Happy Thanksgiving Weekend!

Plus, holiday gift guides, a parenting realization, and how to take a break when everyone drives you nuts.

HI! How are you? What are your Thanksgiving plans, if you celebrate? My dad is visiting, and we’re hosting the meal at our house with 18 (!) friends and neighbors. Going to be bananas — we had to ask another family to please bring a table — but I’m looking forward to it.

One thing I’ve realized over the years is that excitement often equals anxiety, especially with kids. When children are excited for something (their birthday, Halloween candy, cousins visiting), they can have big meltdowns. This means that the day before a holiday is often the worst day. Much excitement = much anxiety! We live on the lower two floors of a building, so when our windows are open, we can hear people walk by on the sidewalk. This morning, if I had a dollar for every time I heard a parent say, “If you don’t stop, you’re going to lose privileges,” I could buy us all cherry red socks and croissant charms.

So, hang in there, good luck, and embrace the chaos! xo

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Although I love having people over — the more, the merrier — it’s easy to get overwhelmed. So, my pro tip is to give yourself permission to take breaks. If the gathering grows hectic, I will excuse myself to take a quick walk and listen to a short podcast episode. I’ve done this MANY times, and, in my experience, everyone gets it (and will usually slip outside themselves at some point, too).

Above: Sophie Lucido Johnson’s comic Allowances for Big Dinner Gatherings.

So, if you “nip to the grocery store” or “take out the trash” or just straight-up disappear for 15 minutes, here are a few funny This American Life podcast segments to queue up and laugh along with…

* Post-It Not with Kurt Braunohler (2 minutes)

* Traumarama with Elna Baker (14 minutes)

* 10 Things I Require of You with Zarna Garg (17 minutes)

* Does a Bear Hit in the Woods with Ryan Knighton (7 minutes)

* Of Mice and Men with Mike Birbiglia (10 minutes)

* Split a Gut with Julian McCullough (11 minutes)

What would you add? So many good episodes out there.

(Opening photo by Boris Jovanovic/Stocksy.)

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1. What Vocab Words Are You Into? The new word that made me laugh out loud.

2. Gift Guide #4: Your Boyfriend Who Never Met a Pasta Recipe He Didn’t Love. 13 gifts for men, like a spaghetti sweatshirt and a "banger" fragrance.

3. What’s Your Holiday Style: Casual or Dressy? Madewell is offering 40% off our favorite everyday clothing and fancy dresses.

4. Gift Guide #5: Your Adoring Wife. 12 gifts for women, including a sexy cardigan and funny game.

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For the hard-to-shop-for folks on your list, how about a subscription to Big Salad? $6/month or $60/year for a newsletter full of fun finds, gossip, and life advice to chat about together.

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Last but not least, what are you grateful for? My answer is: two beautiful boys, crunchy fall leaves, my dad weeping whenever he listens to English choir music, and pumpkin pie aka the best pie. I’m also very grateful for this new and growing Big Salad community. You are funny and insightful and wonderful, and I’m so happy you’re here.

Huge thanks to Kaitlyn Teer, the fantastic editor who helps build, write, and produce Big Salad; and our talented graphic designer Diana Moss. Please share your gratitude list in the comments, and enjoy the rest of the week. Lots of love. xoxo