We are getting into the Thanksgiving spirit at our house. This is really easy to do with leaves changing on the trees in our neighborhood and with the temperatures dropping to the 40’s and the 50’s.
We have planned our menu. We cleaned out the refrigerator yesterday afternoon to make room for all the extra dishware. We have also moved the turkey from the freezer to the refrigerator to start thawing. The husband and I are thrilled that we are going to be celebrating the holiday at home with our girls. However, we have one member of our household that is really excited. This is her face when I told her that we were going to have turkey.
COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING
The countdown to Thanksgiving has begun! We are four days from the big day and there is still so much to do around our house. This year I created a checklist to help the husband and I plan for the big day. Checklists always help me to stay organized and help me to manage my time. Have you downloaded your copy yet? You can get a copy here: The Organized Wife Thanksgiving Check List.
Ready for the big day? If no, don’t fret! If you start now you can still be on track for a low stress holiday. Here are a few things you may still need to do:
- Make a to do list, listing all the little things that must be done before the big day (or use the list below)
- Invite guests
- Buy frozen turkey or order fresh turkey. If frozen, start defrosting the frozen turkey in the coldest part of your refrigerator. Plan ahead to allow a full day for every 4 pounds of turkey being thawed.
- Plan menu and finalize what items your guests will bring.
- Compose final shopping list and shop for non-perishables.
- Order floral center pieces to guarantee delivery.
- With your menu in mind, ensure you have all the kitchen tools and platters you will need for the big day.
- Check your linens; Clean or replace as necessary.
- Check your fire extinguisher (just in case).
- Clean refrigerator and freezer to ensure ample space will be available.
- Create a seating plan.
Over the Next Couple of Days
- Clean the house
- Finish prepping linens
- Prep dishes that can be frozen.
- If you are planning to bake pies for dessert, make the dough for the crust, roll it out, lay it into pie plates, and freeze.
- Save money on ice. Start making your own ice cubes now. When frozen, dump them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer.
- Finish decorating.
- Make plans for your leftovers. You may need to add a few items to your grocery list.
Over the next couple of days, the husband and I will finalize what we are going to do with our leftovers. We were at brunch this morning and saw a turkey Benedict on the menu. It sounded amazing! I was craving french toast and the husband was craving a regular eggs Benedict, so we skipped it. However, we have added it to our after Thanksgiving menu.
