How to Host the Best Thanksgiving Ever
Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? If so, it’s not too late to change your mind and head to the beach instead! Just kidding! Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday steeped in rich American traditions such as pro football and over-eating. You might even get some good, healthy, familial mudslinging in there, as well, which is always fun. Here are some tips to help you make this Thanksgiving the best Thanksgiving ever.
Carefully Consider the Guest List
You might feel obligated to invite every single member of your extended family. But if there’s a feud going on right now between cousin Lisa and cousin Todd, you might want to consider excluding the cousins this year. Or, if the entire family is still simmering after last year’s verbal holiday brawl, you have every right to make this a friends-only Thanksgiving! If your elbow’s really twisted, and you have to invite people who can’t stand each other, have them agree not to engage with each other, and seat them on opposite sides of the room!
Spread the Workload
You’re hosting; that’s already a huge job! Not only do you have to spend part of your holiday cleaning the house, but you also have to somehow find enough chairs for everyone, which can be a massive undertaking. Don’t get stuck with all of the cooking, too. You might have to make some sacrifices, but that’s ok. Someone else’s green bean casserole may not be as good as yours, but it’s probably just fine. Give everyone an assignment and decide right now that the particular sweet potato recipe really doesn’t matter all that much!
Skip the Cooking Altogether–Hire a Caterer!
This year it might be time to try out a caterer and see if it isn’t the best investment you ever made! Think about it: no elbowing your way through the crowds of angry customers who can’t find the allspice at your local supermarket. No anxiety about there being a pumpkin shortage. No accidental poisoning of your guests with an undercooked turkey. Or, on the other extreme, no dry-turkey choking hazards! No pile of dishes adding to your stress. No sweating in the kitchen while the rest of the family congregates around the football game. Sounds like heaven, right?
Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that’s nostalgic bliss in theory, but doesn’t always turn out that way in practice. However, you can host the best-ever Thanksgiving with a little strategic thinking. Although, if I were you, I would book a trip to Hawaii right now, or at least get yourself added to someone else’s guest list!
One of the best things about Thanksgiving is the sense of community it can bring to your neighborhood. Click here for other ways to build up your community!
And if you’re looking for ways to support local businesses, find a local food truck on the Where’s The Foodtruck app.
