Recipe for a Stress Free Thanksgiving
A few months ago, my boyfriend and I decided we are going to host Thanksgiving at our place this year. When the decision was first made, the guest list was a manageable four people, but as the date approaches, we keep inviting more friends over. I started to panic last week. How are we going to feed and entertain all these people in our little apartment? We only have four chairs and two wine glasses!
The more I think about it, the more it occurs to me we are simply not equipped to pull off a “traditional” Thanksgiving dinner. And by traditional, I am referring to the gatherings of my youth where the women in my family cooked enough food to feed a small Texas town and we ate non-stop for three days.
This year I’m creating my own tradition. Here is my recipe for a thrifty, fun and stress free Thanksgiving:
1. Ask for help. Invite guests to bring side dishes, rolls and dessert. Share the cooking burden with others. Thanksgiving is all about sharing.
2. Don’t make too much food. Spending a whole day in the kitchen is not my idea of a good time. Be realistic about how much food will actually be consumed. I bet you can live with just one kind of potatoes rather than three.
3. Use what you have on hand for serving. You don’t need to run out and buy another place setting for one day out of the year. That’s what paper plates are for. Let folks drink wine out of juice glasses and don’t worry that you don’t own relish forks or cheese knives. No one will care.
4. Keep decorations simple. Fill a vase with cranberries, light some candles, put a pumpkin and some leaves in the middle of the table, or display your favorite family photos. Whatever you do, make it fast, easy and cheap.
5. Turn off the television. Do something that will engage everyone, not just the football fans. Play a board game or go for an after dinner walk.
6. Laugh. Accidents will happen. Food will be burned and wine will be spilled. Keep your sense of humor and go with the flow.
Terrell Meek has worked for more than six years as a marketer for Verity Credit Union, advocating the benefits of financial responsibility.
A born saver, Terrell credits her parents with teaching her sound financial habits at an early age. She believes one of the keys to a satisfying life is learning to live simply.
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said on November 20th, 2009 08:00 AM
Jean Morgan says: