Ask a Literary Lady: Is It Rude to Read on Thanksgiving?

Dear Literary Lady,
Is it rude to read all day on Thanksgiving? Other than eating turkey and pie, there’s nothing else for me to do but sit around with my family and relatives, and it’s so boring!
–R.C., Columbus, OH.
Dear R.C.,
I’m a huge proponent of reading anytime, anywhere—on the bus, on a plane, in the bath, on a train, with a fox, in a box, wearing socks—but I do draw the line when it comes to friends and family time.
I understand that Thanksgiving isn’t always the most enjoyable or exciting of holidays for people who feel the weight of familial obligations. You spend the entire day trapped in a house with relatives, in-laws, and children, waiting for the turkey to finish cooking. There’s no intellectual stimulation available other than dodging questions about when you’re going to law school, or when you’re going to settle down. It’s tempting to curl up in a corner, hope your relatives forget about you, and read your novel until pie is served.
But Thanksgiving comes but once a year, and it’s only one day. What’s more, it’s a holiday about giving thanks, about showing appreciation for what you have, and that includes the people around you. So this is one of the few times I’m going to say, Please, put down your book. Just for the day.
If you’re bored, find something to do that allows you to engage with your family, your relatives, and your friends. Talk to them, even if the conversation revolves around your great aunt Ethel’s bunions. Read a story to the kids, even if only two of them are listening. Play Scrabble with your Nana. Offer to help out in the kitchen, even if you have no cooking skills. Watch football with your cousins. Rake leaves in the yard with your dad.
If you do feel compelled to read, stop every few pages. Get up. Walk around the house, see what everyone else is up to, and try to join in. You’re there because people want the pleasure of your company, not just another mouth to feed. Remember, the day after Thanksgiving, your book will still be there, but it might be a whole ‘nother year before you see your crazy relatives, friends, and family again.
Love and paperbacks,
Literary Lady