Thanksgiving is two days away! I’d be really dishonest if I said I wasn’t scrambling this week to get everything done. Hosting dinner in our homes is much different than being hosted by others, isn’t it? Not only do we have to plan out every detail, we have to clean, organize, and pull it all together.

The weight of Thanksgiving DOES fall onto the hostess, but as I said in Week 3, it’s so important to include our family members, children, spouse … whoever we can get to help.

Let’s say you need extra chairs this week. Can you delegate this duty to a family member?

You need to make your centerpiece. Can you go on a family walk and ask your children to help bring the outdoors in?

The kids’ rooms are a mess. Can you give the kids a “timeline” and tell them when you expect their rooms to be picked up and vacuumed? (Yes, this can be done at a young age.)

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The sweet potatoes are baked, but now what? Ask one of your kids to peel the potatoes and then store in Ziploc bags.

The table needs setting. Again, when given clear instruction (one task at a time, IE, put the water goblets by each setting) children can help!

This week … DO NOW:
1. Table: Set the table early.
2. Turkey: Thaw and prepare your turkey for roasting.
3. Groceries: Make ONE shopping run to get your last minute groceries.
4. Food prep: 1-2 days before, get your food prep done, baking sweet potatoes, making pie crusts, et.
5. Organize your cooking: Write in your notebook a cooking schedule, what needs to be done when and how you’ll use the oven.
6. Clean the house: Write a list of chores for every family member and start cleaning/checking off the list 2 days in advance. It will save your bacon!
7. Include the family: Music play list, table set, house clean, butter on the table, conversation starters if needed.

The week of Thanksgiving should be a Family Affair. Doing everything by yourself means one word: STRESS. Making all of the desserts by yourself means one word (backwards): STRESSED. My husband has helped me become a better planner. I used to wait until the last minute and would be so harried all the time, raising my voice at my family because the things “I wanted done,” had not been done.

My advice for this week is to WRITE OUT everything that you can, making a chore list for the family, including yourself.

Give everyone a timeline for when you expect it all to be done. Get your husband on board with you and make it a goal to be organized and to enjoy this beautiful day.

Thanksgiving Day is a day of gratitude and thankfulness to God and for the people who are coming to your home.

I know I am excited. More than eating the turkey, Paula Deen’s Potatoes, Parsnips and Rutabagas, and Faye’s Pecan Pie – I am excited to sit and visit for hours with my guests. To enjoy their company, to see the glow of the faces, to hear the murmuring of conversations, to smell the delicious turkey, to be gathered together around the table. A reminder of the plaque (and available to purchase if you’re interested; click on the link) that is hanging in my dining room:

The fondest memories are made gathered around the table.

What do you look forward to the most this week of Thanksgiving?

If you missed the last 3 weeks and you want a tiny bit of inspiration, you can catch up here!
Week 1: Invite, Plan, and Delegate
Week 2: Organize your Recipes and Shopping Lists
Week 3: Space, Table, and Turkey