Thanksgiving Stress

Tips on Lowering it

Thanksgiving is not only a time to celebrate with family and friends; it is also a festivity where food, as well as stress, is literally overwhelming. And all the hassles begin with the preparation of the Thanksgiving dinner. In actuality, preparing Thanksgiving dinner can be quite daunting, but there are many ways to reduce the level of stress during this stage of the celebration to enable you to come up with a special dinner for you and your loved ones. Below is a simple and easy guide for a relatively stress-free and festive Thanksgiving celebration.

First, make a to-do list .Make sure that each undertaking has its corresponding timeline so that you are assured that every task is covered. It is more efficient to prepare a list of things to do for the event a few days before Thanksgiving dinner as well as a list of things to do by the hour on the day itself.

Of course, you need enough energy to enable you to perform well for the occasion so prior to the event, take your daily dose of vitamin C. Also, do not forego doing your fitness routine. Exercising first thing in the morning not only perks you up but promotes confidence as well. If you already feel overwhelmed, pause for a while and take a few deep breaths.

It will also help you to look at the brighter side of things. Instead of seeing the task of preparing Thanksgiving dinner as a chore, consider it a blessing that you are given an opportunity to share a special dinner with family and friends. Learn to delegate tasks or graciously accept help from others. Dividing the tasks makes them more manageable.

With regards to the food preparation, give a new recipe that you want to serve on Thanksgiving a trial run a week or two before the festivity. You then have time to look for other recipes in case the first one does not work out well. You may also consider step-saver foods available like frozen pies, pre-cooked side dishes, and even oven-ready turkeys that will not only save you the energy, but the time as well. In other words, opt for foods that can be prepared ahead of time. Also, anticipate unexpected guests to show up at your doorstep by storing ready-to-serve snacks such as chips, nuts, crackers, and pretzels.

Take guests up on their offer of bringing specialty dishes on Thanksgiving dinner. Just take note of who brings what so you have an idea of what else to add in order to complete the meal. If you really cannot manage a Thanksgiving dinner, especially when it is for a huge group of people, it is quite okay to hire a catering service or to hold the dinner in a restaurant.

On the day before Thanksgiving, pull out the serving pieces that you intend to use. If desired, tag them so that you already know what piece to use for the turkey and what bowl to use for the soup.

Cleaning up the dishes immediately after the big dinner itself can be a major chore that may seem impossible to accomplish so be sure to welcome any offers for help. It’s also an opportunity to share some personal time with a few of the guests. Another option is to use recyclable disposables or disposables made from recycled materials.

Finally, set a reward for yourself after Thanksgiving dinner. A day at the spa can be a great motivator. Better yet, sit back and embrace the true essence of Thanksgiving by reflecting on all the things for which you are thankful.

By lss1228

0 members like this