How to deal with holiday homesickness, meet new people and create your own Thanksgiving traditions in Milan.
On Thursday, 26 November, millions of Americans will be gathering around the Thanksgiving table. There will be family reunions, familiar recipes, crowded kitchens and perhaps a little family drama. Meanwhile, in Milan, it will be business as usual. Offices will be open, children will be at school, and your Italian colleagues might wonder why you’re talking about turkey on a Thursday.
For Americans living abroad, Thanksgiving can be one of those occasions when the distance from home suddenly feels much greater. You may love your life in Italy, have wonderful friends and feel perfectly settled, yet still miss the familiar faces and traditions that make the holiday special. Homesickness doesn’t necessarily disappear with time; sometimes it catches you by surprise, even after years overseas.
But Thanksgiving is also an opportunity to bring people together. In a city like Milan, where people arrive from all over the world to study, work, raise families and build new lives, there are plenty of others who understand what it’s like to be far from home. Perhaps this year is the perfect opportunity to make some new traditions of your own.
Finding your community in Milan
One of the greatest challenges of moving to a new city is building friendships as an adult. Unlike school or university, where friendships often develop naturally, finding your social circle later in life can require a little more initiative. Milan is no exception: people are busy, social circles can seem well established, and joining an unfamiliar group for the first time can feel awkward. Fortunately, there are international associations and informal communities that make meeting people easier.
For women seeking friendships and support, the Benvenuto Club of Milan has been welcoming English-speaking international women since 1967. Its calendar includes coffee mornings, cultural outings and social activities. Sometimes a relaxed morning coffee is an easier starting point than walking into a large networking event.
International Women of Milan (IWM) is another place for women to connect, exchange advice and build friendships. Alongside its Facebook community, IWM has an extensive selection of WhatsApp groups organised by interests, age groups and activities, making it easier to find people with something in common and get involved in smaller circles.
Milan Women Network organises gatherings and social experiences for international women. For those who enjoy combining socialising with professional interests, PWN Milan, the Professional Women’s Network, offers networking and professional development opportunities. These organisations are not exclusively focused on Thanksgiving, but a regular coffee, workshop or outing can turn an introduction into a lasting friendship.
InterNations Milan brings together international residents through social gatherings, dinners and interest-based activities. It’s an option for newcomers who haven’t yet established a circle of friends, but also for long-term residents who would like to meet people beyond their usual social or professional networks.
And you don’t have to be newly arrived to join. It’s surprisingly easy to settle into a familiar routine while gradually losing touch with the wider community around you.
Sometimes the first move is yours
Not everyone enjoys joining an organised club. Platforms such as Meetup and Eventbrite are useful places to look for international gatherings, language exchanges, dinners and local activities. Facebook communities for international residents in Milan can also be a starting point, with some offering smaller groups centred on neighbourhoods or shared interests.
A simple message asking whether anyone is planning a Thanksgiving dinner could be enough to get a conversation started. You may discover that several other people were wondering the same thing. Of course, turning up alone can feel uncomfortable, but many people join these gatherings for exactly the same reason: they want to meet someone.
You don’t need to leave an event with ten new friends. Sometimes one good conversation is enough to make the evening worthwhile. And if you can’t find a gathering that appeals to you, consider organising something yourself.
Host a Friendsgiving and invite someone new
Thanksgiving doesn’t have to involve an elaborate meal or a dining table large enough to seat the extended family. One of the nicest things about celebrating abroad is the freedom to adapt traditions to suit the people around you. Consider hosting a Friendsgiving, an informal Thanksgiving celebration shared with friends rather than exclusively with family.
Invite colleagues, international acquaintances or neighbours. Better still, think of someone who might not have plans: a recently arrived student, a colleague living alone or another international resident who has mentioned missing home. An invitation could mean more than you realise.
And don’t forget your Italian friends. Many Italians know Thanksgiving through American films and television but may never have experienced the celebration themselves. Inviting them to join you is a chance to share something meaningful from your own culture.
Keep the meal simple. A potluck dinner, where everyone contributes a dish, takes much of the pressure off the host. You can prepare a traditional turkey if you enjoy cooking, but there’s no reason the menu can’t include pumpkin risotto, lasagne or a favourite family recipe from another country. Asking guests to bring a dish that reminds them of home can make the evening even more personal.
Imagine a table with American pumpkin pie, Italian tiramisu and dishes from several different countries. It may not resemble the Thanksgiving you grew up with, but it could become one you remember for years. If you need inspiration, Easy Milano has a collection of traditional Thanksgiving recipes, including turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.
You can also celebrate on the weekend. Thanksgiving is not a public holiday in Italy, so a Friday dinner, Saturday lunch or Sunday gathering may be easier to organise. In the end, people are much more likely to remember how welcome they felt than whether the cranberry sauce was homemade.
Article by Easy Milano Editorial Staff
Featured Photo by Annie Spratt
