Picture this: It’s 6 AM on Thanksgiving morning. You’re already stressed about whether the turkey will be done on time. Your kitchen looks like a war zone. Someone’s arguing about politics in the living room. By 3 PM, you’ll be exhausted. Then by 8 PM, you’ll be doing dishes and wondering why you do this every year.
Now picture this instead: You wake up to an ocean view. Someone else is cooking. Your kids are making friends by the pool. Your only decision today is whether to hit the buffet or sit down for the full turkey dinner. No dishes. No drama. No exhaustion.
Which Thanksgiving sounds better?
Permission to Break Tradition
Here’s what we don’t talk about enough: The “perfect” Thanksgiving is exhausting. And more often than not, it’s the hosts who are too tired to actually enjoy the day they worked so hard to create.
There’s this unspoken pressure that Thanksgiving has to happen in someone’s dining room, with the same people, doing the same things, year after year. But what if the point of Thanksgiving isn’t the location or the perfectly browned turkey? What if it’s actually about gratitude, connection, and presence?
We know this because we tested it ourselves in 2023.
Our Thanksgiving Epiphany
Thanksgiving 2023, we did something we’d never done before. We booked a cruise instead of hosting. I won’t lie: we were nervous at first. Would it feel like Thanksgiving? Might the kids be disappointed? Were we about to regret breaking tradition?
Here’s what actually happened:
Our kids met other kids within hours of boarding. The entire week was spent actually playing instead of glued to screens. Exploring the ship, making friends, and creating memories that they still talk about became the norm.
The adults? We actually relaxed. Real conversations happened naturally. Watching our kids be kids became the daily routine. Meanwhile, someone else prepared amazing food. Best of all, we laughed more that week than we had in months.
And yes, they served a full traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pie. The works. And if you didn’t want the traditional Thanksgiving dinner there was a full menu to choose from. But here’s the thing: our kids barely remember the meal.
They remember the friends they made. Pool time. Shows. Freedom. The time with us when we weren’t distracted by logistics.
What Your Kids Will Actually Remember
Your kids won’t remember your perfectly set table or whether the gravy was lumpy.
What will they remember? Whether you were stressed and snapping at everyone. Or whether you were present and actually having fun with them.
Research from Cornell University found that experiential memories provide more lasting happiness than material ones. Translation? The trip to the beach beats the fancy dinner every single time in your child’s memory bank.
Your teenager won’t look back and say, “Remember that year Mom made the perfect turkey?” They’ll say, “Remember that year we went on the cruise for Thanksgiving? That was awesome.”
What You’re Actually Getting
When you compare traditional hosting to a Thanksgiving cruise or resort, you’re not comparing apples to apples.
At home, you get:
- One meal (that you cooked)
- Cleanup (that you’re doing)
- Entertainment (that you planned)
- Stress (that you’re managing)
On a Thanksgiving trip, you get:
- Every meal included (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks)
- Broadway-style shows and live entertainment
- Kids’ programs and activities (while you actually relax)
- Pools, water slides, and recreation
- Multiple destinations (if you’re cruising)
- Spa services, fitness centers, and adult-only areas
- Zero grocery shopping, cooking, or cleanup
You’re not just paying for Thanksgiving dinner. You’re paying for days of family connection time where nobody is stuck in the kitchen and everyone gets to actually enjoy the holiday.
Plus, someone else handles everything. The logistics. The planning. The timing. The cleanup. You show up and experience Thanksgiving instead of producing it.
It’s Not Just Cruises
Maybe cruising isn’t your thing. That’s fine. The principle is the same: What if you celebrated somewhere that didn’t require one person (usually you) to do all the work?
Other options we help clients book:
- All-inclusive resorts with Thanksgiving dinner included and unlimited beach time
- Cabin rentals where the whole family chips in on simple meals
- Destination Thanksgiving in a city you’ve always wanted to visit, complete with restaurant reservations
The point isn’t where you go. It’s that you give yourself permission to do it differently.
Your Kids Are Watching
They’re watching how you spend your energy. What you prioritize. Whether family time means exhaustion or connection.
Our kids learned that Thanksgiving isn’t about a specific location or a specific meal. It’s about gratitude, family, and being together. Truly together, without one person running themselves ragged to make it happen.
That’s a tradition worth starting.
The Best Traditions Are the Ones You Break
If you’re already feeling that knot in your stomach about hosting this year, that’s your answer. If you’re dreading the cooking, the cleaning, the family dynamics, the exhaustion, listen to that.
You have permission to do it differently. Permission to wake up on Thanksgiving morning and think, “What should we do today?” instead of “How will I get this done?”
And your kids? They’ll thank you for it. Maybe not this year. But in ten years when they say, “Remember that Thanksgiving we spent on the cruise?” You’ll know you made the right call.
Ready to plan your stress-free Thanksgiving? Let’s talk about what disconnection looks like for your family. Visit www.abalancedlifetravel.com or call us at 352-444-1320.
Your reset starts with one decision. Why not make it this Thanksgiving?
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