You know, moms lose their sons – but tend to keep their daughters.

I was informed last week that my offspring would be eating turkey at his girlfriends house.

I knew this day was coming – but didn’t know it would hit when he was 19!

I had prepared myself for the “We’re spending Christmas at my wife’s parents house” sentence – but that was supposed to be YEARS from now – and I’d be tending to my 15 cats by then and unable to dwell too much on his absence!

What happened???

We usually go together to my moms for a feast.  But this year, after hearing I would be sans child – I decided to stay home with Butters.

My mom understood.  Mostly because she’s a huge animal lover and advocate and knows how I hate that every holiday we end up bailing on Butters to partake in festivities without her.

I’m also not a huge fan of Thanksgiving.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m a HUGE fan of being thankful.  And if it was just a special day set aside for doing just that, I’d be all in.  But there’s that tricky Pilgrim/Indian factor.

The whole myth of the harmony of that first feast turns my stomach to the point of not wanting to fill it with brussel sprouts or stuffing.

Then the completely food selfish glutton in me manages to get over that and pig out.

I bought myself a turkey – plan to make a full meal and enjoy having the relaxing time at home.  I’m going to love smelling the meal cooking while lazily flicking through channels to find the perfect corny holiday movie to settle on.

I might even fish out the Christmas decorations – or at the very least, the Christmas candy bowl.

It’s my first 4 day weekend in I don’t even know how long!

Butters and I will enjoy every moment.

None of those moments will include being anywhere near a shop on Black Friday by the way.

I’ve managed to restrain myself and not bring up the way the Wampanoag were treated … so I’ll keep it light and skip the holiday commercialism speech too.

I DO wish everyone reading this, Peace, Gratitude and Love in their lives. May your day fill more than your stomach – may your heart be filled with precious new memories.

And hey, if you’re parents of young children, let them be loud, let them climb down from the table, let them stick their fingers into the pumpkin pie – don’t sweat the small stuff!  Because one day – they will have other plans.