Dating

Thanksgiving is a holiday full of lots of family and friend time, and while it's a great time to be in a relationship, there are also perks to being single. With everyone's significant others around the table, you may have a moment or two where you're feeling a little bit of lack, or even lonely. When the question comes up, and it certainly will if you've got a family like mine, take a breather and give yourself a quick reminder. There are so many reasons to be grateful for the place that you're in today, regardless of whether you've got a beau on your arm or not. Here are five things to remember, and get grateful for, this Thanksgiving.

1. Quality time with your people. It can be a little bit of a battle to figure out where the two of you will spend Thanksgiving. Instead of stressing about splitting the time evenly, all you have to worry about is spending quality time with your family and friends.
2. Holiday movie marathons. While the Christmas movies are starting to pop up on TV, you know that Thanksgiving kicks off the endless supply of full-blown holiday movie marathons. No need to worry about missing back-to-back showings of A Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th Street while the boys are watching what seems like an endless supply of football.
3. Pure freedom. You are the center of your world right now. You've got the privilege of coming and going as you please. There's plenty of time to consider someone else in your future, but right now focus on the abundance of options you have in your life.
4. Skip the drama, mama. No need to stress about your fam not getting along with your boyfriend or not so secretly cringing when your brother embarrasses you in front of everyone. The only thing you've got to be worried about this holiday is getting first dibs on your favorite Thanksgiving foods.
5. No settling for this girl! There's a reason you're not in a relationship right now, and it's because you're not looking for anyone, you're looking for the right person. You are awesome enough to recognize that. And that's something to be grateful for.

With Thanksgiving upon us, you may be bugging about all of the family-filled time about to ensue. Maybe your significant other has spent lots of time with your family in the past, or maybe this is his very first time hanging with everyone. Whether you're nervous, excited, or feeling a little ambivalent at this point, here are five reminders of why you should count your blessings that you're in a solid relationship.

1. Quality time together. Holiday time off means you get to spend much-needed quality time together. No need to stress about the regular grind of the workweek. The two of you will have a shot to relax and enjoy each other.
2. Tighten your bond. Meeting the family translates to things getting real. Spending the holidays together will only solidify the foundation of your relationship.
3. Partner in crime. Since you're not flying solo, you won't need to worry about getting bored! Having your significant other at family holiday functions will only help keep you entertained (and get you out of those obligatory events you just can't handle.)
4. Connecting faces to names. Maybe he's been talking about his crazy aunt and uncle for years, but you never were able to put the whole picture together. This holiday is a perfect opportunity to understand the whole landscape of his family situation.
5. Help with the small talk. If you've got a family full of chatterboxes, the holidays can definitely be fun but slightly exhausting. With your significant other by your side, you'll be able to share the load of the questions and conversation.

Why are you grateful you're in a relationship this Thanksgiving? Share your thoughts below!

As much as everyone loooves Thanksgiving, it can have its pitfalls. Namely, annoying family members who want to be all up in your business. Doesn't matter if you're single or taken — they will pry about everything from your weight to your professional life. Prepare yourself with the worst questions to expect and how to dish back some snappy responses.

Q: How is it that you're still single?

A: Well, I'm in love with Ryan Gosling, and he's currently taken, soooo . . .

More below!

The holidays are the best time to spend some extra time with the ones you love most. YourTango has compiled seven date ideas for couples to make the most of the season.

We get it: at this point in the season you're probably corn-mazed and apple-picked out. In September, you're counting down the days until you can unpack your sweater collection and go grab an outdoor bite to eat, even if you're sweating through it. You've already Instagramed enough pumpkin patch pics for the year, and once Thanksgiving hits, you might find yourself coming up empty on the seasonal-idea front, but that's where we step in.

Before you start counting down the days until your annual Christmakuh bash, we've got a few date ideas that should take you straight through Thanksgiving weekend!

1. Boycott Black Friday
Let's face it: Black Friday is horrifying. Instead of spending the day trying not to loose a limb (or a coupon), spend it in bed with your partner, surfacing only if leftovers are involved.

2. Embrace Your Peanut Butter Craving
You've probably had your fair share of apple and pumpkin flavored treats over the last two months, so why not switch up your dessert menu in lieu of November being National Peanut Butter Lovers Month? Gather some recipes that the two of you can bake together, and then indulge in your decadent dessert by the fire … or in the bedroom.

3. Warm Up And Unwind
Hanging out with your extended family can be a blast … but it can also be super stressful, especially if you’re busy playing host! Book a couples massage for the Saturday or Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. The warmth and scent of the massage oils will allow both of you to unwind and focus on the reasons you are thankful to for each other, sans the family pressure.

4. Movie Marathon Your Way Through Leftovers
Line up a movie marathon list that you and your partner can spend the weekend crossing off, based on celebrities who celebrate November birthdays. For starters, you've got David Schwimmer (and those Friends Thanksgiving episodes are unrivaled, if you ask me), Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling (!), Anne Hathaway, and Ben Stiller. You can each pick a couple of flicks, cozy up and chill out until Monday.

For more date ideas, head to YourTango: Thanksgiving Activities: 7 Super Fun Holiday Date Ideas

—Tiffany McHugh

Check out more great stories from YourTango:

• 10 Date-Night Ideas That Won't Break the Bank
• 5 Date-Night Ideas For Couples
• Second Date Ideas: How to Make It as Amazing as the First

We're happy to present this excerpt from one of our favorite sites, HowAboutWe. After you get the proposal of your dreams, why not snap a few photos to celebrate the occasion? Check out examples of engagement photos that are more likely to bring laughter than awe to your guests.

Engagement photos are meant to be fun way to commemorate the time between the proposal and the wedding. Some couples really take their engagement shoots to the next level like this awesome Friday the 13th spread or this adorable couple who re-created Paperman. But as more and more couples try to stretch their creativity in order to outshine and outsmart the engaged pairs before them, there’s no doubt a number of them miss the mark.

When extreme Photoshop "skills" and poor conceptual judgement come into play, the results are absolutely atrocious. And really really funny. Thanks to Bad Engagement Photos, we've got a few of the absolute worst for you to laugh (or cringe) at.

Five words – Corndogs and Camo Cargo Shorts

Thank goodness for sweater weather, since it's a chance to cozy up with your guy — and learn all about him. Because it's totally normal to dissect his personality by the type of sweater he wears, we're breaking down every style and what it means. You'll never look at his cardigan the same again.

The Reversed Sweater

He's laid-back but still cares about his appearance. He probably surprises you out of nowhere because he's just that cool, he grows his facial hair out to the perfect length, and he may or may not remind you of Ryan Gosling.

The Argyle Sweater

The preppiest of the preppy, he's a little uptight but you bring out the fun in him. He has the best manners of anyone ever, which is why he calls your mom weekly to see how she's doing.

The Button-Up Cardigan

He's the perfect mix or metro and manly. He also works out four times a week, hence his rockin' bod, hence how he pulls off tight button-ups.

Click here for more sweater psychology!