Autism Friendly Thanksgiving: What Do You Do?

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I had been asked to (actually thrown a bone) drive to Chattanooga and meet a couple family members from Atlanta. They expected me to lock my Labradors up and drive down by myself and meet them in metro Chattanooga to go to the Aquarium. This is a sister who is a school psychologist who is aware of what I am dealing with getting diagnosed and my anxieties about it and sensory overload in general. She has told me that I just need to be more "flexible".
So, I touched base this past weekend and begged off. I did say that I had an emotional and sensitive week coming up with the evaluation.
I just felt like that I should be able to spend a sensory free (as much as possible) holiday with my two best friends who are sensitive to my anxieties and emotions. They won't let me stay in distress. If I get near a meltdown, Bear and Hunter will come trotting in and start bumping and licking me and applying pressure until I feel calmer. They deserve not a day in their room like when I work, but a day in a house with fun and turkey and time to play with their neighbor dog buddies while we all love on them on our porches and yards.
I chose my "real family" for this thanksgiving. Because they give so much to me every single day and they deserve my thanks.
This year I also want to explore how to do Thanksgiving without getting overextended and triggered. How do you all with more experience with ASD do this?

Things that help me include
Going into watch mode
Excusing myself for a nap
Going into playing holiday songs on a harmonica- folks say I'm quite good at it.
Time with my cats.
Usually the older one joins me on a nap.
Driving alone more than 43 minutes is not fun for me.
Think about ways and things I can add to my comedy act.
Which does include biographical - real life stuff.
If it don't kill me, it's fodder for humor.

I like to watch the TV marathons when we have our company over. This year, it is going to be small, me, my mom, my sister Amy, and my grandpa. My mom is inviting two family friends too. Sometimes, my sister will watch the marathons with me. My dogs also help keep me calm when all the conversations get overwhelming.

Happy Thanksgiving to everybody here on WP! I'm thankful for you all and that I have a wonderful place where I can be myself Pumpkin pie for all!

Thanks
Last night I had big gallop of real whip cream with a small piece of pumpkin piece.

I spend time with my family (Thanksgiving was last month here in Canada). We generally have roast beef, potatoes and corn for dinner followed by apple pie for dessert, but we've been known to have a turkey once in a blue moon (turkey is always on Christmas though, always).

It's no different than any other day really aside from the food we eat and that I eat at the dinner table (I don't like eating around others due to sensory issues)

I have several ways I keep myself from getting over-stimulated. First, in the car ride, which is 45 minutes long, I have my headphones on and listen to my favorite music, which relaxes me. At the family gathering place, I seek out places where I can get away from everyone. Also, my little sister helps when I start to get freaked.

I don't advocate benzos but they are the one thing that helps me get through one of these things.