4. Keep the kids entertained
If the kids in your family are young, we know they can get bored easily. This can mean that they can end up being in the kitchen or accidentally in your way and this can lead to some frustrating scenarios. Not to mention, with all the delicious smells in the house, you will be asked the ‘When is the food ready?’ question probably a million times.
The easiest way to avoid these scenarios and many others is to keep them entertained or to involve them in the preparation. However, if they are too young either get someone else in the family that is less gifted in cooking to stay with them and play, or supervise them as they make fall crafts. It will be an enjoyable pastime for them and they will also feel proud to have contributed to the decorations for the table or the house.
5. Accept help
If anyone comes over and offers to help you, never turn them away. Despite wanting to be a good host, you will most likely have close friends and family over and they might offer to help. You will not offend them if you accept, it will show you trust them to help. Moreover, more hands mean less time needed to prepare everything and more time spent enjoying each other’s company.
You can have fun cooking or decorating as well, and it can also be a great way to bond with new family members or to catch up with them while being productive as well. Moreover, if they offer to help you clean after the meal, it will leave you more time for after-meal games. Accepting help is the best way to be time-efficient.
6. Make it a potluck
If you have friends and family over, even if there are not that many, asking them to bring some food over is going to help ease the stress of Thanksgiving morning. Making the meal a potluck will mean that you share the burden of making all the food by yourself, or that everyone will bring something over that you are sure will get eaten.
You can either come together and plan the menu, then pick and choose what you want to do, or you can leave it up to them to bring something over and then just share with everyone. The variety might surprise you and you can set a separate table as a makeshift buffet. It makes for easier clean up too!
