It’s no secret that the prices of most things have been exponentially rising. With the holidays coming up, that rise in price can cause a rise in stress too. Making huge meals, hosting family members, and trying to keep up with the holidays is a task that can quickly get pricey. As inflation keeps increasing, the financial stress on people does as well.

Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621 when the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native Americans shared a feast. This tradition expanded into what we now know as Thanksgiving. In the beginning, this holiday was celebrated in a few New England states but it wasn’t made a national holiday until 1863 when Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of November as the official date of Thanksgiving. To celebrate this holiday, people cook lots of food, spend time with their family, and enjoy various fall activities. Although Thanksgiving is an exciting day, the cost of such a large amount of food quickly adds up and is sometimes too expensive for families. 

As the economy changes, so does the price of food. According to Lending Tree, last year over half of Americans spent an average of $431 on their meal. (Davis and Shepard) This was a 19% increase from the year before. The rate of inflation can be largely blamed for this increase. As it goes up, 60% of Americans say that inflation is impacting their Thanksgiving and 27% will have to change their food choices. According to Bankrate, prices are 21.4% more expensive than they were in 2020. (Foster) The pandemic caused a large rise in prices and although they are slowly coming back down, the process will take time.

The holiday can put a large financial strain on some families, but there are a few ways to counteract this. One way is to use coupons. The idea may seem outdated, but it’s surprising just how much can be saved with a few coupons. Another way to keep the cost of Thanksgiving down is to use things like Save The Food’s Guestimator. This resource can help estimate how much food will be needed for a certain amount of guests. This can reduce the amount of unneeded food bought or made.

In conclusion, Thanksgiving can be a stressful time, but there are still ways to keep the holiday fun. The rise in prices can seem discouraging, but by using helpful resources and brainstorming more ways to save, it is possible to keep Thanksgiving full of fun and not full of stress. 

Works Cited

Davis, Maggie, and Dan Shepard. “2024 Cost of Thanksgiving Report | LendingTree.” Lending Tree, 11 November 2024, https://www.lendingtree.com/credit-cards/study/thanksgiving-cost-report/. Accessed 22 November 2024.

Foster, Sarah. “Latest Inflation Statistics: The Prices Rising And Falling Most.” Bankrate, 10 October 2024, https://www.bankrate.com/banking/federal-reserve/latest-inflation-statistics/. Accessed 22 November 2024.