here we are this year, my family (3 of us) and my MIL are starting up some new tradition, we are heading to Oak Island for the week, never been to the beach after mid-October, have a half day charter for Wednesday for me and my son. We are fixing a low country boil for Thursday, I know it won't be the same, and nothing stays the same forever, but I know that Thursday is going to be so different, I want one more Thanksgiving like we had when I was 13-14 years old.
Enjoy your family time, even that crazy cousin, or liberal loving Uncle. What are some things that look forward to every holiday season, what traditions do you cling to?

My wife's family has always went to her nana's house. She died at the age of 96 this year so it's been a long tradition and it's over. Her husband died at 42 and she never remarried or even dated so it was all she had as well.

Those were great times indeed. You story sounds so much like mine growing up. The town of Abbotsburg NC would basically double in population in the 70’s when the entire extended family would meet at my Grandma’s. I’ve lost so many family members since then but the love and Memories I will have forever.
Now it’s just me, my brother and 2 sisters and our kids and grandkids. The memories I can’t relive now are being reborn in my kids and grandkids, nephews and nieces. The circle of life will always continue. Maybe they will have this same conversation 30-40 years from now.

What traditions do I cling to? What do I look forward to? Getting just 'this' side of shit-faced and fighting with family. Ahhh, good times....

Seriously, we keep Thanksgiving very low-key. It's just us: me, my wife, our kids. Great food, football, dozing, getting mildly plastered. Historically my worthless mother-in-law and equally worthless sister-in-law come for desert; they sit or sleep and my wife waits on them hand-and-foot. Thanks to family dynamics, they are sitting this year out. Should be a good day.

We did something similar back around 2003 or 04. My wife and I took her parents down to Bald Head Island for Thanksgiving. We had steamed King Crab legs, scallops and shrimp, and corn cobs. Great time.

At 61 years old I've seen Thanksgiving "traditions" come and go in my family, some wonderful memories, others not so much.

This year I, my wife, and our two "children" (18 & 22) hope to do something we do every four years or so: Go to a favorite special spot in the mountains to take a picture of the four of us standing backs to the camera, silhouetted against the Thanksgiving morning sunrise. The kids are up for it and it looks like we might just have the weather for it this year.

Then we'll find something to eat.

@Firemedic54 , you explained it in your post. You and your family are starting a new tradition.

Holidays are when everyone else leaves and I get peace and quiet lol

Seems like recent years have turned me into an old hermit and I seem to be fine with it!

Never had much "family" so no real traditions to hang onto except that I always go to the woods on Thanksgiving morning for a few hours so I can be by myself and reflect on where I am this year that I wasn't last year. Better or worse?? Depends on your perspective and outlook, I know that every year I'm getting closer to the Lord and one day he'll call me and I'll need to answer......in person....

Have a happy Thanksgiving and hug relatives a little harder than last year, there may not be a next year....

Usually all the in-laws and outlaws get together to eat, every family bringing part of the meal. Don't mind most of them but I've got a few that if they failed to show it wouldn't bother me in the least. Best thanksgiving was 2010 when we went on a cruise during the Thanksgiving week.

Family and friends is what Thanksgiving is about. Putting differences aside, telling past stories, catching up on the happenings of the year, showing respect for the parents and grandparents. My mom lives in small house. It’s very crowded. I asked to move it to my home but she didn’t want it. If I do it here for my family we make an appearance at my mom’s as well out of respect and stuff the gut again.

My only brother hasn’t come since he married that I can remember. Not Easter, cookout, Thanksgiving, nor Christmas. His kids don’t even know much about us. He calls himself a devoted Christian. Do devoted Christians hate family members? Nobody has ever given him reason not to see brothers, sisters, nephews, nieces, or his mother.

Transitions. Your story about your changing family dynamics reminds me of when my father-in-law passed a couple of months ago. It wasn't a Thanksgiving get together, but a family reunion we used to regularly attend. Pretty decent get together, but the last several years were difficult due to illnesses and we started missing them. When my FiL passed, my wife called a key figure in the family tree, a 93 yr old pastor. When she asked him to be sure to let all the other old folks know, he responded with, They're all gone. There's no one else to tell.

Anyway, we too are dealing with a new Thanksgiving model. Tradition? Don't know yet.

I have only had a thanksgiving with my parents once in the last 20 years. Grew up in the burbs if Portland OR with the entire family, but my folks moved to CA in 1999. My Grandparents would do a small get together until my Grandfather passed in 03, then it was just me and my Grandma until she was unable to.

Since we moved out here it has just been my wife and I doing our thing..turkey, booze, fire roaring..then movie watching. Her family is out here, but they do their own thing, and usually we dont feel like driving down to charlotte area. We do host a Christmas get together though.

So yeah...I totally miss the family gatherings at thanksgiving, but its been so long and so much family has passed..mainly the cool ones who I loved talking with..just wont ever be the same as it once was. Circle of life and all as mentioned above..

Our thanksgiving is pretty low key. Me, the wife, my parents. Back when I was a kid the entire extended family, including great grandparents and their cousins came. It was a huge affair and we prepped days in advance.

Family dynamics have changed. It used to be common to be born, live, and die in a fairly small area. Now, people leave home and move across country.

Thanksgiving hasn’t been the same for us since the old guard died off in our family. They where the anchors that held it all together for us. But honestly with all the fighting in our family, I’m quite content to make a small meal for me and my mother and crack open a bottle and enjoy a quiet day.