Tips for a Less Stressful Thanksgiving

It’s Tuesday.  And, it’s STILL raining. This has been a year of change for me.  Some days it is a struggle, and other days, it's not.  It's called Life.

My quest to ensure this Holiday season is a simple, stress-free holiday has proven, once again, a challenge.  For almost five years, I’ve attempted to get James excited about the Holidays, with no luck.  This year, he has decided to get ‘excited’.  Figures.  He wants to put out all the outdoor decorations….ALL of them.   So we have compromised.  I told him he could do the outdoor decorations, and I would do the indoor decorations.  Easy

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Thinking about Thanksgiving and the dinner, I’ve thought and rethought about it.  And, I asked myself this question: “Does it HAVE to be perfect?”  Of course, my answer was, “NO!”  Then I asked myself this question: “What can I do to make it nice, but with less stress?”  I have found myself stressing over not making it stressful.   Change isn't easy, I tell you.

So here are some ideas and shortcuts I've come up with for making Thanksgiving nice and less stressful.

Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be on Thanksgiving Day. WHAT?  No, it does NOT have to be on that day!  We will celebrate it the weekend after Thanksgiving.  James is working both Thursday and Friday, so Saturday is our day.  This allows other members of the family to enjoy the day with other friends and family.  It’s not a ‘rush in, eat, and leave because I have other places to go’ kind of day.  It also allows for you to plan and do all the cooking the way you want to do it. 

 

And, speaking of cooking, short-cuts are a blessing!  I am the Queen of short-cut cooking  (In my head, anyway).  You do not have to make cornbread from scratch for the stuffing/dressing.  It’s okay to buy the add butter and water stuff.  What you can do is add fruit and nuts to make it special.  It’s okay to use instant potatoes for the mashed potatoes.  Add in some sour cream and/or horseradish to spice it up some.  The turkey gravy in a jar?  Believe it or not, it’s okay to use it.  Dinner rolls?  Rhodes brand make wonderful yeast rolls.  Let them rise, and bake.  Turkey or ham?  Buying one already cooked/roasted is fine.  Just heat it up in the oven.  Same with desserts; frozen or already made is okay.  Add a little whipped topping and you are good to go!  No one has to know you didn’t slave over a hot stove/oven for days creating this wonderful bounty!  To make it even more special, and because we eat first with our eyes, break out the beautiful platters and bowls.  Use them.  

Look to Nature for your décor.  The Earth provides us with some beautiful colors this time of year.  Take the kids out for a hike one weekend, bring some bags, and let them pick out beautiful colored leaves, pine cones and acorns.  (Make sure it's okay to do this) Find a few branches and make a ‘Thankful Tree’.   Create a centerpiece with the leaves, pinecones and acorn and a few candles.  Get out the glue, scissors, construction sheet paper, scrape book paper and let the kids (and you too) make turkeys using cut outs of your hands.

I look at Thanksgiving as a time to spend with my family and friends, to be thankful for what God has blessed us with this year.  It’s a time to gather together, enjoy each other’s love and kinship, to set aside our differences and come together as one.  If I can find ways to make it less stressful and more enjoyable, then that is a bonus!  There is no need in stressing over the food, the décor or if Auntie loves the stuffing/dressing.  That’s not what is important.

 

Sometimes we have to rethink our traditions and ask ourselves ‘is this still working for us?’  It’s okay to change.  It’s okay to not do what ‘you’ve always done’.  It’s okay to smile, look at the people that surround you, take a deep breath and breathe in the love of family and friends.   Make this year’s Thanksgiving less stressful, and more…thankful.  It’s okay.