How To Get Organized for Thanksgiving

Tip! Involve other people. Just because you are hosting the Thanksgiving party at your home does not mean that you can’t seek out the help that you need from others.

It’s almost time to get organized for Thanksgiving. Depending on your plans and how you celebrate the holiday, you may want to start getting organized for Thanksgiving no later than the first week of November. Here are a few tips to get organized for Thanksgiving.

DECORATE EARLY – If you like to get in the spirit of the holiday with your home decor items, do that at the start of November. That way you’ll have the whole month to enjoy your seasonal decor items and holiday decorations. And the remainder of the month will be free for cleaning, cooking, entertaining and enjoying Thanksgiving.

CLEAN YOUR HOME – Expecting guests this Thanksgiving? Set a date with your immediate family members to do a thorough housecleaning. That means doing windows and shampooing carpets too as needed. Make your family housecleaning date the week before that of Thanksgiving. (And then you’ll only have to do touch up the day before guests arrive.) During the week of Thanksgiving your schedule will be packed with cooking and shopping for related supplies.

Tip! Make a small booklet or a mini scrapbook album (which you can either make or purchase.) Write ‘Five Things I Love About My Family and Friends’ and keep it out on the table during your Thanksgiving celebration.

CLEAN YOUR FRIDGE – A good time to clean the inside of your refrigerator is when you have the least amount of food in it. That won’t be during the holidays. So do it now. While you’re at it, make room for the turkey in it. You’ll be defrosting it in the refrigerator.

INVENTORY YOUR COOKWARE – When you’re about to cook the turkey isn’t the time to remember you loaned your only roasting pan to Aunt Sue three months ago. Take a good hard look inside your cabinets to make sure you have appropriate cookware and serving utensils and platters to prepare a Thanksgiving meal.

COUNT YOUR GUESTS – How many people are coming to your house for Thanksgiving dinner? Start getting r.s.v.p.’s in early November. Figure you’ll be serving about one pound to 1.3 pounds of turkey per guest (based on a whole turkey). Once you know the number of guests, you can buy the appropriate size turkey.

Tip! Purchase store bought. If you really can not get things together for your Thanksgiving Party, you can also find the help that you need in store bought items.

COUNT YOUR DISHES – Make sure you have enough dinner plates and eating utensils to go around. Having an extra set or two of table settings won’t hurt either–just in case you get an unexpected visitor or a plate accidentally cracks.

Tip! Wrap your front door with gift wrap appropriate to Thanksgiving.

PLAN FOR LEFTOVERS – The words Thanksgiving and leftovers go together. You won’t be eating turkey sandwiches for the remainder of the week if you have nothing to store the leftover turkey in. And of course, you don’t want to throw out that leftover cranberry or corn or any of it. If you plan to send some leftovers home with the guests, make sure you have some “throw-away” containers that you can pack for them to take and keep.

If you organized and planned for Thanksgiving, you’ll probably have a happy one. Enjoy.

 

 

Karen Fritscher-Porter writes about home organization at http://www.EasyHomeOrganizing.com where you can read hundreds of free tips to organize your home, shop for home organizing products and subscribe to free home organization newsletters. Go there now to shop organization stores with everything you need to organize your kitchen before Thanksgiving.

How To Prepare for Your Thanksgiving Dinner

Tip! Make a Gratitude Circle. Before the Thanksgiving meal, everyone stands and holds hands in a circle.

If you’re planning to eat a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on the big day, you have five choices. They are:

1) EAT OUT. It may not seem very festive or traditional to dine out on Thanksgiving but sometimes you don’t want to cook or clean up afterward. Usually only a few restaurants are open on Thanksgiving (if any in your area). So you may want to make early inquiries to find that one open restaurant serving a Thanksgiving meal, especially if you’ll be bringing guests.

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

2) COOK. If you plan to cook this Thanksgiving then you’ll definitely want to plan ahead. Know how many guests will be enjoying your home-cooked meal. That way you can shop for the right size turkey (about 1.3 pounds per person) and provide an appropriate helping of side dishes, appetizers, desserts and beverages.

3) POTLUCK. If you’re hosting a potluck, you’ll need to know ahead of time what dishes guests plan to bring. You’ll need to be the coordinator so you can avoid duplicate food items. Plus inquire about whether they’ll need to use any of your cookware and stove or oven to reheat or put any final touches on dishes.

4) HIRE A COOK. You can hire a chef who will come to your home to cook a meal. Or they might prepare something for you the day before in their kitchen and bring it to you along with directions for proper reheating and serving. Search the Web using your city name plus the phrase personal chef. Or go to personalchefsearch.com. Another option is to check with your local supermarket deli. Some will prepare and sell you Thanksgiving dinner items like a smoked turkey and a platter of side dishes. Just be sure to place your order by the deadline and pick up your meal the day before Thanksgiving (if they’ll be closed that day).

Tip! Pot lucks work! If you are the host of the Thanksgiving party, why not do a little more beneficial work and instead of making everything yourself, put someone else in charge of a few things. You make the turkey, have someone else handle the salad, the bread, the drinks?you get the idea.

5) BE SOMEONE’S GUEST. If you want to get an invite, you may have to start dropping hints early that you’ll be spending the day alone this Thanksgiving (LOL). A sure way to be a guest though is to set up a system where friends or family members take turns hosting Thanksgiving dinner at their house. If you have a large, extended family you might only be cooking Thanksgiving dinner once a decade at your home and spending the other nine years as a guest for Thanksgiving dinner at a family member’s home. But don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine or other appropriate gift to your host.

 

 

Karen Fritscher-Porter writes about home and family topics. Go to http://www.easyhomeorganizing.com/thanksgiving.htm for a complete Thanksgiving day planning checklist. If you’re cooking at home for Thanksgiving, go to organization stores to shop for everything you need to organize your kitchen and cooking before Thanksgiving.

Tip! Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show ?Friends? where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving.

How To Find Thanksgiving Gift Ideas

Tip! Wrap your front door with gift wrap appropriate to Thanksgiving.

Being surrounded by loved ones and good things is a gift in itself, without which no occasion would make much sense to the world. But on Thanksgiving, people celebrate these gifts bestowed on them with more meaning and warmth.

Thanksgiving is a time to acknowledge the blessings which God has gracefully showered upon us each passing day. Traditionally, Thanksgiving was a harvest festival and the people gathered to express their gratitude to the Almighty for the bountiful Autumn harvest. But now, the spirit of thankfulness has spread to all aspects of our lives that make it richer and more prosperous. We say ?thanks’ for the most treasured gifts in our lives our family, friends and loved one. So this Thanksgiving Day, you can express your appreciation for these wonderful people with some Thanksgiving gift. Take a leaf from some of the following Thanksgiving gift ideas listed for you.

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Thanksgiving gift baskets:

A Thanksgiving gift basket can be an ideal gift for a close relative, a dear pal or your sweetheart. For a friend you can get a gift basket with goodies like pumpkin-flavored iced cookies, leaf-shaped milk chocolates wrapped in Autumn-colored foil, mini tea cakes and brownie bars. For your siblings’ or your parents’ homes, you can get a wicker cornucopia basket full of their favorite things. Cookies, cakes, scented candles, spa kits and the list goes on. The colors and aromas of fall and the taste of Thanksgiving that these Thanksgiving gift baskets carry, are sure to convey the appreciation you feel for the receivers.

Tip! Designate a particular tablecloth for your family Thanksgiving celebrations. Provide fabric markers where guests can record their ‘gratitudes’ or special prayers for the year ahead.

Thanksgiving flowers:

One of the sweetest Thanksgiving gift ideas is to gift flowers ! Flowers that reflect the colors of fall make ideal Thanksgiving gifts. A cornucopia flower arrangement can be a lovely Thanksgiving gift for any household as this is a traditional symbol of the occasion. Seasonal burnt orange, fiery red, yellow, and green blooms create an ambience of warmth and the soft blooms of the Asiatic Lilies, Red Rover Chrysanthemums, Marigolds, Spray Roses and Carnations make the sight of the arrangement in the cornucopia engaging. A simple bronze wicker basket of fresh fall daisies or an assortment of Autumn flowers can be apt Thanksgiving gifts for your frie neighbors, or colleagues. Flowers will carry your Thanksgiving prayer for them as also wish them a happy thanksgiving. Thanksgiving flowers even work wonders if you’re far away from your loved ones and want to let them know how much you miss them.

Inflatable toys:

Thanksgiving gift ideas are galore; but how to make your gift stand out this year ? Thanksgiving won’t feel like Thanksgiving without a big roasted turkey on the dinner table, would it ? The turkey over the years has become one of the most recognized symbols of Thanksgiving and on this Thanksgiving you can get an inflatable turkey or an inflatable scarecrow (another symbol of Thanksgiving) for a neighbor or a friend to have them gaping at your innovatively amusing Thanksgiving gift. These make good outdoor decorations, befitting the festival ambience, and will surely be fun toys for very young kids in any home !

Tip! Make a small booklet or a mini scrapbook album (which you can either make or purchase.) Write ‘Five Things I Love About My Family and Friends’ and keep it out on the table during your Thanksgiving celebration.

Thanksgiving crafts:

An eye-catching seasonal wreath of dried poppy pods and pomegranates accented with red oak and green lemon leaves and grass and a lot more could be a lovely Thanksgiving gift for an office colleague, a neighbor or your teacher. A box of miniature gourd shaped Autumn scented candles is again a very good Thanksgiving gift idea for anyone you hold close. A cornucopia of blown glass with faux fruits and gourds piled high can be a lovely gift for your boss. These skillfully crafted Thanksgiving gifts will be anyone’s joy and will stay with the receivers for many years to come.

Tip! Involve the entire family in Thanksgiving decorations. Family Fun magazine posts lots of creative ideas for the entire family here: http://familyfun.

Home accessories:

A central feature of Thanksgiving is the Thanksgiving dinner. It is the harvest feast arranged to honor God for the food that He provides. Some exquisite china or some lace for the dining table can be great ideas and ideal Thanksgiving gifts on this occasion to wish a happy Thanksgiving. You can buy yourself or your parents a Turkey preparation kit for the occasion and make preparing dinner this Thanksgiving an easy affair. A thoughtful home accessory can be the ideal Thanksgiving gift for this family festival.

There are a lot of Thanksgiving books, Thanksgiving movies and music collections in addition to these, that make good Thanksgiving gifts too. So every Thanksgiving, you have a big array of Thanksgiving gifts to choose from. Thanksgiving gifts express your thankfulness for someone. So send a gift and make someone feel special in the spirit of November 24, the Thanksgiving Day. All you need to do is make sure that your gifts or cards tell your friends and family how blessed you feel and thankful you are to have them in your life.

Tip! Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show ?Friends? where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving.

 

 

Sean Carter writes on holidays, thanksgiving and celebrations around the world. He also writes on family, relationships,womens issues birthdays, inspiration, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry. He writes for 123greetings.com

How To Send Thanksgiving Flowers

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Thanksgiving is a festival celebrated with great pomp. Spreading cheerfulness all around, it brings together every member of the family. A time marked by togetherness, gratitude, and love, it is a festival of merriment and enjoyment. And to add to the magic and color of the day, special Thanksgiving flowers exist.

1-800-flowers, Palace Florists, Phillip’s 1-800-Florals, FTD or Florists Transworld Delivery, Just Flowers, Brant Florist, ProFlowers, Flora 2000, Dot Flowers, Larose, Wesley Berry Flowers, Blossom Flowers, KaBloom, Shackelford’s Florist, Speaking Roses, Beyond Blossoms, and Hallmark are some examples of companies offering flowers for thanksgiving.

Reflecting the colors of autumn, a huge range of flowers is provided by the aforementioned companies. Chrysanthemums, roses, and lots of other vibrant, colorful flowers produce beautiful Thanksgiving gifts. Some arrangements such as the ?FTD Thanksgiving bouquet’, ?Teleflora’s Williamsburg celebration bowl’, ?Teleflora’s country charm’, ?The FTD autumn splendor basket’ among others are especially popular.

Thanksgiving, being a major festival, remains a busy time for the florists. Therefore, the companies usually ask for orders in advance. However, apart from this, most of the aforementioned companies provide overnight delivery and, if required, give express delivery options to deliver the flower gift the same day. Most companies provide international delivery systems too.

Tip! Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show ?Friends? where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving.

Companies normally send the flowers in boxes, with careful instructions for arrangement or preservation of the fresh flowers. A personalized message also accompanies the bouquet. In some cases, vases may be included for an additional sum.

Although pre-designed flowers and bouquets exist to choose from, there are certain companies which provide customization or personalization options too. Brant Florist, Flora 2000, and Speaking Roses are some companies which do allow customized gifts. A unique way of customizing is followed by Speaking Roses. It prints any logo or personal message on the petals of fresh flowers.

A hundred percent guarantee is often provided, and there are even companies like Phillip’s 1-800-Florals and Flower Delivery which redeliver the flower bouquets, if you are not completely satisfied with the gift.

Tip! Door wreaths welcome all to your home and set the stage for celebrating. Make a simple wreath to hang on your front door with Thanksgiving colors–brown, russet, olive green.

Send Flowers provides detailed information about send flowers, send thanksgiving flowers, send easter flowers, send gift flowers and more. Send Flowers is the sister site of Long Stem Red Roses.

How To Decorate for Thanksgiving

Tip! Make a Gratitude Circle. Before the Thanksgiving meal, everyone stands and holds hands in a circle.

Years of having to make do have turned me into a “There must be someway I can do this cheaper type person.”

My old new house needs total make over. We are thinking about moving into my MIL’s house. So I am walking around looking and thinking, my goodness, this will be way too much to do and then the old, “There must be someway I can do this cheaper type person” kicks in and I think, yah, there must.

First curtains need to be put up on the windows. I will check all of Grandma’s fabric and she has tons, and see if some of it can be salvaged for window treatments. Gee, today all you really need is a nice wooden Venetian blind and a swag or scarf.

I am thinking about sticking with the colors I see outside this time of year (November). I already bought my border for the kitchen at a B&B we went to a couple of weeks ago, and it kind of has a sultry tone to it. You can do the same thing with fabric. Just take a quick trip to Wal-mart’s fabric Dept. They are always getting rid of material at bargain prices. If you are doing a dining room for Thanksgiving, do swags/scarf for the windows and a table cloth, placemats and napkins.

Tip! Make a small booklet or a mini scrapbook album (which you can either make or purchase.) Write ‘Five Things I Love About My Family and Friends’ and keep it out on the table during your Thanksgiving celebration.

It really wouldn’t take as long as you think. Put up some lace curtains and make a scarf from the fabric you use for your table cloth..or maybe you have a plain white table cloth already available. Just make a runner that matches your window scarves,napkins and placemats.

Now what about the centerpiece? I like this idea on about.com Just has some greens and Fall leaves, candles?well, take a look: The Centerpiece, It’s one where you can just remove the fall leaves and replace with berries for Christmas. Saving time is what it’s all about. Put up some wreaths on the doors and over the mantle. A simple grape vine with dried flowers in fall tones is nice. Use some wire ribbon to make a bow.

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Put up plain candlesticks with fall colored candles and don’t forget the whole theme of Thanksgiving is giving thanks for our bounty. Use displays of fruit and gourds, pumpkins and mums. Get out an old watering can and fill it with leaves to place on the porch, any old galvanized buckets? Put wheat or tall dried grass display in your bucket. Don’t forget the grapes. Take a nice glass pedestal compote and cascade different varieties.

If you have a garden, pile the day’s garden harvest into a wheel barrow at the back door.

Just remember ?you don’t have to use all these ideas. You don’t want to have to take all this down to prepare for Christmas that’s just around the corner.

Tip! Door wreaths welcome all to your home and set the stage for celebrating. Make a simple wreath to hang on your front door with Thanksgiving colors–brown, russet, olive green.

Complete Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes by Lorrie Ann Danner
Copyright 2004 Caroline Shaw

Caroline Shaw holds a B.S. degree from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA in Secondary Education, English. She is a mom to six children. She is Editor and Publisher of the Online Magazine,”A Mom’s Love.” Each issue contains informative articles for WAHMs, their children, single moms, working moms, and more. She lives with her husband, three “still at home” children, a collie, an australian shepherd and two kitties in Western Pennsylvania. Her hobbies are writing, cooking, gardening, decorating and crafts.
Visit AMomsLove.com

How To Have A Thankful Thanksgiving

Tip! Make a Gratitude Circle. Before the Thanksgiving meal, everyone stands and holds hands in a circle.

You may be wondering why I would call this article a Thankful Thanksgiving. Aren’t all Thanksgivings Thankful? Unfortunately, no. As a person who has experienced over 70 Thanksgivings, I recognize that being thankful is something that we have to work at, even on Thanksgiving.

Tip! Wrap your front door with gift wrap appropriate to Thanksgiving.

If your home is like most, your Thanksgiving day will be very busy, with either traveling to where you want to go or preparing your home to have others over for the day. Either way, that can be very hectic and emotionally trying, which doesn’t lend itself to preparing your heart to be reflective and thankful. In fact, Thanksgiving weekend is the most traveled weekend in America. Airports are full, and not always providing much room for contemplation of your good fortune.

This means all the more that if we want to be the kind of people who are characterized by thankfulness, then we must make sure that we focus on it, and not just on Thanksgiving Day, but at all times during the year.

Here are a few key words as well as some thoughts that are simple and practical to apply; something you can use right away in your quest for becoming more thankful:

Tip! Make a small booklet or a mini scrapbook album (which you can either make or purchase.) Write ‘Five Things I Love About My Family and Friends’ and keep it out on the table during your Thanksgiving celebration.

Time. Set aside time regularly to be quiet, to reflect. We live in the fastest paced time ever. From the moment we awake to the moment we collapse into bed, we have the opportunity to go at full speed and never slow down. If we schedule time every day in which we can be quiet and reflect, we will free our hearts and minds up from the tyranny of the urgent and rushed.

Thought. Give thought to the many blessings that you have. Living in a consumer culture, most of us are fully aware of what we do not have and how we absolutely must have “it”. But how often do we reflect upon that which we already have? Take some time each day and think of one or two things that you have that you may typically take for granted and then take a moment and give thanks for those. In fact, I make it a part of my reflection time to review a list of things that I’m thankful for.

Tip! Designate a particular tablecloth for your family Thanksgiving celebrations. Provide fabric markers where guests can record their ‘gratitudes’ or special prayers for the year ahead.

Generosity. Be generous toward those with less and not envious of those with more. We tend to look at others who may be wealthier than ourselves and think, “I sure wish I had what he does.” That kind of thinking breeds envy and jealousy rather than contentment. What can we do to break that cycle? I would suggest being generous to those who are less fortunate than yourself. Go to work at a food bank. And not just during the holidays – everybody works there then – but on a regular basis during the year. That will remind you of how good you really have it.

Ask. Ask a friend what they are thankful for. The next time you are at lunch with a friend, ask him or her what they are most thankful for. You will be amazed at the answers you receive and you will create a meaningful bond with your friends as you focus on this powerful question.

Tip! Involve other people. Just because you are hosting the Thanksgiving party at your home does not mean that you can’t seek out the help that you need from others.

Acknowledge. Lastly, tell those you love how thankful you are for having them in your life. So many times we neglect to take the time to craft the words to express to those closest to us what their presence in our lives means to us. Take the opportunity of Thanksgiving Day to write them a note or sometime during the day put your hand on their shoulder, look them in the eyes and tell them. Let them know what they mean to you, and in return you’ll begin to create the possibility of deeper, richer, more fulfilling relationships with those you love.

Tip! Involve the entire family in Thanksgiving decorations. Family Fun magazine posts lots of creative ideas for the entire family here: http://familyfun.

Of course we should do what we can to make the most of the day we call Thanksgiving, but wouldn’t it be a shame if the only time we reflected on our blessings was that one Thursday in November? And the answer is, of course! So let’s do our best to be aware of the many great gifts that we have each and every day of the year. As we do so we will see our hearts soar and our minds will experience more and more at peace as we regularly remember and remain aware of our good fortune.

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jim Rohn


  

Reproduced with permission from Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine.
Copyright 2005 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved
worldwide. To subscribe to Jim Rohn’s Weekly E-zine, go to
http://Jim-Rohn.InspiresYOU.com

How to Decorate Your Home and Yard for Thanksgiving

Tip! Pot lucks work! If you are the host of the Thanksgiving party, why not do a little more beneficial work and instead of making everything yourself, put someone else in charge of a few things. You make the turkey, have someone else handle the salad, the bread, the drinks?you get the idea.

Although Thanksgiving usually doesn’t call for as much effort as Christmas in the decorating department, you can still spruce things up a bit for the holiday.

Yard Decor for Thanksgiving
Some of the most beautiful yard decorations are simple, while also natural in color and design. The best way to save time and effort is to blend your decor where it can accomplish the fall and Thanksgiving look and feel all at once. You probably wouldn’t want to decorate several times per year. There are many ways to decorate so that the theme of Thanksgiving is not profound, but is “understood”. The decorations can be meant for either fall or Thanksgiving, so you can decorate a little earlier and still not be too ahead of the game.

Simple and Affordable Yard Decor Ideas
To keep it simple, you can get most of the materials needed for your yard decorations by taking a walk through the woods. Gather pine combs, leaves, vines, acorns, tree limbs. Combining these items and adding a few store bought items can produce beautiful home-made decor that’s inexpensive. Some add-ins may include a bale of hay, pumpkins (large or miniature), ears of corn, squash or other colorful ornaments.

Tip! Make a small booklet or a mini scrapbook album (which you can either make or purchase.) Write ‘Five Things I Love About My Family and Friends’ and keep it out on the table during your Thanksgiving celebration.

Enhance your porch or patio with some hanging decorations with fall-like scenery on them, a wind chime with colorful leaves or even a wreath with fall colors.

If you have a path leading to your door or through your yard, add some pumpkins on a stake (or turkeys) to line the pathway.

Home Decor Ideas
Create a certain mood in your home with fall or Thanksgiving aromas such as pine or pumpkin. You can use potpourri in liquid form or scented candles (in fall colors). Of course, on Thanksgiving Day, the aroma of all the cooking will probably be enough!

Tip! Make a Gratitude Circle. Before the Thanksgiving meal, everyone stands and holds hands in a circle.

For the dining area, create a seasonal atmosphere with a decorative table cloth, or placemats with matching napkins.

For table decorations in each room, centerpieces with flowers or leaves are always a winner. You can often find centerpieces with very pretty fall colors in many different sizes and shapes.

If you really want to go all out in decorating, buy some welcome mats and/or runner carpets (that match your current flooring, of course) and use these only during the fall season. This is something that can quickly and easily be replaced when the Christmas season begins.

Fruit baskets are also popular for decorating, although they won’t last very long. If your family enjoys eating fruit, you can eat the fruit from the baskets throughout the week, and replace it at the end of each week with fresh fruit.

Tip! Door wreaths welcome all to your home and set the stage for celebrating. Make a simple wreath to hang on your front door with Thanksgiving colors–brown, russet, olive green.

For an extra bonus, add some large walnuts or pecans to the mix.

Creating a Thanksgiving or fall theme in your home really sets the mood for the season for your family and guests. It’s a great way to bring in the Christmas season as well.

Tip! Wrap your front door with gift wrap appropriate to Thanksgiving.

Use these tips to have fun decorating while spending less, and you’ll be able to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.

Johann Erickson is the owner of Online Discount Mart and TV Products 4 Less.

How To Set a Fun and Festive Thanksgiving Table

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Try mixing and matching. Don’t take yourself too seriously this should be fun. Pull out all the different styles of dishes you have. Take a look at how you might be able to mix and match for a fun and creative table. If you have only one or two plates from Grandmas china use them. You will be able to think of her and have a great time sharing stories of when you were young and had mashed potato wars on Thanksgiving.

Try new and different things, you will be delightfully surprised with how much fun you will have and how much fun your guests will have. Serve dessert in wine glasses. Try putting appetizers on silver plates. Have the fine china on hand for dessert. Try it all, and you will have a fun Thanksgiving.

Tip! Purchase store bought. If you really can not get things together for your Thanksgiving Party, you can also find the help that you need in store bought items.

Remember you do not have to always be fancy. Serve with flare; add in plenty of color and character. Try using all primary colors. The brightness of red, blue, and yellow will add to the festive feel of your Thanksgiving celebration. If you have cartoon plates and glasses bring them out, it will give your family something to talk about.

Go for a true Thanksgiving theme. Buy some plates with a Thanksgiving pictorial theme. Purchase Thanksgiving serving dishes with turkeys on them. Pair this with autumn colored table linens and sparkling crystal glasses. Then for the silverware shine up the good silver. Your table will sparkle and shine with all the joys of Thanksgiving.

Tip! Involve the entire family in Thanksgiving decorations. Family Fun magazine posts lots of creative ideas for the entire family here: http://familyfun.

Always remember this is Thanksgiving have a wonderful holiday with your family and friends.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has put together a special Thanksgiving e-Cookbook that gives you 73 recipes to cook your leftover turkey as well as two bonus e-books of a special holiday ice cream cookbook that includes favorites like pumpkin pie ice cream and pecan pie ice cream. She has also put together a holiday planning guide to help you have the most enjoyable Thanksgiving ever. You can find all of these at http://www.turkey-leftovers.com

How To Tips to Entertaining a Thanksgiving Crowd

Tip! Designate a particular tablecloth for your family Thanksgiving celebrations. Provide fabric markers where guests can record their ‘gratitudes’ or special prayers for the year ahead.

Throwing a fun and informal Thanksgiving party is as easy as pumpkin pie. By following our tips you can host a holiday celebration that your family and friends will be talking about for years to come.

First things first:

Settle upon how you want throw your informal Thanksgiving party. Are you going to have a buffet where people can gather around the TV and watch football or Thanksgiving movies, or do you want a sit down dinner where everyone gathers around the table to say grace and rejoice in the holiday.

Second: Decide upon a menu.

Turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole and pies galore is a traditional Thanksgiving menu. At times when you are serving a large crowd adding in a spiral sliced honey ham and including plenty of mouth watering appetizers will stretch you food supply.

Third: Shop, Shop and Shop some more.

If you plan ahead and start early this does not have to be stressful. Start by deciding are you serving on fine china, every day dishes or paper plates. If you are going for the paper plates spring for Thanksgiving themed plates, napkins and cups. This will lend to the festive feel of the day and make for an easy Thanksgiving clean up.

Tip! Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show ?Friends? where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving.

Next write up a shopping list for your Thanksgiving meal. Be sure to include spices, butter, milk and sugar. These are all items that are usually on hand but often in limited supply. To confirm this point think about the last time you ran to a convenience store on Thanksgiving, how many husbands were standing their with scowls on there faces purchasing butter and milk. Football is still mighty important to the non-chefs in the family.

Fourth: Start Cooking.

Start a day or two ahead of time assembling the casseroles and stuffing. Even pie can be made a day ahead and still be Thanksgiving fresh for the big day. If you are serving a very large crowd ask your guests to each bring a side dish or pie. They usually are happy to help and it makes your day easier.

Tip! Purchase store bought. If you really can not get things together for your Thanksgiving Party, you can also find the help that you need in store bought items.

Remember to thaw your turkey. Thanksgiving starts with a ?t’ and so does turkey. So start early and make sure you turkey is thawed and ready for cooking on the big day.

Finally: Lay out the party.

If you are serving buffet style a quick tip is to set up a table in the living room for appetizers and snacks. This way your guests can catch every minute of the big Thanksgiving Day game while enjoying your homemade delights.

Then set up the dinning room table with the main course. This gives you plenty of room for your guests to mingle around the food.

Tip! Involve the entire family in Thanksgiving decorations. Family Fun magazine posts lots of creative ideas for the entire family here: http://familyfun.

Always remember to relax. Thanksgiving should be fun; you’re with your family and friends enjoying wonderful food and company.

Shauna Hanus is a gourmet cook who specializes in creating gourmet recipes. She has put together a special Thanksgiving e-Cookbook that gives you 73 recipes to cook your leftover turkey as well as two bonus e-books of a special holiday ice cream cookbook that includes favorites like pumpkin pie ice cream and pecan pie ice cream. She has also put together a holiday planning guide to help you have the most enjoyable Thanksgiving ever. You can find all of these at http://www.turkey-leftovers.com

How To Make it Thanksgiving all Year Round

Tip! Start the tradition of a family touch football game. I have to admit this idea came to me after seeing an episode of the television show ?Friends? where the gang played a funny and competitive game of football on Thanksgiving.

It is that time of year again when Thanksgiving rolls around and we become more aware of the goodness and the blessings in our life. I love this holiday and I only wish it would carry on throughout the year.

Gratitude and being thankful are the two things, that when done on a regular basis, will absolutely change your life. Just consider the warm fuzzy feeling you get during the festivities of Thanksgiving and the appreciation you feel for friends and family. What if you had this feeling all year round? What if you were to begin to appreciate and acknowledge all the wonderful people you come in contact with on a daily basis? What if you were to embrace your children everyday and tell them how special they are? How would it feel to send your friend or maybe your child’s teacher a card letting them know how much you appreciate them? What if you starting telling your spouse how proud you are of all the things he does?

Tip! Make a Gratitude Circle. Before the Thanksgiving meal, everyone stands and holds hands in a circle.

The past few years I have been actively involved in practicing the attitude of gratitude. It makes me feel like my life is the blessing that it is meant to be. It doesn’t mean that I don’t get frustrated and irritable; however these feelings are always short-lived. I quickly bring myself back to a place of being grateful for the many riches I have in my life.

This Thanksgiving, make an effort to take stock of all the goodness you have in your life. No matter what past or present circumstances you have, there is always room for gratitude. After taking a look at all you have to be thankful for, don’t allow it to stop there. Make a commitment to end each day with gratitude and appreciation whether you do it verbally to yourself or take it a step further by writing it down. There is nothing better than referring back to a journal entry and seeing all the goodness you have acknowledged in the past. Get your children involved in looking at their day as well, for signs of abundance. Each night before bed my husband, myself and our kids will tell each other one thing that we are thankful for.

Tip! Place a gorgeous mum by your front door. You can plant it later and get flowers next Thanksgiving to use inside.

Make a point of appreciating the people in your life. We take so much and so many people for granted. Start letting friends, family, co-workers, and others who may play a part in your life, how much you do appreciate them. You can do it with a card or even a simple acknowledgement of thanks or praise for a job well done.

Look for as many ways as you can to practice gratitude and appreciation in your life. Stop focusing on lack and start focusing on abundance. Make it a year long process. You will be amazed at the results. I guarantee it!!!

Happy Thanksgiving.

——————————————————–

2005 Peggy Porter
Peggy Porter is a nurse, Wellness Coach, and author of YumME
MumME Makeover-How to Balance Womanhood and Motherhood by
Nurturing the Me in MumMe. If you are a Mom and want to
start creating a healthier balance in your life, go to
http://www.seekingbalance.ca and register for Peggy’s free monthly
teleclass and Ecourse! For more info you can also email
peggy@seekingbalance.ca or call 506-832-0117.