When organizing a family Thanksgiving dinner, take a cue from the pilgrims and Indians and allow all family members to participate. Your Thanksgiving feast will be so much more enjoyable if preparation and presentation are a group effort.
Announce to the family that you have decided to host Thanksgiving this year. Your invitation can be extended with formal printed invitations, by telephone or via email.
Whichever method you employ to do the inviting, ensure that every family member is apprised of the time and place, and any other important details, such as transportation arrangements for older family members, and whether bringing additional guests is permissible.
By laying out the ground rules well in advance of the holiday, you will avoid misunderstandings or hurt feelings.
In your invitation make suggestions for what individuals might contribute. For example, you could state your plan to provide the turkey, stuffing and gravy and allow other family members to volunteer side dishes, condiments, drinks and desserts.
Let everyone know the final count of how many will be attending so that they can bring enough of their contribution to go around.
As the host, it is your responsibility to keep track of what others are providing, so that you do not end up with an unbalanced menu. Make a list of all the desirable components to a perfect Thanksgiving dinner and check off each as soon as someone offers to provide the item.
When someone calls asking what to bring, you will know just by glancing at your list what is lacking and what is already being provided in abundance.
In our family, there are 32 members and often several invited guests. When we make the menu list, we allow for two of each item, in order not to overburden one individual with excessive cooking. So there will be two sweet potato casseroles, two cranberry dishes etc Not only does this allow for more than enough food, but it also provides variety, as no two cooks prepare with an identical recipe.
Decide upon activities for the day. Children can be kept busy crafting name tags for the seating arrangement. Card tables can be set up for board games. The television can be turned on away from the cooking and eating area, for viewing the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade followed by the footballs games.
After dinner, some generous-spirited family members can be drafted for clean up, others might take the children for a walk, and include any other family members who might want to burn off calories. Bedrooms should be presentable, and equipped with afghans, for those older relatives wishing to take a nap.
Set the table the night before and cover it with a clean sheet to keep it dust free. Anything you can do in advance will mitigate confusion and allow you to spend more time visiting with your family.
If you are going to need additional chairs, card tables, table clothes or any other items, be sure to solicit them from relatives in advance and have them brought at least a day ahead to avoid confusion or chaos on Thanksgiving day.
After dinner, once everything is cleaned up and restored to order, the desserts can be laid out, buffet-style, for family members to help themselves.
Ensure to have a good supply of disposable storage dishes so that you can send everyone home with some of the left-over bounty. Everyone will depart with a full stomach and a portion of their favorite dishes.
Thanksgiving is a day for giving thanks, a time for taking a respite from the daily grind and basking in the glow of loving quality time with your family.
By organizing your Thanksgiving dinner with an all-inclusive spirit, you will ensure that the day is filled with memorable moments for everyone, and your own experience is one of joy, as opposed to exhaustion.
Happy Thanksgiving!