Reducing Stress for Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving conjures up images of Norman Rockwell settings, like his classic painting of everyone gathered around the dining room table staring at the glorious golden, roasted turkey centerpiece. We all imagine our Thanksgiving holiday to be like that. But real life isn't an idyllic painting, and holidays will never be perfect. With that in mind, here are some ways to help with reducing stress for Thanksgiving.First of all, your guests are coming to visit you and your family. They enjoy your company and want to spend time with you. Believe it or not, they don't care if there are dust bunnies under the couch. (Well, except maybe your mother-in-law.) Don't go deep cleaning your closets and medicine cabinets the week before Thanksgiving. It will just make you tired, stressed, and resentful toward the holiday. Clean the main areas, but don't get on your hands and knees scrubbing. Shut the doors to rooms that will not be used. And let it go at that.If you love to cook, by all means make the entire Thanksgiving dinner if you wish. However, if cooking isn't your passion or if money is tight, ask your guests to bring a dish. If you ask in a way that is a compliment, they will be eager to bring something. For instance, ask your aunt to bring her special pineapple salad that is so delicious. If there is a particular dish that you don't like to cook, ask someone else to prepare it, too. There's usually a cook in every family that will enjoy helping. If not, just don't make that particular dish. No Thanksgiving menu is written in stone. And don't forget your immediate family members. Don't let them lounge around watching football and parades while you slave in the kitchen by yourself.The most important thing to do that will help with reducing stress during Thanksgiving is to plan. Like the famous saying, "Fail to plan, and plan to fail". Decide on a Thanksgiving menu well in advance. If you're asking people to help with the preparation, do that well ahead of time, too- at least a month. Be certain that everyone understands what dishes they are bringing. Double check later to make sure there are no mix-ups in communication.
If money woes cause stress during Thanksgiving, absolutely ask guests to help out with the menu as mentioned earlier. Also, to help with Thanksgiving costs, consider some recipe substitutes. For instance, make simple mashed potatoes instead of a fancy potato casserole. Cut back on the side dishes. Several salads and all different kinds of desserts are not necessary.
Choose at least a few Thanksgiving recipes that can be made ahead. Weeks ahead, not a couple of days. For instance, you can bake pies and freeze them. Rolls can also be made ahead and frozen. There are many Thanksgiving recipes that you can make way ahead of time and then freeze- even mashed potatoes! Then they are ready to be thawed and easily reheated on Thanksgiving Day.Also consider buying some items for your Thanksgiving menu that are already prepared. There are some high quality foods available that taste delicious. I have sampled reheated broccoli casseroles, frozen rolls, bread pudding, and pies bought already baked that tasted as good as homemade.After your menu has been decided, make up a Thanksgiving shopping list. Carefully go over your recipes so that nothing is forgotten. Go shopping weeks before Thanksgiving ahead of the holiday crowds. Buy all of the non-perishable foods that you need. This makes shopping around Thanksgiving time much less hectic and stressful.For the ultimate in Thanksgiving Day stress reduction, you could start a completely new tradition. Make reservations at a nice restaurant for the entire family on Thanksgiving Day. After dinner, go out as a group to watch a movie or two, or maybe for some early Christmas shopping. Nix the cooking, cleaning, and the guaranteed family spat about something silly that always occurs.Whether you use only a couple of these suggestions, or decide to skip the traditional Thanksgiving customs altogether, these tips are sure to help with reducing stress for Thanksgiving.
