5 Ways To Keep Your Thanksgiving Simple | Tablescape Inspiration
As I have gotten older, Thanksgiving has slowly turned into one of my favorite holidays. There are plenty of reasons I like the holiday that comes immediately after Thanksgiving, don’t get me wrong, but it tends to overpower Thanksgiving. I think we all feel the pull to go right from Halloween into Christmas and forget about that soft spoken holiday in between. Thanksgiving is like the middle sister (total coincidence that I am, in fact, a middle sister). She is positive, calm, reflective, quirky (I’m talking about you Jello/marshmallow salad) and sometimes you forget she is even there. As the holiday season feels more commercial, at times frenzied, and seems to get earlier and earlier every year, I appreciate Thanksgiving more and more. I was reflecting this week on why. From a retail perspective, it is really the least hyped up holiday. For me, it comes down to the physical act of thanksgiving, the feelings of gratitude, togetherness and coziness that it brings. It’s an opportunity to see family and friends we typically only see a few times a year, to take time to reflect on our blessings, practice gratitude, share a meal and spend time together with those you love. It’s a holiday that can be a relief for some of us. There is no worrying about finding the perfect gift, or making cookies for your kids teachers or the frenzy of extra activities that the month of December inevitably brings. It’s the calm before the storm, a respite to bring clarity and focus on the good.
That’s not to say this holiday isn’t without stress. Especially if you are the one hosting and cooking! Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving or bringing a dish to share, I hope you can worry less about what your home or your table look like, and focus on who is around it.
Here are 5 ways to keep your Thanksgiving stress free.
Plan Ahead - If you’re like me, the more we can get done ahead of time, the better. This holds true for setting your menu and getting groceries to laying out your serving pieces with labels. One item that has helped me over the years with young kids is to find an activity to keep them busy while you are in the Kitchen. This could be printing off some coloring pages or assigning someone to get them outside for a game of catch or hide and seek. The last thing I highly recommend is before you even start any prep, get outside and move! Nothing helps reduce stress more than getting some endorphines flowing, and getting out in nature even for 15 minutes is proven to help reduce stress. Plan it into your prep and do some yoga, go for a walk or a run or just do some deep breathing outside!
Delegate - I am the actual worst about accepting help, mostly because I am a recovering perfectionist ha! However, when I can actually let go of things…even if it’s not perfect, it creates space to actually enjoy the process and let other people take pride in being able to help. So let your sister in law bring a special dish, enlisting your kids help to set the table, give your brother in law or niece kid duty, let someone help with dishes and cleanup.
Keep it Simple - Being a designer, the reality of me attempting to make every holiday over the top is real. But often times that comes at the expense of my sanity. Some tangible ways that work for me, starting with the menu. I have come to recognize that this is not the time for me to try a new recipe or one of those random menu items that requires constant supervision and a degree in physics. I love good food, but I also want to enjoy myself. Try to keep the menu nice but not overcomplicated. The same holds true for the table. Don’t get me wrong, a LOVE a fantastic tablescape, but don’t overcomplicate it. If you invest in a great table cloth, layer in some simple dishware and add votives or taper holders, your table will look intentional but not overdone. We love finding unique items, which can range from a simple fabric from Hobby Lobby that we use as a table covering, to faux greens or pumpkins to unique chargers we found at a local antique store.
Beverages - This is such a basic thing that can get overlooked. Thanksgiving as a holiday so often revolves around food which is great! But a great drink offering can really uplevel your party game. Whether you make a fantastic sparkling punch, a signature cocktail (I see you apple cider mule) or just offer a variety of color coordinated canned beverages, intentionally planning your beverage options is a fun way to add a creative flair to your day.
Enjoy - The goal of this entire list is to keep your planning intentional so you can spend your time with the loved ones around your table.
