My hill to die on this year? Convincing my granny to add another table in the living room, so that 11 of us don't end up crowded into a corner of the dining room at a table meant for six. There is nothing more miserable than being stuck at the kids' table when you are 39, and your "child" is 17, and you've got nephews and cousins' children practically in your lap, knocking over stuff, and putting fingers into the butter and each other's plates. Since two tables have "always been enough before", this may not be successful.
Also, how the person with the oldest child STILL ends up at the kids table, while those with the younger children are at the adult table, nowhere near THEIR OWN children, is an entirely different hill. My aunt S always takes pity on me and sits nearby, so I at least get some socialization, but jeesh, at 39 and 50, you'd think we'd get a break from that, what with our kids being 17 and 16 and all.
To be clear, sitting at the kids' table wouldn't be a problem at all if there was ROOM for all of us, and if my cousins would just sit with their small children for a change. I gave up eating almost completely last Thanksgiving, since I was stuck on the side of the table that bordered the path to the kitchen and the leftovers. After getting up and smooshing myself smaller and smaller to let others through, I decided enough was enough.
I'm just hoping I don't lose it this year, though. Something happened to me over the summer, and my brain-to-mouth filter is mostly just gone.
