Thanksgiving Poll Follow-up (Patreon)

Bu leaps and bounds, the Thanksgiving poll revealed Sutton Spencer to have been voted to host the most perfect (traditional) Thanksgiving. 

Going into creating the post, I was fairly certain that Sutton was going to sweep - and it's nice to see that this instinct was correct. 

For those who said Hannah Dalton - I do agree with you on some levels! First, Hannah is the character I've written who gets the most enjoyment and peace from cooking. She would enjoy preparing the Thanksgiving meal more than anyone else. And I did take in the other comments regarding her being able to mingle, but also having a shyer streak. This is where Hannah would become not the ideal Thanksgiving host option, to me. 

She absolutely can mingle; she spent most of her adult life so far mingling in Michael's world. furthermore, being shy/pushing herself to mingle (which is, admittedly, not her comfort zone) is not the case when dealing with Caroline's family, as she has a good relationship with all of them. 

I think Hannah enjoys hosting the holidays, and would be happy to do so in her and Caroline's home. But I also think that she'd be the slightest big happier to go to Thanksgiving at Caroline's parents' house, because having ~35 people (Caroline's entire immediate and extended family, plus a few other friends and stragglers) to their house is a lil stressful and overwhelming for her. 

For those who said Katherine Spencer - I mean... I did deliberately put her on to see who would pick her over Sutton. And for everyone who did so with the reasoning that she taught Sutton everything she knows: you nailed it. Katherine taught Sutton how to cook, taught her social graces, everything from manners to decor, if Sutton has a repository of knowledge on the matter, it's because she got it from her mama. 

Katherine's Thanksgivings are just the perfect amount of family chaos (she has 5 kids, most of whom are partnered and starting to have children, and a few others who get invited), and she does it all, truly, because she loves it. 

But I LOVED the comment made that said that Katherine can be a little icy/aloof, if she's not 100% certain about someone... and that is so dead-on. The Spencer family Thanksgivings are just that - Spencer family Thanksgiving. The others invited are people like Regan; people Katherine knows enough and loves enough to consider her family. While NO ONE could ever consider Katherine to be unfriendly or even impolite, Katherine's eyes are gonna be watching you closely if she doesn't trust you completely. 

I do truly adore the comment that Brooke is the unconventional choice, but Brooke really is a wonderful choice. I put her on the poll knowing she wouldn't likely win or even land in the top 3, but she and Taylor would host a fucking fantastic Thanksgiving. You bet your ass that there would be lists upon lists to make sure everything goes off without a hitch! And would likely end in a Faircombe flag football game in town square... 

Alas - 

The first Thanksgiving Sutton and Charlotte would host would be this very Thanksgiving, November 2023. Charlotte is incredibly busy, putting together her "Home for the Holidays" initiative - a project that assists the unhoused this holiday season - and doesn't have the time to take off for a long weekend to go to Massachusetts with Sutton. 

Charlotte assures Sutton that she truly will be all right for the long weekend if Sutton wants to spend Thanksgiving with her family. 

Sutton ultimately decides against doing so, because 1. they just got engaged earlier this month and she is still riding such a high from it, she doesn't want to leave Charlotte for the first holiday after their engagement. And 2. she knows that while Charlotte will be "fine," that Charlotte will simply bury herself in work and barely sleep or eat a well-balanced meal until Sutton returns. 

Thus, Sutton tells Charlotte - "I've thought about it a lot. And I want to stay with you." 

"Darling, it's really-"

"Unless you don't want me here, then..."

"Don't be ridiculous," Charlotte cut in, reproachfully. "I'd keep you by my side, constantly. But I know my job is... time consuming," she settled on, feeling the niggling edge of guilt that came along with it, whenever she felt like her life prevented Sutton from having everything she wanted, exactly how she wanted it. 

But Sutton was firmly shaking her head, before she slid her arms around Charlotte's shoulders, pulling her in. "Nope," she whispered. "Well, yes, it is. But I choose you, and your career, and us. And I'm not missing Thanksgiving with you. Even if it's just you and I here, thankful for each other."

Charlotte will present the option to Sutton later that evening, to invite everyone to their home. 

That's how Sutton (and Charlotte) will host their first Thanksgiving. In the condo Charlotte bought prior to TWW, with the two of them, Regan, Emma, Emma's grandmother, Sutton's parents/brothers/sisters-in-law, Alex, Chris, Caleb, Dean... and not to forget, the illustrious Elizabeth Thompson. 

And what a Thanksgiving it is.