Halloween has come and gone and we are marching 100 miles a minute towards Thanksgiving and Christmas!
The fall and winter holidays just seem to steam roll in and I for one want my holidays to be stress free and fabulous!
I love hosting Thanksgiving in our house. Whether we have 20 guests or just 2, Thanksgiving always seems to be a day of a little extra pressure to make everything perfect.
These are some of my favorite tips to keep Thanksgiving stress free and fabulous, no matter how big the guest list!
Keep the decorations simple
I believe in simple decorations for the holidays. I am a busy mom and I have realized my family & guests appreciate the little touches that make the holidays special around the house. I love hanging a banner on our fireplace and adding little pumpkins and fall leaves on bookcases and end tables.
Thanksgiving is all about everyone gathered around the table. A nice table cloth and simple centerpieces can make such a difference in the ambiance of your meal. If you have no idea how to pull together a table setting, don’t worry! You can order an entire table setting with everything from table clothes to centerpieces all picked out for you!
Have plenty of serving platters
I don’t know about you, but while turkey is a huge part of my meal, the real stars of the meal are the abundance side dishes on Thanksgiving!!! It’s time to dig out all the serving dishes and platters you own! Make sure you have enough for everything on your menu.
Slow Cookers are perfect for keeping dishes warm
Speaking of side dishes… One of the most challenging parts of the Thanksgiving meal is keeping everything warm while you are waiting for the turkey to come out of the oven.
Your slow cooker isn’t just for cooking dishes! It can be set on warm and keep so many side dishes piping hot.
I always make my mashed potatoes and then toss them in the slow cooker on warm with another half a stick of butter on top to keep them moist. (Plus, it’s Thanksgiving… and you should always use another stick of butter on Thanksgiving!)
No one likes raw turkey
Get yourself a Meat Thermometer!
My first year cooking the turkey was a very stressful one due to the fact that I had no meat thermometer! I was so worried I would be serving everyone raw turkey. Those little pop up thingies in that come with turkey are totally unreliable. Save yourself the stress. Have confidence that you know when to pull that turkey out at the exact right temperature!
Set the ambiance with fall scented Candles
Do you feel like the holidays have a certain “scent?” I totally do!!!
Cinnamon, apples, pumpkin spices and a little bit of pine trees. There is something so “homey and warm” about those holiday smells. I like to add a little extra with special candles on Thanksgiving.
Bonus: the warm glow of candlelight also adds another level of holiday decoration!!!
Use a To – Do List
To-Do lists are your best friends during the holidays! There is simply no way you can keep track of everything without a little help. I begin writing out my lists at least a week before the holiday. I recommend making a Menu List & a grocery list first. I also create a list of what I need to do and in the order I need to do it.
Example: Brine turkey on Tuesday. Bake Pumpkin pie on Tuesday. Chop veggies on Wednesday. Etc…
Post those lists on your fridge and refer to them often so you stay on track while your home is filled with your favorite people and it’s so easy to get distracted!
Don’t be afraid of Paper Plates & Napkins
There will be plenty of dishes to do after your epic meal is over! Don’t be scared to use paper plates, napkins, cups and even plastic cutlery!
I always use paper plates for dessert… Because frankly, once dessert hits… I am NOT going to wash another dish!
BONUS TIP!!!
Enjoy your the day!
I know hosting Thanksgiving can put extra stress on you for the holiday, but do try to remember that this is a special day for remembering all you are thankful for. And most likely, the things you are thankful for the most are making a mess in the next room, watching football in the den, and hanging out with you in the kitchen. Remind yourself to breath and ask for help. It’s going to be a fabulous day whether the table looks perfect or not!
Happy Early Thanksgiving!
Keikilani
Tell Me: What do you do to make Thanksgiving day less stressful?
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Meat thermometers are essential! You know what? Because not only do people not like raw turkey. They also don’t like dry overdone, shoe leather turkey, either. LOL
Amen, Sister!!!!
I love to use scented candles or a nice, low key potpourri for Thanksgiving and Christmas. That really sets the mood.
These are great tips to make the holiday a little easier. I like the idea of paper plates and plastic silverware to avoid dishes at the end. I never do a lot of decorations so I like this tip.
This is the perfect post for me right now! It has been a stressful day and this is a great reminder that Thanksgiving is supposed to be fun and not stressful!
I am loving all of these tips. I am all about making lists. It helps alleviate some of the stress over the holidays.
My slow cooker is a great help for big meals. It works so well to keep foods warm. I try to do as much as I can the day before to save time.
These are so practical tips for keeping Thanksgiving stress free. Crock pots are so handy to keep food warm while you wait for everything else to finish cooking.
These are excellent tips. Thanksgiving can be super stressful, but so much fun too!
I think these are all great ideas. Thanksgiving sure can be stressful, especially if you’re the one hosting it.
These are some good ideas. An undercooked turkey can really ruin the meal! I like the idea of using the slow cooker to keep certain dishes warm.
The meat thermometer is a life saver when making a turkey! Each turkey is always a bit different so it’s important to keep an eye on the temp.
These are really great tips! Who wouldn’t want a stress-free Thanksgiving! Adding these to my list!
Great tips. Your table looks beautiful.
If you are hosting, a to-do list is a must! Great tips, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Remember there are lots of people there to enjoy the day with you, so ask for their help!