How to Avoid Holiday Stress:
- Advise all guests to park grudges outside the door
- List foods to be served on the refrigerator door
- Plan a family game
- Make seating arrangements in advance & note with place cards
- Have take home containers available for leftovers.
Thanksgiving is a time to share with family and be thankful for all we have. This year in particular, with all the unrest throughout the world, we should join hands with family, friends and neighbors to give thanks for this day we have to share together.
Every family has an “Uncle Fred” who doesn’t speak with “Aunt Mable” over something that happened years ago. Probably neither even remembers the cause of the argument. But family gatherings, especially at a time where we give thanks for all we have, is the time to put disputes aside and a time to recognize the fortune of family.
As the guests start pouring in and the kitchen starts filling up with 
casseroles, turkeys, cranberry relish and sweet potato pies, the tumult can easily lead to forgetting to serve a painstakingly prepared food. To avoid any regrets, make a list of all the foods to be served and post it where it can’t be missed. Be sure to check it before sitting down to eat.
Family gatherings can be noisy and joyful. Adults like to catch up and children playing in the basement can sometimes be forgotten. Make time for a family game that includes everyone. Fam
ily football and kickball are favorites at my house. Guess Who You Are is always a winner when the weather prohibits outdoor play. Simply tape a name on everyone’s back. Throughout the celebration they must figure out who they are by asking yes and no questions.
Choosing where to sit can make guests uncomfortable. It is best to eliminate this discomfort by planning ahead. Set place cards at the table(s) where guests are to be seated. Of course this is family and nothing is set in stone. In my family seats will undoubtedly change throughout the course of the meal.
One of the great joys of Thanksgiving is the leftovers to be eaten the next day. Be sure to have containers for guests to take home their share.
A FEW EXTRA TIPS:
Set the table in advance
Take out all the serving platters and utensils in advance
Plan to take the turkey from oven at least 90 minutes before serving – leaving an hour to rest before carving.
Accept offers to help with cleanup
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!
Be sure to check out the my great holiday “stay-cassion” read and gift. I guarantee an exciting trip to the warm, sunny South Pacific without ever having to leave home.
