It’s November, and before most of us can start thinking about Christmas, we're thinking about how to enjoy (and survive) Thanksgiving. A holiday that highlights the importance of giving thanks, Thanksgiving can also highlight why stress is bad for you. Cooking dinner, deciding on your décor, managing your family and keeping yourself together can all prove to be a bit much to handle.
In the spirit of giving thanks, here are a few tips that can help you make this Thanksgiving one that you are grateful for, rather than one that will stress you out.
Start prepping 1-2 weeks before the holiday. There are many dishes than can be made and frozen long before the special day. Bake pies and freeze them, or chop up vegetables and freeze those, too. You can even season and freeze your turkey a week before and just defrost it a day before the big dinner. The more you do ahead of time, the less you have to do on the day of.
Ask for, and accept, help. It’s hard for some of us to ask for help, and some of us won’t even accept help when it’s offered. Women everywhere are struggling on Thanksgiving Day, telling their loved ones, “I got this!” Please stop frontin’, ladies. You don’t have it… and that’s okay. Let people help you.
Prepare activities for the kids. If you have children, or there will be children in your home for Thanksgiving, please take some time to plan their day out. Get a couple of movies or buy supplies for a project (nothing messy). And if possible, create a designated space that keeps them out of your way. Children cause mischief when they are bored, and having a house full of bored kids is just asking for trouble.
Ask guests to bring a dish. There is nothing wrong with asking your friends and family members to bring something. Dessert, a side dish, or even a bottle of wine all help make it a great deal without all the stress falling on you.
Use disposable everything. Have you been to BJ’s or Sam’s Club lately? They have some seriously fancy tableware. Go for it. I know that Thanksgiving seems like a great time to pull out the good china, but it’s really not. Get some cute stuff and maybe just pull out wine glasses. And don’t forget to get aluminum bake ware, too. Are you really trying to wash all of that stuff after a long day on your feet?
Start shopping for deals now. Things won’t be much cheaper in 3 weeks than they are now. If you have the room in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry, start shopping for everything you need now and save the weekend before (and week of) Thanksgiving for those last minute items you forgot.
Be someone else’s guest. Even if you are the best cook in your family, you do not have to cook every single year. Take a break and be someone else’s guest. Just make sure you hook them up and bring your best dish with you.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Martine Foreman is the editor and co-founder of JustDiva, a lifestyle email publication for today’s Modern Black Woman. To follow her funny and candid take on balancing life as a wife, mom and entrepreneur, you can also check out her personal blog, CandidBelle.
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