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33 Funny Thanksgiving GIFs That Embrace The Joy & Chaos Of The Holiday

Share these at the dinner table and watch what happens.

by Romper Staff
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

The holiday season is officially upon us which means get ready for all the fun things, like eating delicious food, drinking festive cocktails and just being merry. But with all those fun things come some less-than-fun things, too, like hectic travel, a messy kitchen and of course, some good old fashioned family dysfunction. At least there are an abundance of hilarious Thanksgiving GIFs out there, so when the going gets tense you can always hide in the pantry with your phone and have a laugh.

Last year was a more low-key holiday season, so you may have forgotten just how chaotic Thanksgiving can get. Between figuring out your Thanksgiving decor, deciding whether to watch football or the parade (or the Thanksgiving dog show which is clearly the right choice) or your kids refusing to eat anything other than rolls, the fun holiday can get a little hairy whether you’re hosting or a guest. And then there’s the pressure of making it look like you’re having the most Thanksgiving of Thanksgivings on social media.

So while you're totally entitled to feel overwhelmed, it's always good to find humor in the face of mayhem. Another bonus to these totally laughable and relatable Thanksgiving GIFs? They serve as a reminder that you're not alone: everybody stresses out about Thanksgiving.

1When your heart beats for pie and pie only.

The ice cream is the most important part.

2When you and your family leave no leftovers

Lorelai and Rory were doing Thanksgiving right.

3The feeling when that turkey finally comes out

The absolute power trip you get from carving the turkey.

4When you’re too stuffed for more stuffing

...but you can’t resist the urge to keep eating, either.

5The long list of things you’re excited to eat this year

It’s all about the food, at the end of the day. And thankfulness, of course.

6Playing football with the competitive family member

Don’t hold back.

7When you’re mostly there for the mashed potatoes

Who doesn’t want to dig into mashed potatoes, the best dish on Thanksgiving?

8When your family members calls anything a hoax

Yes, pie is tasty, but the dessert’s real saving grace is that it gives you an excuse to leave any conversation you don’t want to be part of.

9The annual debate over football or the parade

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without some tension over what to watch in the background.

10When you stop to consider what you’re actually doing

Everyone else is sleeping and you’re up at the crack of dawn doing weird things to a bird.

11The toddler who won’t stop listing what they’re thankful for

Love the gratitude, but at some point you gotta cut them off before the food gets cold.

12The relative who misses the mark on gratitude

There’s always one person who seems new to the concept of being thankful.

13When your kids “help” you clean the house

How quickly the broom becomes a sword when your kid offers to help you clean.

14Football, mashed potatoes and gravy

For some people (like the men in my family), Thanksgiving means hours of football and several helpings of mashed potatoes and gravy. Not a bad day if you ask me.

15When someone tells you their favorite part of Thanksgiving is the cranberry sauce

The absolute wrong answer. In fact, we can't even be friends.

16What everybody’s favorite part of Thanksgiving *should* be

I'll have all of the stuffing, please. I'll even sing a song about it for you.

17When family members start arguing about politics

You know who they are, they do it every year — making you look for the nearest exit.

18When someone is about to take the last buttered roll

Don't. You. Do. It.

19So you overreact

Because everything feels so much more dramatic around the holidays.

20The reality of what it looks like when you host Thanksgiving

Not the Pinterest version you were expecting.

21That relative that always brings the worst dishes

They bring them every year and every year you have to pretend to like it.

22When the wannabe influencer of your family arrives

That person is me. "Aw, I'm blinking in that one. Take another one."

"Ok, now take one more but this time I'm going to pretend to eat the carcass. Ok? Go."

23That family member who is always on-call

Sorry, guys. Gotta go be a hero.

24When you fight with your sibling over who has to drive your smelly great-aunt home

It's never fun but it always ends up being you. At least you can expect some good karma on your side.

25When you fight with your sibling over who has to drive your smelly great-aunt home

Great. Now everything is ruined and everyone will starve.

26When everyone is all about the turkey and you’re like…

Seriously, turkey might as well be green beans when it's up against stuffing and mashed potatoes. Just saying.

27When it’s 9 p.m. and the turkey still isn’t ready

We all know that side of the family who doesn't sit down to eat until like 11 p.m.

28Because there’s always one vegetarian at the table

How do you even respond to that?

29When you leave your Thanksgiving meal shopping to the last minute

And you’re saying a Hail Mary that your frozen turkey will defrost by morning.

30When someone gets the dress code memo

Because the meal is a marathon, and elastic waistbands are the only way to go

31It takes about eight hours to make a Thanksgiving meal

And approximately five minutes for your family to hoover it all down.

32When you make the initial turkey carving…

...And discover that the bird isn’t dry or totally raw inside.

33And just like that, Thanksgiving is but a mere memory…

Who’s ready to string up some holiday lights?

While Thanksgiving isn't always perfect, there are still plenty of joyful and laughable moments. Sure, family dynamics can get messy — and so can your kitchen. But, try to practice thanks when you feel like it, and laugh the rest off. After all, it’s just one day, and then you’re done.

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