Thanksgiving is only a day away and most Americans have solidified their family plans for the holiday. Whether you’re hosting the big meal or heading to a relative’s house, the holidays are often a chance to reconnect with loved ones. However, Thanksgiving Day isn’t always a family-oriented occasion. Over the years, several studies have found that the seemingly joyous holiday season isn’t always easy for everyone. In a survey conducted by the AARP Foundation in 2017, 31 per cent of respondents said they felt lonely during the holidays throughout the last five years. Meanwhile, 41 per cent of participants were concerned about a family member or friend feeling lonely around the holidays. In 2020, a survey conducted by ValuePenguin also found that 70 per cent of respondents struggled with different types of loneliness before Thanksgiving and Christmas, partly due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. While socially-distanced holiday parties have mostly become a thing of the past since then, there’s still many reasons why some people spend the season by themselves. Some Americans have family members living on the opposite side of the country, or world, while others may not have a close relationship with their relatives at all. There’s no one concrete way to spend the holidays, and everyone has their own reasons why they choose not to see certain people on Thanksgiving. Speaking to The Independent, Emma Mahony, a therapist at Better Life Therapy based in Pennsylvania, acknowledged that, when we spend the holidays alone, our feelings of loneliness can be heightened. While everyone experiences loneliness in a different way, Mahony believes that the feeling could be tied to how Thanksgiving has been portrayed over the years. “I think a lot of the anxieties and concerns that come up have to do with unmet expectations of what you think a holiday is supposed to look like, and what you think your relationship with your family or your friends is supposed to look like,” she said. “I think that’s where a lot of people themselves feel a little bit of a stressful state. Just maybe feeling a little let down by the expectations they have for themselves, after watching other people experience the holidays differently than them.” The holidays are often referred to as the most wonderful time of the year, but that doesn’t ring true for everyone. In some cases, the winter months can be quite a triggering time, and potentially a reminder to people of how they’ve been hurt by those closest to them. According to Mahony, the best way to manage those feelings of animosity is by creating your own perspective about the holidays and new ways to celebrate. “I think you should allow yourself to reframe it as: ‘Okay, how do I want the holidays to look for me? Who are the people that I do want in my life? Who are the people that I don’t want in my life?’” she advised. “Don’t try to make something that shouldn’t happen happen. Instead, recreate your own memories and your own traditions, and give yourself space and permission to do so. But also, if you know that it’s going to be a hard time for you, create that support system, from reaching out to a therapist or to a close friend.” For those who do have a close support system, it can make skipping out on Thanksgiving dinner a little easier. On the other hand, your cousins may miss sitting next to you at the dinner table. Still, Mahony believes we shouldn’t try to convince our family members to attend an event in which they’ve already opted out. “If someone decides they don’t want to be with you over the holidays, respect that choice for them,” she explained. “Don’t make them feel bad for prioritising themselves and their needs. [It] will potentially, you know, make things worse long term. I just honour that everyone needs to do what’s best for them, whether that be financially, emotionally, or physically.” Even if you decide to celebrate Thanksgiving this year without your family, it doesn’t mean that you’re entirely on your own. Mahony suggested setting up a Zoom call or FaceTime with some friends, or planning a fun meal if you’re worried about eating solo. “You could really do whatever you want, so I would set up things for yourself to look forward to,” she said. For those who are spending the holiday alone, but still want to take part in Thanksgiving-related activities, spend the morning or afternoon at a local homeless centre. You can continue the day by hosting a Friendsgiving dinner or movie night with your pals who are still in town. When it comes to food, you can cook a mini turkey for one or ditch Thanksgiving dinner altogether and order take-out at a local restaurant. Then, close out the night with some early Black Friday shopping online or in person. Although this Thursday is indeed a federal holiday, who says the day can’t feel like any other? Ultimately, how you spend Thanksgiving is entirely up to you and there’s no right or wrong way to celebrate the holidays. Remember that you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself for avoiding family during the holiday season. “If Thanksgiving looks different for you year after year, that’s okay. There’s not a specific way to spend the holidays and no family looks the same,” Mahoney said. “If you’re coming to terms with the fact that being with your family for the holidays isn’t what’s best for you, give yourself a little bit of compassion there. “It will get easier over the years, as you figure out how to take care of yourself better.” Read More Viral Thanksgiving guest mix-up continues tradition for eighth year How to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2023 I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to When do stores open and close on Thanksgiving and Black Friday this year? Why do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving? How to transport everything from turkey to cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving

The red carpet at the 2023 Tony Awards on Sunday night (11 June) was awash with some of the biggest names on Broadway, as stars turned up in their finery. The annual ceremony has been recognising the biggest achievements in theatre since 1947. This year, the show was hosted by Ariana DeBose, who made a statement when she opened the show by referring to a “blank script” due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike in pursuit of a fair deal. Meanwhile, the two biggest awards of the night were clinched by Leopoldstadt for Best New Play and Kimberly Akimbo was named Best New Musical. You can see the full list of Tony Awards winners here. Yet among the dozens of actors, musicians and performers who strutted down the red carpet, only a few truly dazzled with their outstanding sartorial choices. Here are our six favourite looks from the 2023 Tony Awards. Lupita Nyong’o Lupita Nyong’o’s striking look became a talking point among fans watching the awards show. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star wore a metallic custom-made breastplate moulded over her own chest. The silver breastplate, which was created by Pakistani artist Misha Japanwala, covered the front of Nyong’o’s entire torso, from her neck to her waist. The actor wore a black velvet suit jacket and trousers over the piece and accessorised with a Venezia box clutch by The Bella Rosa Collection, along with large diamond earrings and geometric silver rings. It wasn’t just her outfit that turned heads. Nyong’o also sported an intricate henna tattoo on her shaved scalp by artist Sabeen Marghboob Sharing her look on Instagram, Nyong’o wrote: “Honoured, humbled, strengthened and energised to don this breastplate created by @mishajapanwala, which she cast and moulded of my body.” Dylan Mulvaney Comedian and TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney debuted a dramatically different hairstyle at this year’s Tony Awards. The transgender rights activist swapped her usually dark brunette hairstyle for platinum tresses, which were styled as wavy strands framing her face. She wore a sparkly black off-the-shoulder dress with a corset-style waist and a full skirt by Christian Siriano. Mulvaney first showed off her new hair in an Instagram post on Friday (9 June) and last night was the first time she wore it out at a public event. J Harrison Ghee Some Like It Hot star J Harrison Ghee made history at this year’s Tony Awards when they became one of the first openly non-binary actors to win an award. Ghee made a splash on the red carpet in a bright blue structured gown with a plunging neckline and off-the-shoulder collar. They wore matching blue opera gloves, as well as a layered choker around their neck and dangling earrings, as well as a large diamond ring on their left pinky finger. On social media, fans described Ghee’s dress as “gorgeous”, with one person writing: “This is a fabulous outfit J Harrison Ghee got on, we love when winners dress to win.” The 32-year-old won Best Lead Actor in a Musical for their dual role in Some Like It Hot and dedicated their award to “every trans, nonbinary, gender nonconforming human who was ever told you couldn’t be seen”. They continued: “People often see me and say, ‘Well, I could never wear that or I can never do that’ and this whole season, I have been living in this mantra: You have to free yourself to see yourself.” Jessica Chastain Jessica Chastain was a bright ray of sunshine as she walked down the red carpet in a bold yellow Gucci down with a matching cape. The A Doll’s House star’s stunning dress featured a sweetheart neckline and a bodice that cinched in at her waist. The skirt fell in straight, tiny ruffles, while her cape swept dramatically across the floor as she walked. Chastain kept her red hair off her face in a sleek ponytail and wore a large chain necklace with an oversized glittering pendant. She was nominated for Best Actress (Play) alongside Jodi Comer (Prima Facie), Jessica Hecht (Summer, 1976) and Audra McDonald (Ohio State Murders). Comer emerged victorious at the end of the night. A Doll’s House was also nominated for a number of awards, including best play revival, best supporting actor for Arian Moayed, and best direction for Jamie Lloyd. Alex Newell Alongside Harrison Ghee, Alex Newell also became one of the first openly non-binary actors to clinch a Tony Award last night. Newell won Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for their part in the 2022 musical Shucked. The 30-year-old star was dressed to the nines for the evening in a sparkly gold off-the-shoulder gown with a corset waist and draped floor-length skirt. In their acceptance speech, Newell thanked the crew, cast and creative team behind Shucked and their mother for “loving me unconditionally”. They added: “Thank you for seeing me, Broadway. I should not be up here as a queer nonbinary fat Black lil baby from Massachusetts. “To anyone that thinks they can’t do it, I’m going to look you dead in your face [and say] that you can do anything you put your mind to.” Stephanie Hsu The Everything Everywhere All At Once star brought goth glam to the Tony Awards in a beautifully structured black off-the-shoulder gown by Markarian. The structured dress featured puff sleeves and a fitted bodice, with a voluminous skirt. Hsu kept her jewellery simple by wearing dangling pearl earrings that stood out against her jet-black hair. Although Hsu is best known for her role in the Oscar-winning film, as she starred alongside Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan, she has regularly appeared in Broadway musicals including Be More Chill and Spongebob Squarepants The Musical. Read More Shapewear is booming, and body image experts are worried: ‘It’s really dangerous’ Tony Awards 2023: The 5 biggest talking points Tony Awards 2023: Full list of winners Shapewear is booming, and body image experts are worried: ‘It’s really dangerous’ Chanel’s classic 1926 little black dress added to fashion exhibition in Scotland 6 innovative self-tan products to help you get your best-ever faux glow

By Emma Farge GENEVA Aid workers say fighting between rival military factions in Sudan is pushing poorly-funded humanitarian

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The countless dangers of both indoor and outdoor tanning can’t be ignored. The Skin Cancer Foundation reports that just one indoor tanning session before age 35 increases the risk of developing life-threatening melanoma (a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body) by 75%. Sunbathing outside is no better. Cancer Research UK reports that getting sunburned just once every two years may triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer. Considering the grisly statistics, many of us have come to the realization that the only healthy tan is a fake one — but as a new obsession with certain tanning enhancers proves, not all artificial tanning tactics are made alike.

A new milkshake inspired by McDonald’s mascot Grimace has taken the internet by storm after inspiring a new TikTok trend. The limited-edition milkshake is part of the new Grimace Birthday meal that was rolled out in the US this month to mark the 52nd anniversary of the character’s introduction. Who is Grimace and what is in his viral milkshake? Grimace is a purple character first revealed by McDonald’s on 12 June 1972 when he appeared in an advert where he was known as “Evil Grimace” after running off with milkshakes. In 2012, Roy T. Bergold Jr., the company’s previous vice president of advertising, described Grimace as “a soft, plush, two-armed blob of a sweetheart”. McDonald's explained: “Grimace is from Grimace Island and comes from a huge family (including his Grandma Winky, aunts Millie and Tillie and his Uncle O’Grimacey!).” Since he stopped appearing in adverts in 2003, the grinning purple blob began fading into obscurity, aside from the odd Thanksgiving parade appearance or Twitter mention. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Now, his character has remerged in a major way, helping to spark a trend thanks to the birthday meal which features a purple-coloured milkshake. The Grimace milkshake is a purple limited edition berry-flavoured drink, “inspired by Grimace’s iconic colour and sweetness”, according to McDonald’s. It contains berry flavouring, vanilla soft serve and whipped cream. It is available with the Grimace Birthday Meal, available in the US, where customers can choose either a Big Mac or 10-piece Chicken McNuggets with fries. The limited-edition shake is available only “while supplies last”. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Good news for your Fourth of July cookout — it's more affordable than last year. Families can expect to pay $67.73 for a party of 10, down 3% from last year's record high, according to a survey from the American Farm Bureau Federation.

This versatile soundbar is actually multiple speakers in one. The JBL Bar 1300 offers the

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The trees make an 'X' at almost every In-N-Out location. And yes, it's by design.

COLOGNE, Germany--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 15, 2023--

The 2024 F1 season starts on March 2 with a unique Saturday night race in Bahrain. Formula 1 embarks on a record-breaking 24-race season next year, an increase from 22 races in 2023. The season is also longer in terms of duration, running from February-December as opposed to March-November. Pre-season testing takes place at the Bahrain International Circuit from February 21-23 before the opening race at the same circuit. Bahrain, which has hosted the season-opener since 2021, usually hosts its grand prix on a Sunday as is customary in the sport, but due to Ramadan next year’s race will be on a Saturday night. Sunday is considered a “feast day” during the Islamic festival, which sees the world’s almost two-billion Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset during the other six days of the week. The second race in Saudi Arabia will also be on a Saturday, meaning there will be three out of the record-breaking 24 races held a day earlier than usual, with Las Vegas set for a Saturday night lights out. The Chinese Grand Prix – not held since 2019 due to Covid-19 restrictions – is set to return in Shanghai on April 21, while there are no brand new additions to the calendar, with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps extending its contract for another season after potential plans for a race in South Africa fell through. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone will be held in its traditional slot on Sunday 7 July and the season will finish, as usual, with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina on December 8. 2024 CALENDAR IN FULL: February 29-March 2: Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir March 7-9: Saudi Arabia Grand Prix at Jeddah March 22-24: Australia Melbourne April 5-7: Japan Grand Prix at Suzuka April 19-21: China Grand Prix at Shanghai May 3-5: Miami Grand Prix at Miami May 17-19: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola May 24-26: Monaco Grand Prix at Monaco June 7-9: Canada Grand Prix at Montreal June 21-23: Spain Grand Prix at Barcelona June 28-30: Austria Grand Prix at Spielberg July 5-7: British Grand Prix at Silverstone July 19-21: Hungary Grand Prix at Budapest July 26-28: Belgium Grand Prix at Spa August 23-25: Netherlands Grand Prix at Zandvoort August 30-September 1: Italy Grand Prix at Monza September 13-15: Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku September 20-22: Singapore Grand Prix at Singapore October 18-20: USA Grand Prix at Austin October 25-27: Mexico Grand Prix at Mexico City November 1-3: Brazil Grand Prix at Sao Paulo November 21-23: Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas November 29–December 1: Grand Prix at Qatar Lusail December 6-8: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Read More Relegation and promotion in F1? An alternative reality to reinvigorate Abu Dhabi Christian Horner reveals talks with Lewis Hamilton’s father over Red Bull seat F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Practice updates and times at Yas Marina