Thanksgiving has always been my maternal side’s holiday - we gather every year, and we look forward to it. We get the food that Grandma only makes once a year, we play Phase 10 until there’s a fight, we hold the babies and referee between five dogs. We gather at someone’s house, we line up the living room with air mattresses and work out shower schedules and marvel at how Grandma and our aunties get up SO EARLY by CHOICE. That’s the romanticized version. Truth be told, if you celebrate Thanksgiving in any fashion, it requires some pre-planning. It’s not just one meal, especially if you have guests. Family reunions can always be a bit stressful. Let’s talk about the things you may have forgotten in your pre-planning and turkey selection. The TripAre you traveling somewhere? NOW is the time to make a packing list, plan your route and when you want to leave, etc. Sure, you could play it by ear, but why? The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is one of the most-travelled days in the country. Be ready for delays, traffic, and hanging out at the airport. Be sure you’re rested to drive, have entertainment at the ready for the kids, wear comfortable clothes for the flight. You can’t prevent delays or traffic, but some thinking ahead can potentially save time and your spirit. RELATED: Headache-Free Travel: Three Steps to Prepare The FoodI have a carb addiction. Pizza is my weakness, and pasta and bread bring me joy. In fact, one of the reasons I love Thanksgiving is my Grandma makes stuffing, which she does once a year, and LAWD. I could eat all of it. I feel giddy writing this now, knowing that next week I’ll get some stuffing. And potatoes. It’s a carb-heavy day and everyone is celebrating, and I don’t have to feel guilty if I want to skip vegetables and just eat stuffing and potatoes and bread. I think it goes without saying you should have a meal plan, even if its just a mental one, for Thanksgiving. I have yet to meet the person who wonders what they’ll make for dinner on Thanksgiving. When you’re making that plan, though, don’t forget about other meals you’ll have to serve (if you have family or friends staying for a couple days), as well as snacks on Thursday. You don’t want your guests to nibble on snacks all day and not have room for dinner, but people will get hungry and they will get cranky if they have to wait all day to eat because you only planned out one meal and didn’t get pretzels or trail mix. After you’ve shopped, mark the groceries that are off-limits, or better yet, store them elsewhere. Last thing you need is to go make your signature Thanksgiving dish only to discover you’re out of a key ingredient because your kids or partner ate it all the day before. If you buy something that’s a regularly used item, it’s only fair to tell anyone with access to your fridge not to use it this week. With that in mind, take stock Wednesday night. If you did your shopping earlier, you very likely may have not bought an ingredient you thought you had at home. Wednesday is a better time to discover you’re out of something than Thursday. Ideally, you’ve done a thorough job shopping and marking the groceries, so this is just a formality. Leftovers. How are you going to store them? Clean out your refrigerator ahead of time, and also be sure you have room. Take a Tupperware inventory NOW. If you’re like, well, everyone, you’ve got 800 lids and 45 containers and none of them match. You DON’T have to go buy new food storage sets, but knowing how you will store the food and that you have the right supplies will make clean-up so much faster. While you’re at it, have a plan for some ways to get creative with the leftovers. Pinterest is your friend here. The EntertainmentIf you’ll have kids present that day, plan some activities for them. Older kids can help in the kitchen, and having some fun things for the younger ones that require minimum supervision can save the “MOMMMM I’M BORED” statements. Have them make place cards, table decorations, or color pictures. Even just having a movie at the ready that can manage to keep them occupied is a good idea. One suggestion: challenge the kids to put on a skit or show of some sort. My cousins and I did this, and because we don’t do anything halfway, it required costumes and a sound system. The adults patiently sat through what I imagine to be a very painful rendition of the Spice Girls “Wannabe” and took pictures that still manage to surface on Facebook from time to time, much to our dismay. We stayed out of the adults’ way, AND they got ammunition against us for YEARS. Talk about a win-win. I don’t have suggestions to keep the political debates friendly or how to introduce your new beau to your dad. Just remember - Thanksgiving is supposed to be FUN, so be sure you’re including some fun in your planning. We’re a week out from Thanksgiving, and I’m sure you’ve gathered that I’m just a little excited for it. The planning can be a chore, but the reward is a kick-ass meal and football with your loved ones. It only comes once a year, so however you choose to celebrate, or if you choose not to, be sure to take care of yourself. You can subscribe to my mailing list here. You can also follow me on Twitter or Pinterest. If you’re in need of a virtual operations manager, check out my FAQs or available services, then head over to my consultation page so we can connect.
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