Shopping for Thanksgiving is usually stressful. That’s why almost half (49%) of Americans said that this year, they started shopping for the holiday by the end of October. Surprisingly, some started even earlier, as 38% claimed to have done their first Thanksgiving shopping in the first week of September.
This couple needed to do their shopping almost last minute, but the wife received little help from her husband. What’s more, she was recovering from a sinus infection, affecting her energy levels. But when she asked her hubby to pick up some groceries for Thanksgiving, he got a jar of cranberry sauce and called it a day.
A woman banned her husband from Thanksgiving with her parents for not helping her prepare for the dinner
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
After she asked him to do some shopping, he opted to play video games instead
Image credits: drobotdean / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: DC Studio / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: benzoix / freepik (not the actual photo)
Image credits: OneConfection6363
Women tend to take on more hosting and cooking duties during Thanksgiving than men
Most people are already aware of how women shoulder the bigger part of the mental load in a household. But there is a similar trend of women being busier and more stressed during the holiday season as well.
A 2021 survey revealed that women are two times more likely to do the cooking and cleaning during Thanksgiving. Only 24% of men said they would be cooking the meal by themselves, and only 31% admitted that they clean up after the feast.
Of course, the data are not absolute; in some families, men might be the ones who cook and clean more during the holidays. In others, the work shared may be proportionate to both the men and the women in the household.
Still, it has been proven that women experience more stress than men during the holiday season. According to the U.S. Office of Women’s Health (OASH), more than half of American women report higher levels of stress during the holiday season. In comparison, a third of American men say the same.
For women, this stress manifests itself in physical symptoms. It can lead to higher blood pressure, skin and menstrual problems, heart disease, depression, anxiety, obesity, and elevated heart rate. And it’s not just the meal and the prep that women have to think about. When extended family members are visiting, they also have to do the emotional labor.
As Amanda Rose, Ph.D., professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri, writes for Psychology Today, women are often responsible for things like “Making sure that conservative Aunt Sally is not seated next to cousin Frank who’s studying at Berkley, getting all of the invitations out within a matter of minutes so that no one feels that they were invited last (and doing so without using social media or texting because that would be tacky), and providing children with activities and entertainment that are neither boring nor overstimulating.”
Image credits: freepik (not the actual photo)
Online delivery services and eating out on Thanksgiving can ease the burden significantly but is more expensive
While women do experience more stress during Thanksgiving because of all the hosting duties, men stress too. So, wouldn’t it be wiser to look for ways to reduce the prep and hosting burden for both people in the couple so they can enjoy quality time with friends and family?
Although the majority of Americans still choose to go the homemade route, some families do order all or part of their meals from a restaurant or a retailer. 31% of consumers told Deloitte that they will be doing exactly that, and 36% of hosts said they plan to buy prepared sides or desserts.
According to Popmenu’s annual study, 58% of Americans plan to either order takeout or dine at a restaurant on Thanksgiving. This is a trend that is becoming more popular each year: in 2024, only 42% of American families dined out for Thanksgiving. As CNN reports, restaurants have received 13% more reservations for Thanksgiving day than last year.
However, these options are not for those who have a tighter budget. The national average of a Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant is around $75 per person, and that’s excluding tip, drinks, and tax. This year, as the U.S. Farm Bureau estimates, groceries for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner cost around $55.18. A homemade Thanksgiving dinner is still cheaper than making a dinner reservation, especially for larger groups of people.
Some commenters sided with the wife and called out the husband for his incompetence: “You married a man baby”
“Stop using shame in your relationship,” other commenters told her
