Stress Free Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is often a more stressful holiday than it needs to be. Hosting is especially busy, with cleaning the house and planning the meal—not even including the cooking! Even if you're hosting the big meal, you can still enjoy the holiday by following these steps:

• Plan ahead: Make a list of how many people are coming for dinner, make a list of what foods will be served, and make a list for the grocery store. Go grocery shopping early so you can avoid the stress and time-waster of standing in line.
• Delegate: If Thanksgiving Dinner entails more than just your immediate family, delegate! Assign someone to bring roles and butter, and someone else to bring the mashed potatoes. The food might not turn out exactly how you like it, but overall it will be worth it to save a few hours of being in the kitchen.
• Make Ahead: If anything can be made early and stored in the refrigerator, go ahead and make it early. It is easier to split up the cooking between a few days rather than trying to do it all in one morning. Also, remember to defrost the turkey. You don't want to be stressed out the morning of because the most important part of the meal is going to be ready late.
• Simplify: It's okay to pick up a pumpkin pie from Costco, or to use pre-made punch. Also, don't worry about appetizers—the guests will have enough to eat from the main dinner already. It's okay to just have one kind of fruit salad and only a couple of pies. There will be plenty to choose from anyway.
• Keep the Kids Occupied: Whether renting a new movie or assigning one to peel the potatoes and another to set the table, keep the kids occupied. If they have something to do be doing, they will most likely stay out of your hair.
• Don't Forget to Laugh: If you forget to let the roles rise, don't sweat it. If you burn the turkey, go out to dinner. Learn to laugh, and realize that everything going exactly to plan isn't the only way to have a good Thanksgiving Day. Plan the best you can beforehand, but then just go with the flow from there. Remember the reason for the holiday, and allow yourself the time to reflect and be grateful for what you have been blessed with.