As Thanksgiving approaches, millions of families across America will gather around tables loaded with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pies, eagerly catching up with loved ones and celebrating the season’s warmth. However, for the host behind these festivities, Thanksgiving often brings a less visible experience of the heavy lifting required to make these gatherings happen.

The truth is that hosting Thanksgiving is not just about cooking the perfect turkey or setting a beautiful table. It’s about the often unnoticed labor of preparation, coordination, and care that’s rarely acknowledged.

Popularized by sociologist Arlene Kaplan Daniels, the concept of invisible work argued that unpaid domestic work, especially emotional and relational labor, often goes unrecognized due to gendered expectations around caregiving. At gatherings like Thanksgiving, hosts typically take on extensive planning, cooking, cleaning, and emotional regulation to ensure a smooth event.

According to a study published in the American Sociological Review, women continue to bear the majority of household responsibilities, especially in hosting family gatherings. They often do so without acknowledgment, as........

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