What a wonderful time to spend with family. Thanksgiving brings distant relatives together and college kids home with dirty laundry. But in between the eating and “I have seen you since you were this big” comments, going home, away from my video game consoles and big screen TV can be jarring. So for those of who’s parents also still live in 1996 with CRTs and DSL, here are some ways to make the holiday week more user friendly.

With the family -

• The Wii hype is real - Bring home your Wii and Wii Sports for some family fun. Then watch everyone at the table be thankful for you.
• Use your iPhone/regular phone - Make videos and photos of the family fun, then edit them on your laptop right in front of everyone. Create real time family memories.
• See a movie - Beowulf looks awesome, though the kiddies might not be able to handle Angelina. If you’re forced into it, Bee Movie ain’t that bad.

By yourself -

• Handheld consoles - This one’s kind of obvious, but bring your DS and PSP home for round the house entertainment. And with the new PSP and PS3 firmware, you can Remote Play onto your PS3 (and maybe play some Lair while your home).
• Backpack your console - For the more intrepid gamer, special backpacks are made for each console. While the PS3 and Xbox 360 are very heavy, the Wii is light and airy and wonderful family fun. The downside is that either people will want to play or worse, watch sports.
• Go to the comic store Wednesday - Don’t postpone your comics this week. If your comic store is open, make sure you get there before traveling. This way you have ample reading material during the downtime.
• Stock up your laptop - Include movies, video games, and emulators before you leave. I beat Final Fantasy VII over a Thanksgiving home. Though watch out for cousins. They like to play your games too.

Every Thursday, I put my geeky gayness to the task of bring geek culture to the fashionable mainstream. This is your geek life guide.