First of all, welcome! We are excited that Thanksgiving is coming, and we want to celebrate by helping you celebrate. Each day until Thanksgiving, we will have a thought on how to make Thanksgiving a better, more appreciated holiday. So, without further ado, Friday's tip is....
Make it original!
Thanksgiving is perhaps the holiday most steeped in
immovable traditions, from what time in the afternoon dinner occurs, to going
around the table saying what you’re thankful for, to the very dishes that grace
every Thanksgiving table. Try something new this year! Here are some ideas for
freshening up a predictable holiday:
Opt for
an altered menu….
Mix up the original flavors of turkey,
potatoes, corn, cranberry, and pumpkin in unexpected ways:
- Make pumpkin bread instead of pie, or cornbread instead of yeast rolls.
- Turn the potato into the star by baking it and using the turkey, stuffing, and other fixings as potato bar options.
- Transform this usually-heavy meal into a lighter tossed salad with beautiful fall greens, ground turkey, croutons, and dried fruits (this will save room for dessert, BTW).
- Or, one of my favorites, stuff baked acorn squash halves with a mixture of ground turkey, bacon crumbles, maple syrup, and baked squash seeds (don’t tell me you throw those treasures away when you cut up a squash!).
Or opt
for a new menu!
If you’re feeling especially bogged down by
the traditional fall flavors, be different altogether! Make a pot roast, quesadillas,
lasagna, or thumb through your fancy cookbooks for a meal that sounds exciting,
but takes a lot of prep or ingredients that you wouldn’t try any other day.
Have a
picnic
If the weather permits, set up a big ol’
picnic table (or a bunch of little outdoor tables for closer fellowship) and
have fun decorating with dried corn, squash, fall fruits, and other autumn
crops that remind you of the abundance of God’s provisions. After the meal,
play some croquet or corn hole, and maybe plan a square dance later on!
Serve
up originality!
Most households serve this meal family style,
with dozens of serving bowls circling all afternoon. Try out a new serving
method: a buffet, whether of the whole meal or just the salad or dessert, can
free up a lot of room on the otherwise-crowded table.
Or, with willing help
(perhaps older kids, young adults, or whoever would enjoy the task and not feel
left out of the family table), serve it dinner-party style with two or three “waiters”
bringing in the courses for each guest, and removing them to the kitchen after
the course is done. This can be done more seriously with gilded tablecloth and
candles, or it can be light and fun. You choose. J
Time
change!
Instead of serving up a giant afternoon meal,
think about having the turkey for brunch, hanging out until it wears off in the
afternoon, then providing some hot beverages around the fireplace while playing
some family games, reading a funny story, or having singing time.
* * * * *
I hope
these simple ideas sparked your imagination for this coming Thanksgiving! I
firmly believe that this holiday can be as fun as any other, if we just take
some time to think about it. Remember, the theme of the day is not the food,
but thankfulness to the God who provides all year long.
Blessed,
Abby
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