A lot of people celebrate Thanksgiving. The turkey. The stuffing. The crazy relatives. It happens to just about everyone.

But this isn’t exactly the case for my family this year.

We are still going to have the turkey and stuffing and whatnot, but there’s a twist. This year will include presents, cake, and even a new “adult” in the family.

This Thanksgiving is my eighteenth birthday.

This sounds great. Turkey and cake. What’s not to like about that? Well, there’s actually a lot to not like.

Unlike past years, I cannot have a party on my birthday. I don’t want to take away from people and their families. So, I have to celebrate with friends before the actual day.

It sounds like no big deal, but when you’ve wanted to plan an eighteenth birthday party ON your birthday for about a year, it’s slightly disappointing. Everyone would like the have their eighteenth birthday be their eighteenth birthday. Not multiple holidays.

The worst part, though, is that almost all of my birthday plans have had to be reconsidered.

I wanted to take a few friends with me to Dallas for my birthday. That can’t happen.

I wanted to have a birthday party on my actual birthday. Can’t happen.
I wanted to go out the day after with my best friends and just hang out and exercise the freedom of “adulthood.” Again, can’t happen.
But I am trying to look on the bright side.
The best part about my birthday being on Thanksgiving is just that. I get to be thankful for being alive eighteen years. I get to spend the day eating, watching movies, and napping with my parents all day. I actually get to be lazy on my birthday– that hardly ever happens.
Even though there are a few downsides to having a birthday coincide with Thanksgiving, I don’t think there’s anything else I would want to do but lay around and watch movies with people that love me.