Thankful and Organized for Thanksgiving

When I was single and living in Austin, Texas, my family was far away in North Carolina. I had a lot to be thankful for and having a lonely pity party was not on my Thanksgiving to-do list. So I found other ways to enjoy Thanksgiving.

I love to cook. I found a service agency that paired me up with a family that needed a helping hand for Thanksgiving. I was given the family’s name, their situation, how many to cook for and directions where to drop off the Thanksgiving dinner. That first Thanksgiving I was paired with the Johnsons, a family of five, the youngest being about two years old.

I cooked the traditional turkey, dressing and veggies and had picked up a couple of pies at the store. (As much as I like to cook, I don’t bake.) Almost as an afterthought, I picked up ice cream, some fall flowers, and some inexpensive candles and candleholders.

I made my delivery that afternoon. When I knocked on the door, Mr. Johnson and his oldest son came out to help me carry in the boxes of food. Mr. Johnson was quick to tell me that his family didn’t usually take hand-outs, but that he had been injured on the job. I told him he was doing me a favor…giving me somebody to cook for because my family was far away and that was all that talk we were going to have.

Inside the house, I was helping Mrs. Johnson unpack the boxes and the little two-year old spotted the ice cream. Her eyes got huge and she said, “Mommy, look! I-queem!” About the same time, Mrs. Johnson was unpacking the candles and candleholders and we both got emotional. We cried and hugged and the Johnsons’ insisted that I stay and eat with them. I wasn’t supposed to. I was supposed to just deliver the food and leave, but how could I refuse such a gracious family?

I signed up to do this for the five years I lived in Texas and it was some of the best Thanksgiving holidays I ever had. Now I have a wonderful husband to share Thanksgiving with. No matter how you celebrate Thanksgiving, the holiday can be less stressful if you use some of the following tips:

- Make a plan: Decide what you are going to do for the holiday now.

- Start a tradition where each guest or family member shares one thing they are thankful for.

- Get the house cleaning out of way early in the week. Book now if you plan to have a professional clean for you.

- Prepare side dishes and desserts ahead of time and freeze.

- Plan a menu. Decide what you are going to serve, write it down and stick to it.

- Frozen turkeys take 3-4 days to thaw in the refrigerator. Don’t forget to take your bird out of the freezer in time to allow for the thawing.

- Consider inviting a single friend or neighbor to join your family.

- Have some games on hand for the children to enjoy so the adults can watch ballgames, converse or nap after dinner.

- Make a grocery list and shop for non-perishables early.

- Have some disposable containers on hand so everyone can have a “to go” snack.

- Get out your serving dishes several days ahead of time. Label them with sticky notes. Others can help you dish up just by putting the stuffing in the bowl marked stuffing and so forth.

- Set the table the day before or at least early Thanksgiving morning.

- Mashed potatoes or other vegetables can be made ahead and kept warm in the crockpot.

- Cut up vegetables the day before and store in the fridge in zip bags.

- Consider just fixing the turkey and make the rest of the meal potluck.

- If you are terribly busy, most grocery stores sell ready made holiday meals. If you decide to use this option, keep in mind you still have to put in your order several days to a week ahead of time.

- Start yet another new Thanksgiving tradition by taking a walk after the meal.