Everyone has had at least one year in which cooking for #Thanksgiving was just too much hassle to contemplate. If you have more money than time this year and are just too #stressed to host a meal or contribute to a potluck, you have options. You can outsource the cooking to a local grocery store and buy ready-made sides, or order an entire turkey with all of the trimmings for the family. Another option? Go out! Chain and local restaurants offer Thanksgiving meals, and dining out eliminates #cleanup, too. “Heading to a restaurant to indulge in ham, turkey and the sides is a perfectly reasonable way to spend the holiday,” says Good Housekeeping.
Tag: holiday stress
Opt for Easy Recipes to Reduce Thanksgiving Stress
Hosting a #Thanksgiving feast takes lots of time and energy. If you want to enjoy the #holiday with less #stress, focus on simple recipes that don’t take a lot of fuss in the kitchen. If you’re having a small gathering, you can do a whole spread on two sheet pans, Food Network says, or pick from a range of streamlined recipes that will be big winners at your potluck or dinner without requiring a ton of prep work or time in a hot kitchen. Try an air fryer turkey breast or apple crisp, for example, instead of the traditional roast turkey and pumpkin pie for easy takes on the classics that will still please a crowd. #EasiestThanksgiving
Do a Pre-Holiday Decluttering
It may be hard to believe, but the #holidays are right around the corner! Two weeks from now, you’ll be enjoying a #Thanksgiving feast; then, it’s on to the big shopping and gift grabs of the Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa season.
Do yourself a favor, and #declutter ahead of those holiday events. Whether you’re going to be hosting or not, #streamlining your home and weeding out your extra #stuff will help you get ready for seasonal #celebrations with less stress.
Start with the #kitchen. You may be baking cookies, contributing a side dish to the potluck or hosting a family feast. Go through your cabinets and drawers, and pull out anything that’s broken, cracked or chipped. #Trash and #recycle these items immediately.
If you find anything you haven’t used in more than a year or is ever-so-slightly less than perfect but still could be of use to someone, set it aside in a box or bag and #schedule a #free #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org.
Before you know it, your kitchen will be streamlined and ready to churn out that green-bean casserole or roast turkey with no fuss. Why? Because you’ll be able to find the cooking tools, serving dishes and dinnerware you need quickly because you’ve eliminated the #clutter!
Next, do the same thing as you get any #holiday #décor items out of #storage. Are some of your table linens worn and stained? Are those strings of twinkly lights half-lit? Clean and fix them if you can, and #trash them if you can’t. And again, you can #donate anything that no longer makes the cut.
“I love a good declutter before the holiday season,” professional organizer Carly Adams told Real Simple. “The best time to #declutter and #tidy the spaces you’ll be using to #host guests is before the social expectations of the holidays are here.”
Prepare your home for the holidays now! With a quick #decluttering, you’ll be able to everything you really need faster, reduce the stress surrounding holiday gatherings and have a happier holiday season. #HolidayDeclutttering
Try Buffet Style for Your Holiday Party
#Holiday parties benefit from a buffet, The Shop Edit says. Not only does it allow guests to get up and move around, you can offer customizable, do-it-yourself dinner selections such as a baked potato bar, leaving meal assembly up to guests and their tastes. Once dinner is cleared, you can set up a selection of desserts and have guests repeat the process until they are sated. Drinks can be batched, too, to make them no-fuss and self-service. Add disposable dinnerware, and cleanup will practically take care of itself — but you should enlist friends and family in the effort so that you can participate in the holiday festivities. #LastMinuteHolidayTips
Clean Up Before Christmas
#Holiday entertaining should start with a #clean house. #Declutter and clean any areas of the house that need it or will see heavy duty in the days ahead, including bathroom, kitchen and floors. Then, keep the menu simple. “You don’t need every side dish or appetizer in the world,” Bread Booze Bacon says. “Choose options that pair well with the wine, cocktails or beverage you’re planning to serve and stick to the basics. If you want more options, ask your guests to bring a specific course. You can worry about cooking a little less, and nine times out of 10, they’re happy to bring something in lieu of a hostess gift.” #LastMinuteHolidayTips