Sundays With Santa's Little Helpers - Thanksgiving Prep

Thanksgiving is just around the corner (or already past if you live in Canada like me). But either way – whether you’ve already eaten the leftovers weeks ago or are still anticipating the first turkey dinner of the season . . . you have to admit Thanksgiving is a great holiday!


It’s the one holiday we have that is all about the food. Every other holiday we have to pretend are about other things; on Valentine’s Day we pretend it’s all about love and relationships and warm fuzzies when really we’re just waiting for someone to give us a box of chocolates. At Easter we smile while the kiddos run around filling their Easter baskets, but really we’re just hoping they hurry up so we can dig into the ham and scalloped potatoes that are waiting. At Halloween we admire the adorable costumes of the tots that ring our bell, while secretly wishing they’ll stop coming soon so you’ll have some candy left over for yourself.

Oh wait. . .  Maybe that’s just me.

But Thanksgiving is all about the food. No pretending otherwise – the entire point of the holiday is to celebrate the bounty that we have been given and to be thankful for all that we have by serving up a giant feast!
Whether you’re hosting dinner in your home or simply attending Thanksgiving dinner as someone’s guest, it’s time to start thinking FOOD!
Whether you're hosting a large family dinner, having a small dinner party with friends, or attending Thanksgiving dinner as someone's guest, it's time to start planning! This week, your holiday challenge is to choose your menu items (or communicate with the hostess to find out which dishes she would like you to bring), and plan out your schedule for Turkey Day!
Since my Thanksgiving is long past, I won't be posting a specific timeline for Thanksgiving but instead will steer you over to my friends Molly and Gia who have both come up with a plan of attack for their own holiday gatherings! Both ladies have created easy, step by step timelines that will help you get to Thanksgiving feeling organized and in control! Head on over and check them out - you can follow their easy timeline, or use their ideas to create one of your own!

Stay tuned to the blog this week though - even though my Thanksgiving is already over I'll be posting all week with some fun ideas! I'll be showing you how to DIY some adorable place cards, give you ideas for table setups and decor, and share my favorite holiday recipes (and yes...most of them are simple and quick!)

Don't forget . . Your challenge this week (And you are following along, right??)  is to get your Thanksgiving menu and grocery list ready!  
-Choose your menu items (or find out which ones have been deligated to you)
-Locate and go over your recipes, and create your grocery list
-Make sure you have the right baking and serving dishes to complete each one (this means calling Mom to borrow her bundt pan THIS WEEK, not the morning of Thanksgiving dinner)
-Grocery shop (purchase fresh ingredients 2 days ahead but the rest can be purchased this week)
-If you are hosting, this week you also should be coming up with your cooking and baking timeline. Make sure you have ample time for each dish to have it's turn in the oven! Plan out which dishes can be made ahead, and which need to be prepared on the big day, so you're not stuck with an unbaked apple pie because you forgot the turkey would be in the oven all day.

Be sure to check in with me, Molly, and Gia throughout the week as we show you our menu plans, recipes, decor, and of course lots of tips and ideas to make this your best (and easiest!) Thanksgiving ever!!