While everyone has different plans for Thanksgiving from traveling or cooking to just relaxing, the stress that comes with the holiday can often be overlooked. Whether it be Black Friday shopping or preparing a big meal for family the relaxing week long break can turn into something additional to stress over. Many teachers take some stress off themselves by buying food for the big meal instead of cooking. Others go back home for the holiday which brings back memories but may also serve as an additional source of stress due to the fact that they have to drive themselves and their families to their destinations. Aside from the inability to make time for meal preparation and cooking, the skill itself isn’t always first nature to some people.

AP Human Geography teacher, Dena Marlar, saves time and energy by ordering food instead of cooking. While she is spending extra money, she is saving time from being in the kitchen.

“I go to Market Street and I order through the concierge and they make me smoked turkey breast, smoked ham, and they also have delicious dressing. I just pick it up and my Thanksgiving cooking is finished and I’m not a good cook so I order everything,” Marlar said.

Marlar says that even though Thanksgiving only comes once a year she always had a good time. And she looks forward to spending time with her family, which makes the stress of the holiday worth it.

“My family causes me no stress. Everyone is coming to my house this year as they have for the last several years and it is a lot of fun so it doesn’t cause me any stress. Everybody pitches in to make Thanksgiving fun,” Marlar said.

Some teachers like, Algebra teacher, Sabriel Mitchell do not find the actual meal stressful, but admits the travel that comes with the holiday can be stressful.

“We pack up and go on a three hour road trip to Houston where we visit my mom and dad’s side of the family. I’m usually in charge of bringing soda or Rice Krispy Treats,” Mitchell said.

Although Thanksgiving is meant to bring families together, it can be a painful reminder of those who recently passed away. Thanksgiving without a family member can be very painful for the rest of the family.

“Unfortunately, this year will be different because it’s only the second year my grandma won’t be at Thanksgiving because she passed away,” Mitchell said.

While many teachers don’t cook for the holidays, Geometry teacher, Karl Edwards, enjoys cooking for the holidays no matter how long it takes him to prepare the food. However, Edwards Thanksgiving traditions have changed due to the fact that his father in-law is in hospice care which may cause Thanksgiving to be a bittersweet time for his family.

“Fixing the turkey takes about four to five hours I usually cook a twelve pound turkey, stuffing that goes in the turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, five cup salad, and green bean casserole. In the end, I feel my work pays off. Previously, we have always traveled to my wife’s grandparents in San Antonio, but with her dad in hospice care it’s going to be interesting,” Edwards said.

While Thanksgiving is meant to bring families together over a great meal, it can also be a stressful time for various reasons like preparing food, missing families, and the stress that comes with traveling long distances so various teachers have come up with creative ways to beat the stress that the holiday brings and enjoy the time of thanks.