HELP! I’m Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner!
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“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” I know that popular song was written about the Christmas season, but when I think about “the most wonderful time of the year” I instantly think of Thanksgiving . . . my favorite holiday! I love hosting our entire family in my home for this annual celebration of family, food, and God’s faithfulness. Maybe you share my enthusiasm for this holiday . . . or maybe you dread the thought of hosting Thanksgiving because it just feels too overwhelming. Let me see if I can offer a few tips to make the day a little more enjoyable.
Play to Your Strengths and Outsource Your Weaknesses
Some of you may enjoy cooking as much as I do, but I know there are many of you who don’t enjoy cooking at all. That’s okay! Have somebody else do the cooking so that you can focus on what you enjoy most. Maybe you enjoy setting a pretty table, making nice centerpieces, or doing crafts with the kids. Focus on what you enjoy doing and enlist help for the tasks that you dread. Ask your friends or family members to bring specific dishes for the meal so you don’t have to worry about them. Or, if your budget allows, you can order the entire feast from a local restaurant or grocery store.
Plan the Work; Then Work the Plan
Over the years, I have found it easier to manage Thanksgiving prep by working through a task timeline. I don’t get overwhelmed by all the “to do” items if I just steadfastly work my way down the list. For example, I know that on the morning of Thanksgiving each year I will peel ten pounds of potatoes while watching the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV with my daughters. Then those potatoes will be ready to boil when it is time to make the mashed potatoes later that day. Or, you can ask your mother-in-law to bring the mashed potatoes and then you can sit on the couch while you watch the parade with your kids!
Get the Kids Involved!
In addition to watching the parade with your children, I hope you will get them involved in the hosting process. You can have them set the table or make the place cards or centerpieces. I remember the year my daughter made a clay bowl in art class at school and then filled it with candy corn to make a sweet and colorful centerpiece. Your kids can fill bowls, vases, or mason jars with clementines, nuts, or colorful candies to make adorable decorations for your table. You can also encourage them to make this fruit and veggie turkey sculpture that graces our buffet table each year.
And try setting up a simple craft table to keep the kids occupied while you are busy in the kitchen. Cover a coffee table with brown butcher paper and lay out some crayons and Thanksgiving themed coloring sheets. You can find a nice variety when you do a simple online search for “Thanksgiving coloring pages.”
Remember to Put the THANKS in Thanksgiving
Most of all, we want our children to understand the true meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday. In all the kitchen busy-ness, let’s be intentional about finding opportunities to express our thanks to God for His faithfulness. You can ask a family member to read Psalm 100 when you gather for the big meal. Maybe one of your children or one of the cousins has recently learned to read and would be proud to read these words of thanksgiving in front of the family. You can also draw a “Thanksgiving Tree” on a poster board and encourage family members to write on paper leaves about what they are thankful for and then add those leaves to the tree on the poster board. Or apply the same idea and create a poster board with a “Thanksgiving Turkey” and have people write on paper feathers to decorate the turkey.
So, whether you are “foodie” who gleefully makes every dish from scratch, or someone who enjoys the convenience of boxed or canned menu items, I pray that your Thanksgiving celebration will be filled with joy and peace.