Something to Celebrate: Thanksgiving 101

Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. I think it might be my favorite holiday...probably because I get to eat all my favorite foods! It's so glorious and beautiful...and oh my gosh, it's 2 weeks away! With decorating, baking, traveling, grocery shopping, gifts, how do you even know where to begin? Well, I'll tell you!

Each day this week, I will be giving a step for how to prepare for Thanksgiving. So, don't worry...we'll do it together one step at a time! (Breathe...just breathe.) I would hate for you to not be able to fully enjoy this season, simply because you had to rush to get everything done at the last minute. Even though I'm the world's biggest procrastinator when it comes to my own life, I love being able to slowly work my way through my Thanksgiving preparation, so that when the day comes, I can simply...be thankful.

So, where to start? It might be obvious, but...the food!

Step 1.

Decide if you are doing a Pot Luck Thanksgiving, which I have to say is my personal favorite, or the Traditional Feast that one person "whips" up. (Yeah, right!). Whether you're making everything, or only taking a side dish somewhere, you can decide now, so that the stress is removed from the week of.

If you are the host, I would decide on the menu, and then ask people to bring specific dishes. (i.e. Nancy, will you bring a green bean casserole?) You could even offer a recipe that you already know is delicious. Or, they could enjoy exploring different recipes. Either way, they know that they are in charge of that particular dish, rather than having no idea what they should bring. People like simplicity. The easier you can make it for your guests, the better.

If you are going to be a guest this year for Thanksgiving, DON'T wait for them to call you and tell you what to bring. More times than not, the host doesn't want to feel like you're being burdened with anything. So, call them, and ask what you could bring to contribute to the meal. This way, you can begin to prepare, and feel good about lifting the load off the host.

Here are a few links to deciding upon the menu for your Thanksgiving Day Feast!

Thanksgiving Potluck Guide (Real Simple)

13 Thanksgiving Day Menus (Sunset)

Thanksgiving Menus for Everyone (All Recipes)

Over 100 Thanksgiving Day Recipes (Foodnetwork)

Thanksgiving Handbook (Delish)

If you are somewhat local, and haven't already linked up for this week's giveaway, go do it! It's a delicious one for sure! And, make sure you check back tomorrow for Step 2!

Linking up with Tuesdays Unwrapped!