Thanksgiving Planning Part 2 : Share the Work
November 6, 2009 by The Frugal Home
Filed under Frugal Living, Holidays, Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving planning is mostly up to the host or hostess but that does not mean that you have to do all of the work yourself.
An easy aspect of Thanksgiving planning is to prepare many of the dishes ahead of time. Side dishes such as dressing, sweet potato pie, and mashed potatoes can all be made ahead of time, some several weeks in advance.
Have your husband and children help you prepare these meals in advance as well as putting them to work getting the house in order before the big day. If you need to get the dressing prepared and the kids area underfoot, give them a closet to clean out or have them go through their toys for items to donate to get ready for Christmas.
A few days before Thanksgiving, keep your planning in place. Have each member of the family clean a certain area of the house or set the table so that the entire house is clean and ready for the big day.
For Thanksgiving Day plan out how you will finish cooking the meal. Make a list so you know when the turkey goes in, when the sides go in, and when everything comes out. I prepare note cards ahead of time and tape them to the cabinet above the oven. The note cards give a time line of the day along with how long each dish should cook and at what temperature. This is a good way to make sure you have all the ingredients and dishes you will need so that you don’t have to run out the day of and spend money on the only green beans available when you could have bought the generic the week before.
Thanksgiving planning extends to the day as well. Family and friends will be crowding into your house and while many will be socializing or watching football games you want to have jobs for those who wish to help. For those who come very early you can have them put together appetizers or set the table if it isn’t already done. You may also put someone on pre-dinner dish duty so that dishes are not piling up.
Do you plan to share the work for Thanksgiving? Do you have any Thanksgiving planning tips? Share them with us!
