Gamer Thanksgiving: 15 Things Every Gamer Is Thankful For
Everyone goes around the table and says what they're grateful for. You're grateful nobody asked you mid-match. Let's hear it anyway.
Every November, the family gathers, the turkey comes out, and some well-meaning aunt suggests going around the table to share what you're thankful for. The rest of the table says "my health" and "my kids." You say "my family," because you're polite. You are thinking "no lag spikes since August."
We see you. We've been you. Plenty of us at MindPop have been gaming since the joystick had one button and the high score board was taped to the arcade cabinet.
So here's the gratitude list nobody reads aloud at dinner. Fifteen things every gamer is truly thankful for, sorted into three levels, with a shirt for almost every one of them.
Level One
The Squad (Thanks 1–5)
You can't win alone. You can, however, complain alone.
01A connection that holds.
Not fast. Not fancy. Just stable. The single greatest gift a household router can give.
02The healer who actually heals.
Not the one who goes off to chase kills. The real one. The one who keeps the whole squad alive and gets zero thanks. Thank her today.
03Buffs. All of them.
Speed, damage, defense, and the big one: the second helping of pie that gets you through the in-laws.
04The friend who carries.
Every squad has one. They never mention it. They don't have to. Everybody knows.
05Teammates who use their mics for good.
Callouts, not commentary. A rare and beautiful thing.
Level Two
The Loot (Thanks 6–10)
Gratitude, but make it shiny.
06A legendary drop on the first try.
It happened once in 2019. You still talk about it. You will talk about it at this dinner.
07The final circle in a battle royale.
Heart pounding, storm closing in, two players left. Better than any parade on TV.
08The quit button.
Not using it. Just knowing it's there. Like the emergency exit at a family gathering.
09Respawns.
The one thing games got right that real life still hasn't patched in.
10"GG" from the other team.
Good game, no trash talk, everybody logs off friends. Thanksgiving in two letters.
Level Three
The Holiday Itself (Thanks 11–15)
Yes, there are things to be thankful for away from the screen. We checked.
11A four-day weekend.
That's not a holiday. That's a raid window.
12The cousin who brings a second controller.
Couch co-op after dinner is the oldest family tradition some of us actually enjoy.
13The food coma, a.k.a. going AFK.
Fully earned. Do not disturb. Status: away from keyboard, near couch.
14Relatives who finally stopped asking about your "little games."
Took a while. Showing them a co-op match helped. So did beating them at it.
15Every woman who games and doesn't apologize for it.
The ones who've been told it's "not for girls" since the cartridge days and kept playing anyway. The ones running the squad. The ones who still have the high score. Pass them the gravy first.
Already thinking about the gift list? Our Gifts for Gamers: Pick Their Class, Pick Their Shirt guide sorts the whole squad by role, and the gamer dad hat roundup covers the hat drop.
Gamer Thanksgiving FAQ
What does GG mean?
"Good game." Players type it at the end of a match to show respect to both teams. When someone types it before the match is over, it usually means they're about to lose and they know it.
How do I get my gamer to the Thanksgiving table on time?
Give a real warning, not a vague one. "Dinner in 20 minutes" lets them finish the match. "Dinner now" starts a negotiation. Better yet, invite them to bring a second controller for after the meal.
Do your gamer shirts come in plus sizes?
Yes. Our unisex tees are $29.95 in every size from XS to 5XL, with free U.S. shipping. Everything is printed when you order it, so give it production time if it's a holiday gift.