Thanksgiving · The host · Warm · about a minute
Warm Friendsgiving Toast for Friends Far From Home
A host whose friends had all moved to the same city for work, and none of whom could fly home this year, wanted to make the night feel like a real Thanksgiving without pretending nobody missed their families.
Given by Jae, hosting six friends who all stayed in town. 160 words. The names are made up.
The toast
Nobody at this table could fly home this year. The flights cost too much, or work said no, or both. So here we are, in my kitchen, with a turkey I've never made before.
I want to warn you about one thing. At some point tonight, every phone at this table is going to ring. Nkem's family eats early, so hers will go first. Amadou's mom calls everyone in the family, one at a time, so his might ring four times. Mine won't call until they've done the dishes, which in my house is around nine.
When yours rings, go take it. Use the bedroom. Tell them hi from all of us, and if you put us on the screen, we'll wave.
We all miss our own tables tonight. That's allowed. This one is still a table, and you're all at it.
Glasses up. To the families on the other end of the phone, and to the people right here.
Why it works: It says out loud that everyone misses home, then gives them permission to step away for the call instead of hiding it. The phones ringing is something that will really happen at that table, so the toast keeps working all night.
Make it yours
Borrow the shape, not the lines. Put your own people, your own year and your own detail in each spot, or answer a few questions and get a first draft built from them.