It’s the week before Thanksgiving and you may be feeling a little bit of stress about the Big Day. I’m feeling it too and I have several good reasons:
I don’t like cooking turkey.
I want to make my family happy.
We have a tight budget.
I don’t like cooking turkey.
Did I mention that I HATE cooking turkey?
This time of year can be stressful but I have a plan to combat the stress and enjoy our happiest Thanksgiving yet.
Adjust Your Expectations
Much of the stress of Thanksgiving is created by our expectations that it will be the most wonderful day spent with family sitting around a beautifully decorated table and enjoying an amazing meal. The truth is that the calendar changing to the fourth Thursday of November doesn’t change our circumstances or the way our family members interact. It’s helpful to acknowledge the fact that there may be conflict, your turkey may be overdone and dinner probably won’t look like a Norman Rockwell painting or a greeting card commercial.
It’s okay. Life goes on.
Make a Plan
One of the best ways to combat the stress is to actually make a plan for the day. My plan includes creating a simple and inexpensive menu, preparing some food ahead of time, enlisting the help of my children and getting at least eight hours of sleep the night before. Other steps could include creating a basic schedule for the day and planning some fun activities for the children who will be attending your gathering.
For a little help in the planning department click here to print my FREE Thanksgiving Menu Planner & Grocery List, Thanksgiving Meal Timeline and Thanksfulness A to Z activity.
Keep It Simple
Now is not the time to try four new and complicated recipes so that you can create the most spectacular gourmet meal you have ever served. Instead plan on basic dishes that are easy to prepare and one impressive dessert or side dish. If you have the extra money you can even purchase some of your dishes pre-made to save time.
Focus on Fun
Don’t forget to have fun! You could make a special breakfast to eat while watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, color on your tablecloth or play a silly rhyming game with your kids while you’re cooking. Laughter goes a long way toward relieving the stress.
Ultimately Thanksgiving is about enjoying your family and being grateful for all the blessings in your life. This year I plan on remembering what’s most important so that the stress of everything else can fade into the background.
And I just might skip the turkey.
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So true that my daughter being with us makes everything else pale in comparison. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
None of my family likes turkey, so we never have it on Tgiving. This year I decided to do lasagna, salad, and bread. We also go to the movies that day – long story on how that tradition started but in a nutshell, a family member used to host us all and when one sibling decided not to show anymore they stopped doing anything. Many hurt feelings. So Hubs and I chose to start our own tradition with our boys!
I like the lasagna and a movie idea Connie. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much for your encouragement Katherine. In the past we have skipped the turkey but we are getting a free one from my husband’s employer so I will happily cook that bird this year – haha! I am grateful for readers like you who encourage me. 🙂
I like the lasagna and a movie idea Connie. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Kimberlee, you are an amazing woman! My prayers and holiday wishes are with you and your family. Take care!
Thank you Charlena – your encouragement means a lot.
I absolutely LOVE cooking turkey, and when I had a house with a big oven in the kitchen, I always bought the biggest turkey I could find for Thanksgiving. It was such a delight for me to enjoy that turkey and all the chatter, clatter, and fun associated with the food and the day.
HOWEVER, if I had not enjoyed it, and if I had felt compelled to do all that work against my will, I would have rebelled big time. There is nothing sacred about eating turkey when you feel thankful, and obviously, some people feel thankful not to be eating turkey!
I am thankful that each family can enjoy what that family enjoys. Now that my home is less roomy, I cook a turkey breast, and if there are a lot of people, each one brings something he or she regards as special. I made a mission trip to Papua New Guinea many years ago, and if you can even find a turkey in Papua New Guinea, it costs $100 USD. Yikes! We ate pork bites, rice and spiced yams (think taro with cinnamon). We had some fish and fresh fruits, and we enjoyed sharing our thankful thoughts with citizens of Papua New Guinea.
You already know that a thankful heart must be living in gratitude before the meal in order for the meal to have meaning. The turkey is just an object that some people find tasty and fun. Make a feast the celebrates what is in your heart.
You are always an inspiration to me. Your family has, indeed, had a rough month, but you continue to inspire me, because you put your trust in God and you don’t whine. I’m praying with you for your daughter’s complete and rapid recovery, and I am praying with your family for blessings and peace that will heal wounds nobody can see. I am thankful to know you.
Thanks so much for your encouragement Katherine. In the past we have skipped the turkey but we are getting a free one from my husband’s employer so I will happily cook that bird this year – haha! I am grateful for readers like you who encourage me. 🙂
I found a guy who de-bones raw turkeys, wraps them up with herbs in a roast style package. Throw it in the oven with some potatoes/veggies, stove top stuffing Ta-Da! Your family will appreciate that you are not frazzled over a meal !! The fact that your daughter is OK will make your holiday special no matter what 🙂
I don’t like cooking turkey either. I found a recipe on Pinterest year before last for cooking your turkey in a crockpot. I tried it and it was delicious. I cooked it the same way last year and will do it again this year. It was so easy and freed up the oven for the other dishes.
That is an amazing idea — thank you!!!!!!!!!!!