We’ve just dipped into autumn and many of us are already making preparations for Thanksgiving. Although it can be a holiday that many look forward to, it can also be a stressful time for people around the nation. From trip plans to social distancing issues to the simple planning of the meal, there’s a lot to think about. If you’re hoping to have a great holiday season with little stress, check out these tips for hosting a stress-free Thanksgiving:
Do something for yourself first
If you have a full day ahead of you where you need to prepare dishes and set things up in your home, plan something special for yourself on the day of Thanksgiving. Whether you love running and sign up for a Turkey Trot event before cooking or you prefer sipping on a pumpkin spice latte while watching the sunrise, do something special for yourself.
Whatever is going to bring you a sense of calm before the craziness of the holiday, don’t shy away from doing it. Then you can enjoy the day as much as possible, even if hours of cooking await.
Plan and set up décor a head of time
With all the cooking and planning, you may not want to also have to deal with setting up the dining table and décor. No problem.
You can easily call in help from your family or friends to take care of those extras, or if you just want to be sure everything is ready for the day of Thanksgiving, set the table and the décor the night before.
You could also have flowers delivered on Thanksgiving, so that the décor is all squared away. Flowers are a simple yet lovely way to decorate for this festive fall holiday.
Prepare the menu ahead of time
The best thing to make sure that the dinner is a success is to make sure that the Thanksgiving menu is planned ahead of time. Whether you hire a caterer to serve Thanksgiving dinner, host a potluck meal with your family and friends, or plan the dinner yourself, having everything clearly defined before you go to buy the ingredients is highly important for a stress-free Thanksgiving Day. Planning with others by using online software is a great way to keep everything organized for the big day.
Get all hands on deck
You may be the best cook around, but that doesn’t mean you have to handle it all alone. While you may want to prepare the main dishes, consider asking your family or friends to help you in the kitchen with side dishes and other kitchen duties.
Delegating certain dishes for Thanksgiving preparation can help to take the weight off of your shoulders so you can also enjoy this special holiday. While a potluck might require some planning and careful timing, it could be worth it if you just want to relax and enjoy this special day.
Serve pre-dinner snacks
Sometimes, your meal prep may take longer than you had planned and that’s perfectly okay. However, hungry people can get hangry and we don’t want that to happen. Let’s avoid the stress of hangry-hordes by preparing pre-dinner snacks.
While you don’t want to serve anything too heavy so they have plenty of space for the special meal, a few light snacks can help to keep everyone patient while you’re getting the food ready. Consider a few light cocktails as well.
In Conclusion
Thanksgiving and its traditions may be a lovely time for you and your family. However, you may be hoping for a less hectic holiday season this year. From asking for help from family members and friends to preparing ahead of time, there are different steps you can take to make sure that this holiday is an enjoyable one for everyone, including you!