holiday – Topical Fruit

The Top Things That Make Us Feel “Cozy” in Winter

When winter arrives, some people immediately declare, “Nope,” and begin emotionally shutting down until March.

A survey found that 67% of Americans wish they could straight-up hibernate like bears. And honestly, if someone opened a clinical trial for human hibernation, the waitlist would be miles long.

But since we cannot actually snooze our way through winter, 86% say they’re at least fully committed to getting “as cozy as possible,” which basically means transforming their home into a soft, warm nest and abandoning the concept of productivity.

People were given dozens of options, and these are the top 10 ways Americans say they achieve peak coziness:

Curling up on the couch
Layers of blankets, ideally enough to threaten mobility
Enjoying the quiet (because winter finally silences the lawnmowers)
Sleeping in
Making fresh tea, coffee, or hot chocolate (and maybe spiking it just a bit… right, grandma?)
Not leaving the home under any circumstances
Watching cold, rainy, or snowy weather from inside like a judgmental Victorian child
Lighting candles
Putting on relaxing music
Spending time with family

And because “spending time with family” can range from heartwarming to “why did I come here,” the next-most popular option is the far more universal: putting on thick socks.

Once people settle into maximum snuggle mode, it takes an average of 48 minutes before they feel fully relaxed. And 76% say they sleep better if they get cozy first, which is shocking information to absolutely no one.

There is no better way to spend winter than refusing to go outside, wearing socks that feel like tiny sheep, and pretending society does not exist until further notice.

More Than Half of Americans Plan to “Order” Thanksgiving Dinner This Year

If the idea of wrestling a 19-pound turkey at 6 a.m. makes you want to fake a sprained wrist, you are not alone.

A new report says 53% of Americans plan to order takeout or delivery for their Thanksgiving dinner this year… for at least one component of the meal.

That is more than half the country, and a huge jump from 37% last year and 32% the year before.

Another 5% of people say they are not even pretending to cook. They are eating their entire Thanksgiving meal at a restaurant. That number is holding steady from last year, though it is well below the surprise 2023 peak when 17% of Americans apparently said, “Table for four, and please bring the cranberry sauce in a ramekin.”

So why are so many people turning the holiday into a catered situation?

For starters, 63% say they just want to enjoy Thanksgiving without worrying about cooking. Which is fair, because the Venn diagram of “traditional Thanksgiving recipes” and “relaxing activities” is two circles aggressively far apart.

40% of people also believe it is cheaper or at least about the same to buy ingredients and cook everything themselves. Between inflation, the cost of butter, and the fact that somehow green beans now have an attitude problem, they might be right. And 35% of respondents are simply done with the hassle. They want the food but not the emotional trauma of timing six dishes to finish at exactly 3:42 p.m.

Then there are the honesty heroes. 26% say they would prefer a professionally cooked Thanksgiving meal, which is a very polite way of saying “I am a danger in the kitchen.” Another 19% say they are just too busy to prepare anything at all.

So if your Thanksgiving feast comes in plastic containers this year, do not feel guilty. Do not hide the bags. Do not pretend you “made the gravy from scratch” using a suspiciously restaurant-grade container of gravy. More than half the country is right there with you, enjoying a stress-free holiday and letting someone else deal with the dishes.

Pumpkin Pie on Thanksgiving? Maybe Not for Long

Thanksgiving menus are usually locked in tighter than Grandma’s grip on the gravy boat. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, repeat. The only variations tend to happen when your health-nut cousin swaps butter for… whatever they use. But according to a new poll, the real action this year is happening at the dessert table.

Pumpkin pie is still #1

More than 7,000 Americans were asked which pie they want most on Thanksgiving. Pumpkin pie still sits on the throne at 30%, followed by apple at 20%, pecan at 15%, and sweet potato at 9%. Basically, all the classics you expect right after you swear you cannot eat another bite and then immediately eat another bite.

But older Americans are keeping it at the top

Here’s where things get interesting. Pumpkin and pecan pies are basically being carried by Boomers and Gen X. Millennials and Gen Z are leaning hard toward apple and, shockingly, chocolate pie. Yes, chocolate. That means we might be only a generation or two away from pumpkin pie going the way of DVDs and landlines.

And if you think the pumpkin pie crisis stops there, buckle up. 10% of Gen Z says they do not want any pie on Thanksgiving. None. Zero. This is compared to just 4% of Boomers, who are spiritually powered by pie and view pumpkin spice as a survival tool.

What each state is googling

Meanwhile, Google Trends dropped a map of which pies each state is searching for the most, and the results are a beautiful, chaotic dessert map. Pumpkin pie is number one in big states like California and New York, plus places like North Dakota and New Mexico. Apple dominates the Northeast and large parts of the Midwest, which feels very on brand for people who treat autumn like a personality.

Shoofly pie, tamale pie, and Frito chili pie

And then, there are the curveballs. Pennsylvania picked shoofly pie, Oregon wants tamale pie, and Kansas is the only state whose top choice is Frito chili pie. Which, to be fair, does sound delicious, but calling it a “pie” feels like someone is bending the rules just to justify eating it for dessert.

So this Thanksgiving, if the pumpkin pie is suddenly replaced by a chocolate silk monstrosity sprinkled with crushed Oreos, just know this is not a mistake. It is a generational shift.

Trick-or-Treating Is Out, Trunk-or-Treating Is the New Candy Hustle

It’s official: kids are ditching the sidewalks for the asphalt.

The newest Halloween craze isn’t trick-or-treating… it’s trunk-or-treating. Because nothing says spooky season like begging strangers for candy in a parking lot.

A TikTok went viral where some guy explained that he was horrified to learn his cousin didn’t want to go old-school trick-or-treating this year… and instead, they’re hyped for trunk-or-treating. Apparently, knocking on doors just doesn’t hit as hard as “Halloween tailgating.”

If you’re out of the loop, trunk-or-treating isn’t new. It started in the ‘90s but has blown up post-Covid as a “safer” and more convenient alternative. Instead of walking miles for mini Snickers, kids wander around a parking lot where adults hand out candy from decked-out car trunks. Think less “neighborhood stroll,” more “haunted Costco experience.”

It’s easy to see the appeal: parents like the controlled environment, and kids get a concentrated sugar haul with elaborate car setups that make Pinterest jealous. It’s like Halloween, but with Bluetooth speakers and folding chairs.

Of course, whether trunk-or-treating replaces the classic door-to-door tradition depends on where you live. Some suburban neighborhoods still go all out with fog machines and full-size candy bars. But in big cities or rural areas, the parking lot party just makes more sense.

And let’s be honest… the smartest kids are doing both. Hit the neighborhood and the lot, double the sugar, double the cavities.

The States That Love Halloween the Most… and the Ones That Are Party Poopers

Spooky season is officially here, and a new survey ranked how much each state actually loves Halloween.

Turns out the most obsessed trick-or-treaters live in… Delaware, Idaho, and North Dakota. Those three scored a 4.2 out of 5 on the Halloween Spirit Scale, which basically means their houses are covered in fake cobwebs and 12-foot skeletons before October even starts.

Nipping at their heels are Alabama, California, Iowa, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wyoming. So if you live there, expect to see entire neighborhoods that look like Tim Burton movie sets and parents competing for “Most Over-the-Top Front Yard” like it’s the Olympics.

But not everyone’s feeling the spooky spirit. Arizona landed dead last. Maybe it’s hard to get in the Halloween mood when it’s 102 degrees outside and your Snickers melts before it hits the candy bucket.

Wisconsin, Montana, Hawaii, South Carolina, Nebraska, Virginia, Alaska, North Carolina, and Georgia also didn’t exactly scream “boo” with enthusiasm.

Now, let’s talk candy, because Halloween isn’t Halloween without it. The average American household buys 4.5 bags of candy every year, and nearly half of us go straight for the party size bags. Altogether, 132 million households stockpile about 745.8 million pounds of candy every Halloween season.

So whether your state goes full haunted house or barely carves a pumpkin, one thing’s clear: America runs on sugar, costumes, and a little bit of chaos. And for some of us, spooky season doesn’t end…it just hibernates until next August.

10 BBQ Personalities You See at Every Cookout

What’s your technique at a barbecue? Do you grab some food and then go back if you want more? Or do you just go once and pile as much as possible on your plate?

A poll by bread brand Baker Street found 28% of us are “pilers,” where your whole plate is covered and there’s a mound of food on it. Plate pilers were voted the most common type of person seen at barbecues.

It’s one of 10 BBQ Personalities Who Seem to Show Up at Every Cookout.

1. The person who piles up way too much food on their plate

2. The person who gets their food delivered to them without getting up

3. The drinker who keeps asking if anyone else needs another beer

4. The person who will definitely drop food on the ground at some point (Dogs love that person.)

5. The person (usually a guy) who offers unsolicited grilling advice

6. The person (usually a woman) who shows up but doesn’t eat anything

7. The meat-eater who’s about to try a vegan option and wants everyone to care

8. The person who won’t eat with their hands

9. The person who wants to take over the music and be DJ

10. The person who shows up with their own chair

The poll also came up with four steps you can take to be seen as the “perfect” guest at your Fourth of July barbecue:

Bring something.
Offer to help the host.
Before you eat, ask if you can get food for someone else.
Before you leave, offer to help clean up.

Fourth of July: Half of Americans Think They Should Get the Whole Week Off

If your productivity this week has dipped below “bare minimum,” you’re in excellent (and lazy) company. A recent poll found that 45% of American workers admit they’re not really getting anything done between now and the Fourth of July. And frankly, the other 55% might just be lying to look good.

That’s right: nearly half of us are mentally out of office, spiritually beachside, and physically still showing up to Zoom meetings with the camera off.

And we’re not just talking about a slow day or two. Half the country thinks the entire week of July 4th should be a national no-work zone.

49% say companies should just close up shop and let everyone live their best summer life. Millennials and Gen Z are especially here for it: 61% are in favor of making it official.

Meanwhile, only 32% of older workers agree. Which tracks. These are the same people who think taking a sick day for appendicitis is “pushing it.”

But here’s the twist: a mid-year summer break might actually help companies.

35% of workers believe they’d be more productive the rest of the year if they knew they had a week off in July. 28% said they’d work harder, and 22% would be more likely to recommend their company to others. So yes, Cheryl in HR… time off is a retention strategy.

If you are getting more than just Friday off, congratulations, you’re living the dream. Only 34% of workers will get two or more days off this week, and just 10% are getting the full five-day break. The rest of us are pretending to care while googling “patriotic jello shot recipes.”

So go ahead and phone it in this week. Just make sure your boss is phoning it in too.

The Most Dangerous Day of the Year for Your Phone Is July 4th

Sure, the Fourth of July is rough on your fingers (thanks, fireworks), but it turns out the real casualty might be your phone. And no, we’re not being dramatic… just statistically accurate.

A phone repair company looked at their data and found that July 4th is the single worst day of the year for phone accidents. That means more cracked screens, more soggy devices, and a whole lot of panicked “Find My iPhone” searches. In fact, phone mishaps spike 52% higher on the Fourth than an average day. (Memorial Day and Labor Day are next, but they don’t quite have that same chaotic energy.)

The bigger problem? Summer in general is like a war zone for smartphones.

Water damage cases jump more than 80%
Cracked screens rise 18%
Lost phones soar 66%

(So yes, your phone absolutely dreads summer break.)

If you’d prefer to end the weekend with both your dignity and your device intact, here are a few solid survival tips:

1. Don’t trust that “waterproof” hype. Yes, you heard about someone who fished their phone out of a lake after two months and it still worked. That’s the phone equivalent of a miracle. Yours is more likely to drown in a hot tub full of margarita mix. Bonus fun fact: saltwater and chlorine are even worse for electronics.

2. Put your info on your lock screen. Take a screenshot of your contact details and set it as your wallpaper. It triples your chances of getting your phone back if it goes missing.

3. Fix that cracked screen already. A busted screen makes your phone extra vulnerable to water damage. Even humidity can sneak in through the cracks and cause problems. (Yes, your phone is apparently as high-maintenance as your ex.)