6 Ways To Give Thanks To Yourself When You're Alone On Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day that rings synonymous with family, pumpkin pie and a murky North American history.

While most flock home to help their moms cook turkeys and catch up with all of the cousins, there are those of us who are too far from home or have obligations that leave us celebrating solo.

I live five hours from home this year.

Timing and money meant Thanksgiving with the family just wasn’t a viable option, and this is true for so many other Millennials.

Many of my friends invited me to their family gatherings, but instead, I decided to rebrand Thanksgiving as a one-woman holiday.

I suggest you give it a try.

The holiday is all about giving thanks, right?

So, why not take a day to give thanks to yourself in these six ways?

1. Indulge in your hangover.

The night before Thanksgiving is a huge night for catching up with friends and drinking. Hit the bars with your friends who are in the area.

While all of them spend the next day talking to grandpa with a splitting headache, you can retire to your couch.

Order greasy food (I recommend Chinese, as lo mein trumps turkey), lie around and maybe have a few beers.

We all know that’s the best way to get rid of a hangover, right?

2. Watch your ultimate guilty pleasure movie.

"Legally Blonde," anyone? I am talking about that movie none of your friends or significant other will watch with you.

I’m talking about that movie you will never admit to people you like.

Watch it, and laugh or cry. It’s the perfect day for some selfishly good feels.

3. Volunteer your time.

The holidays are a time to get in touch with your altruistic side, and what better way to do so than by helping people in need?

You might not be home for Thanksgiving, but some people simply don’t have a home.

Offer your energy up to a local shelter or food bank, and know your day was spent making someone else’s just a little better.

4. Research Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals.

I'm not personally a big Black Friday or Cyber Monday participant, but it is admittedly a great way to find awesome deals.

You might not be with your parents and siblings today, so why not look online for their Christmas gifts?

Plan smart, bring a thermos of hot cocoa, hit the line at the local mall and get your holiday shopping done at an absolute bargain.

5. Go for a walk.

So this might sound a little strange, but if you live in a city like Boston or New York, this is a day where the streets are less bustling than usual.

People have the day off, and they are likely not out and about.

Bundle up and walk around the city, and take pictures without people in front of your favorite buildings or parks.

Just breathe in your city in one of its rarest moments.

6. Work out.

Okay, so this might be kind of a drag for some of us (see number two and the potentially deadly hangover).

While the rest of the country is feeling its waistline expand, why not feel like a million bucks before the weekend and exercise?

Go for a run outside, or do some in-house yoga moves.

If you squeeze in a workout, I can promise this will be the most productive Thanksgiving you've ever had.

I guess the bottom line here is to do something for yourself. This really includes all of the aforementioned tips, but it can really mean anything.

If you like to paint and don't usually have time to, do it today.

If you love listening to old 90s R&B, crank it up and dance in your apartment.

So much of Thanksgiving has become a commercialized industry instead of a day of appreciation.

If you can’t be with your loved ones, just take a day where you have no work or obligations and thank yourself.

As 20-somethings, we often feel what we are doing at work, in our love lives or our friendships just isn’t enough.

However, you’re probably doing better than you think, so I challenge you to take a step back and realize that.

Thank yourself for the big project you pulled off this year or that book you finally finished reading.

What is better to be thankful for than yourself?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you celebrating solo out there. Cheers!