A traditional Thanksgiving dinnerCelebrated annually in the United
States on the fourth Thursday in November,[1] the holiday of
Thanksgiving was first observed in 1621 and continues to be an
American tradition today. Thanksgiving means many things to
different people but for most people, the holiday of Thanksgiving
is synonymous with festive meals, parades, football, family and
friends, and, of course, turkey. For many, it's also about
spending time together, catching up and enjoying one another's
company.
In this article, you'll learn how to prepare for Thanksgiving, along
with some memorable ways to celebrate this festive holiday with family
and friends.
!! Steps !!
_ Write down a cooking timeline and pin it up to help guide
youPrepare for the Thanksgiving meal by selecting the menu in
advance. The traditional menu of roast turkey, mashed potatoes,
stuffing, several types of vegetables (for example, sweet corn,
sweet potatoes, and squash), cranberry sauce, different sorts of
pies, and a bread is fairly standard for most families and groups
of celebrators. Preparations needed for Thanksgiving include the
following:
* Write down a grocery list of items needed for the meal. Check the
pantry to see what you don't have and prepare a list for the items
you'll need. Then, visit the local farmers' market, butcher's, the
supermarket, and the bakery. It helps to divide the list into
these different items to avoid confusion.
* Shop for the Thanksgiving meal in advance. Pre-order the turkey
and any other items that might sell out quickly before the
holiday. If you can freeze items in advance, buy them early to
help reduce the frustration of last-minute grocery shopping. Baked
goods are best bought fresh on the day of if possible, but if not,
you can bake them yourself at home.
* Decide on any decorations that you want to purchase or make in
advance. If you're making them, purchase the materials needed, and
ask family members to help make some of their own choosing.
Plan the menu and choose your recipes. Knowing
in advance what you'll cook ensures that you
can shop for the ingredients and know the
timing required for each item in the lead-up
to Thanksgiving and on the day itself. For
menu and recipe ideas, here are some
suggestions to start with:
* The turkey_: Cook a turkey, stuff a turkey,
and make a turkey dinner.
* _ The vegetables_: Make old fashioned string
beans, roast potatoes, roast sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree, and
parsnip and turnip deliciousness.
* _ Accompaniments_: Make cranberry sauce, use
cranberries for Thanksgiving and dinner rolls.
* _ Creativity's good...Baking_: Bake pumpkin pie, pumpkin log
roll, cornucopia place cards for Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving
cookies. See also How to use pumpkins for Thanksgiving desserts.
* _ Vegetarians_: Make a vegetarian Thanksgiving
dinner and tofurkey (tofu not a turkey).
* Prepare casual foods such as appetizers,
candies, and sandwiches for snacking. This way, if you plan to eat
late, you and your guests won't be starving before the meal. Check
out how to make candy turkeys -– ideal for the kids to make and
enjoy!
Follow the defrosting instructionsPrepare the food. Some things
can be done prior to the day, such as baking cookies and pumpkin
pie, while other things need to be made fresh on the day, such
as roasting the turkey.
* Defrost the turkey in plenty of time. Note that this may take
several days depending on the size and weight of the turkey.
* Serve the traditional pumpkin pie for dessertBake the pumpkin
pie or other favorite pies a day in advance. You'll be glad you
did when focused on preparing the main course on Thanksgiving Day.
* Roast the turkey and complete the meal preparations on
Thanksgiving Day. Brush up on your turkey carving skills before
the day.
* Have family members or friends who've arrived early help cook or
prepare certain dishes to ease the workload.
Make the table festive. Arrange the table
decorations the day before Thanksgiving if you
have a separate dining table available. If not,
lay out the items somewhere readily accessible
for quick deployment on the day. Get the kids
to help set the table as part of their
contribution to the preparations.
* Read How to prepare a beautiful and easy Thanksgiving dinner table
for more ideas.
* To be extra decorative, buy a Thanksgiving-themed centerpiece or
create your own for display on the table. Ready-made centerpieces
or DIY kits can be found at any craft store, and making it
yourself is a fun project for kids or even for guests who are at a
loose end for something to do. Scented candles, a cornucopia, or a
bouquet of autumn flowers are also good ideas for dinner table
centerpieces. Read How to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece for
instructions.
* Make some Thanksgiving place tags or turkey shaped Thanksgiving
place card holders as well.
* Create a turkey napkin holder.
* Make a Thanksgiving flower arrangement. This can be placed on the
table or on a sideboard.
Enjoy some traditional Thanksgiving holiday
pursuits. There are a few traditions
associated with Thanksgiving holiday that are
enjoyed in many families, including:
* Gather around the TV and watch football. Spending hours watching
football on Thanksgiving is a holiday favorite for many fans, and
it's a great way to pass time before the meal. Alternatively,
organize a backyard football game with family, friends, and
neighbors for fun and a little exercise to make way for the meal.
* Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV with the kids.
Broadcast on television from New York City, the parade is
extremely popular and viewed by millions at home. Take a break and
attend a local Thanksgiving parade if time permits, or watch it on
television.
What are you grateful for?Spend a little time reflecting on the
meaning of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a chance for many
families to spend time together after being apart for much of
the year; it is a good time to reflect on the love that you have
for one another, as well as sharing your thoughts about what you
feel grateful for. Think of your family's own ways to express
your gratitude on this day and in the year to follow, or be
guided by some of the following suggestions:
* Play the A to Z family gratitude game. Have everyone sit together
so that they can hear and see one another. Going around the group
of family and friends, have each person say what they're grateful
for, according the whichever letter of the alphabet the player is
up to. For example, player one says "I am grateful for *A*unty
Lorna", player two says "I am grateful for my *b*rothers", and
player three says "I am grateful for *c*aring moms", etc. Keep
going around the group until you've exhausted the alphabet. This
can be videotaped as a lovely memento.
* Read How to create a new Thanksgiving tradition for more ideas.
* Consider ways to help the less fortunate for Thanksgiving.
Volunteer time before or during Thanksgiving to help prepare meals
at a homeless shelter, donate extra cans and packaged goods to a
soup kitchen, start a food or clothing drive, make a donation.
This can be an essential part of teaching your children about
gratitude in action.
* This can be the perfect day to start a gratitude journal that you
aim to keep until next Thanksgiving, expressing your gratitude for
small things and other people throughout the year ahead.
Find activities to do after the meal.
Everyone's likely to feel a little drowsy and
well fed after the meal. It's a great
opportunity to settle down to some relaxing
activities. Ideas to help inspire you include:
* Go for a walk. Don't forget to take your dog for his usual walk
too, especially if he's been getting snacks he'd normally not
have.
* Entertain guests. Play charades, tell stories, share photos
around, catch up on news, etc.
* Catch up on your reading. There is always something you've got on
hold that you'd like to read; take this opportunity to do so.
* Watch a movie. Check out the TV guide for any suitable movies, or
pull out your favorite DVDs.
* Play a board game. If the kids are still hyper, suggest that they
make a board game and then play it!
Take a long nap after the meal or head to
sleep early on the Thanksgiving night. If you
plan on participating in Black Friday the
following day from the earliest of hours,
you'll be thankful you got the extra sleep.
* If you're downhearted about the pressure to shop after a peaceful
day of gratitude and rest, read How to buy nothing to settle your
mind.
* If you're not heading out to the stores, spend a little time
making use of the Thanksgiving leftovers. Start with the turkey:
turkey and stuffing casserole, turkey soup, a moist maker (turkey
sandwich), a day after Thanksgiving turkey sandwich, turkey au
gratin with sherry, turkey hash, and make use of the turkey
leftovers in various other ways.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Clean the house several days in advance. That way, you can enjoy
the holiday and focus on spending time with family instead of
cleaning.
* When trying a new Thanksgiving recipe, prepare the dish in advance
and sample how it tastes. This way, you'll know if a particular
dish needs more salt, less sugar, etc.
* Choose simple Thanksgiving recipes if this is your first time
preparing the Thanksgiving holiday meal. You'll be less frustrated
having to remake something simple than a more complicated recipe.
* It is okay to buy some prepared food items to help round out the
meal. Not everyone has the time or inclination to prepare
everything from scratch.
* If hosting guests, ensure that all health and dietary needs are
met for the meal. Take into consideration guests with certain food
allergies or vegans, and accommodate then appropriately.
!! Warnings !!
* It's never too early to begin defrosting the turkey. Don't be left
still trying to thaw the turkey on Thanksgiving morning.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Planning list (manual or computer created)
* Food ingredients (be sure to purchase or order in advance)
* Table ornaments and settings
* Good dinnerware and cutlery
* Candles or other decorative lighting
* Clean and pressed linen for table and napkins, etc.
* TV room tidied and readied for football, if watching
* Games and other activities prepared
* Gratitude items as relevant
* Roster of helpers if relevant
* Outline of things to do for the day – pin up somewhere obvious
to all people helping out
* Dishwasher and people prepared to load it
* Storage containers and fridge or freezer space for leftovers
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Create a Personal Prayer of Thanks for Thanksgiving
* How to Create a New Thanksgiving Tradition
* How to Make a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Dinner
* How to Use Cranberries for Thanksgiving
* How to Manage Your Food Intake on Thanksgiving
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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