Host a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving really kicks off the entire holiday season, and it is quickly approaching.  With our busy lives and schedules, Thanksgiving can be stressfull if you don't plan ahead.

We're sure you are wanting to host the annual Thanksgiving meal in your beautiful dream home.  By planning ahead, you can ensure you will have a stress-free Thanksviging and actually enjoy the holiday with your family and friends.

Prepare Your Menu.

Plan as much as you can ahead of time.

What will the menu include?  Don't forget the side dishes.

Will you prepare the entire meal, or will others bring food as well?

Keep track of who will prepare and bring dishes, so you'll know what needs to be cooked and you don't end up with too many deviled eggs and desserts with no other sides.

Plan for refrigerator space.  If the turkey is safely defrosting in your refrigerator, you may not have the space for refrigerated ingredients needed to prepare other dishes.

Make sure to not over-extend yourself.  If you know the turkey will be beautifully roasting in your oven for several hours, try to prepare other dishes that do not require oven time.  Assign dishes to others that need to bake in the oven.

Prep Your Food.

Consider what you can do ahead of time rather than waiting until the week or day of Thanksgiving.   Which of the dishes can be prepared in advance?  Some things you might be able to do a few days or a week before the holiday include:

• Bake a cake and freeze the layers; you can take them out the day before to thaw and frost.  If you are topping your cake with fruit, like cranberries, wait to add them until the day of.
• Make a couple of pies and feeeze them as far in advance as you can.  As Thanksgiving Day arrives, you can take the pie out, thaw it, and heat it up.
• Casseroles can also be made a day or so ahead of time.  Prepare the casserole, place it in the refrigerator, and then cook it on Thanksgiving Day.
• Remember to take your turkey out in plenty of time for it to defrost safely in the refrigerator.

Setting the Table.

Another way to lessen the stress of a Thanksgiving dinner party is to determine how many and who will attend so you can plan for seating.

How many tables and chairs will you need?

Will you have enough seating, or will you have to borrow/rent tables & chairs?

Place the tables and chairs so everyone has a seat.  Decorate the tables and then set out all the place settings.  This can be done a week ahead!

Not that this is a problem in your family, but you might want to consider the following:

• Do I have a seating plan to ensure everyone is comfortable and family members who don't get along so well don't have to be seated next to each other?
• Put name tags on each seat so everyone knows where to sit, and no one will argue. 

Think simple when it comes to decorating your table.  Place some cranberries in water and top with floating candles.  Or string some cranberries on wire to make napkin rings.  You do not have to go overboard with your decorating; just add simple touches to your table.

Prepping the House.

Now the dreaded part of any family event...the cleaning.  Ask your family to help pitch in to ensure all the rooms are clean.  Rather than waiting to clean at the end, wash your dishes as you cook.  Enlist a few people to help as the "clean-up crew" after the meal.

The more you can plan and do prior to the day, the less stressed you will be.  And the less stressed you are, the more you can enjoy your family and friends.  Remember to have fun and be thankful for those you have and who are sharing the day with you.