Planning Thanksgiving is a culinary challenge,
one that just might leave you popping the Pinot while stuffing the bird. From
the shopping to the cooking, from the hosting to the looking festive - things
can easily turn into a harvest of havoc.
But feasting on frustration is avoidable with
a little (okay, a lot) of proactive thinking.
So, take a deep breath and consider the
following:
Don’t Focus on the
Things That Could Go Wrong
It’s easy to let your imagination run wild, conjuring
up a disastrous dinner where everything that can go wrong does. The meal is flavorless,
the spirits are flat, and the guests are so demanding that even the potatoes
roll their eyes.
Focusing on the cranberry calamities that
could happen takes away from enjoying the moment. It also forces you to aim for
a level of idealism impossible to attain. Remember, the little imperfections
that you might fret over are things your guests are unlikely to notice.
Offer Variety
With so many dietary restrictions and unique health
circumstances, it’s more important than ever to offer a variety of food to your
dinner guests. Offer dishes geared toward vegans and vegetarians and don’t
forget those who are gluten-free
or dealing with allergies.
Variety spills over to the bar, as well: make
sure to offer both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks and diversity within
these subsets. In other words, don’t assume that everyone likes wine; some of
us are beer people.
Delegate
One of the nice things about hosting
Thanksgiving is that people are generally willing to offer help: accept it!
There’s no reason you must do everything solo. If you still find yourself in
need of extra hands, solicit your children. They tend to be more amenable when
presents are coming down the pike.
If you simply don’t have time for the larger
tasks, such as cleaning your house or hanging your holiday lights, outsource
it. Yep, there’s an app
for that.
Don’t Try New
Recipes
Experimenting in the kitchen is fun and
rewarding, but timing is important. Trying out a new casserole dish or watching
a YouTube video to
learn how to fry a turkey the morning of invites too much risk when dinner is
on the line. So, stick with what you know and experiment in your free time.
Set the Table the
Night Before
Do as much as you can the night before,
including setting the table (which tends to take a while when you’re feeling
fancy). Of course, this comes with a caveat: if you own a cat that’s obligated
to walk all over the dinner plates in the middle of the night, refrain from any
setup until morning. Instead, focus on another
job you can do ahead of time, like baking the pies.
Buy What You Can’t
Make
There ain’t no shame in the Whole Foods game! Hosting
dinner doesn’t mean every dish needs to be the result of your blood, sweat, and
(very emotional) tears. If you don’t have time to make something, buy it! If you’re worried about what your mother will think, put it on a plate
and hope she doesn’t give it a second thought.
Save Time to Get
Ready
Spending so much effort preparing to shower your
guests with attention can leave you failing to literally shower yourself. Don’t
get so wrapped up in the minor details that you forget about self-care. Give
yourself at least an hour of “me-time” before anyone arrives.
Use a Cooler
Space is typically limited, no matter how big
your house is, which is why a cooler comes in handy. Haul one up from the
basement or garage and use it to store soda, bottled water, or beer. Keep the
cooler out of the kitchen so guests will stay out, as well. A deck or back porch
is a great place to park it.
Hosting Thanksgiving is the ultimate chore,
but one that comes with reward in the form of love, family, and ample dessert.
Not everything will go perfect; remind yourself that that’s okay. Even doing a lousy
job comes with a silver lining: if things go that terribly, no one will ask you
to host next year.
The Piedmont Apartments in Avon, Colorado
offers luxurious, modern homes for residents that blend privacy with epic views
of the Rocky Mountains. Contactus today to learn more about mountain town living in our picturesque
apartments.