The clock is ticking and before you know it, it’s already one of the busiest time of the year – Thanksgiving. So what’s the plan? Have you started on the preparation?
Well, you should. There surely isn’t enough time to waste. As early as now, you need to prepare the things you’ll be needing for the big day. For certain, you are aware it isn’t good to cram, especially if you’re planning something grand for your close friends and family to enjoy.
What better way to do it than kicking off the planning phase right away? We got your back on this. We’ll help you all the way starting with step one.
Think of a theme
That’s right! We’re getting started today. So how do you want the Thanksgiving gathering to be? No idea yet? You can start by coming up with a draft list of invitees (if possible, inform them right away and have them RSVP) and by thinking of a theme. They will serve as your party’s backbone. Come to think of it, when you have a theme and a vision on whom to celebrate the gathering with, you’ll have a much easier time deciding on the necessary specifics, such as the centerpiece, menu, etc.
Make a step-by-step plan
What automatically follows is the designation of specifics. Using the theme you’ve come up with and the list of people you have gathered (with a final head count, hopefully), you may begin classifying detailed steps to make your Thanksgiving party happen. What do you need? From the confirmation invitation to the selection of utensils, from the replacement of table towels to the general serving plan, from the home décor preparations to other errands, they all need to be listed down.
Mark important dates in your calendar
The list is just a list if you do nothing about it. We know, the list could be a little overwhelming, but there’s nothing to worry about as long as there’s time management involved. There should be apparent milestone week by week. By the time Thanksgiving week comes, what’s left on your list would only be the cooking part, of which you’re already half-way done. Trust us, you can lift a little burden off your shoulders by following an efficient schedule.
Start shopping
It is wise to put shopping on the earlier part of the whole calendar. Besides, you cannot begin on the other items on your list if the materials you’ll be needing are yet intangible. So have them gathered by going shopping beforehand. You may divide them into batches depending on priority. But don’t ever go without a Thanksgiving to-buy list on hand. Because chances are, you’ll miss something.
Allow yourself time to find exotic ingredients for your special menu. With the hectic schedule ahead of you, constantly going back and forth to the supermarket will only ruin the plan. You may also start ordering certain food items, such as the turkey, that’s ever present during Thanksgiving holidays.
Ease out items on your cooking list
From the moment you have decided on the final listing of the menu, it is assumed that you’ve also decided on the cooking schedule. Given the limited time of only a day of Thanksgiving, you can’t cook everything in just a few hours before the scheduled dinner with your family and friends. But you can cook them in batches as well, just like in shopping.
1 or 2 weeks before the Thanksgiving, you can start cooking dishes you can safely keep in the fridge until the proposed gathering. Food items such as pastries, turkey stock, bread and various desserts can be frozen and defrosted in time for Thanksgiving.
Beautify your home
But don’t get too busy with the food prep that you forget about your home. Set a waiting area for your guests on the porch or probably in the living room near the windows. Clean the whole house, dust off interior ornaments and hang or display pieces that will help set the Thanksgiving mood. Also, don’t forget to have clean sheets, towels, table cloth and utensils for your guests.
That’s it! The year’s about to end. And although it wasn’t as smooth-sailing as you hoped it would be, you just simply couldn’t disregard the moments that you laughed your heart out and felt genuinely relieved despite life’s little heartaches. That’s why we celebrate Thanksgiving! Some people do it out of sheer tradition, but some do it because of authentic gratitude. What are you thankful for? Who are you thankful for? Gratitude is meant to be celebrated.
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