How to Reduce Thanksgiving Stress

No matter the stress, there’s just something about Thanksgiving that makes moms want to create a perfect meal which is silly because the first Thanksgiving meal was not fancy at all. The Pilgrims simply served whatever they could find (and they were very thankful for that!).

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

But somehow I still can’t take the easy road and buy one of those premade supermarket meals that you just pick up.

So, how DOES a mom reduce the Thanksgiving stress?

Here are some ideas:

Eat out – Some moms take their families to a restaurant. If you can find one open and you can afford it, I think it’s a brilliant idea. Bonus: no dishes! Con: no leftovers which the men in my family say is the best part.

Cook another day – My sister-in-law and nieces cook their feast a week before Thanksgiving. There is something about doing it on a random day that takes the stress away. Then, on Thanksgiving, they are free to watch movies and eat snacks.

Only the fun things – There are some dishes that are labor intensive and not fun to cook at all. So, buy those premade and only cook the other things. Maybe order a baked turkey and then you make the sides.

Easy ingredients – A recent trip to Trader Joe’s found me buying frozen sweet potato chunks (no more peeling and long boiling times), gravy already made (it was delicious), and even a yummy premade stuffing loaded with extra goodies! Just buying those three things will save me a long time in the kitchen!

Don’t stuff it – I used to cram my hand inside the turkey trying to get as much stuffing in the cavity as possible. Then, after years of doing that, I found out my family only liked the crispy stuffing that was baked separately. Now my turkey cooks faster without the added stuffing and I’m not having to get up early to put it in the oven. How many things do we cook on holidays that our family is willing to do without?

His way – Some people love to barbecue. Have one of those in your family? Have him or her cook as much as possible on the barbecue or smoker. Less dirty dishes, more space in the oven!

Only the good stuff – Does your family only like the breast meat? Cook a turkey breast instead of the whole bird. Slather on some butter and spices and shove it in the oven. So easy.

Costco pies – Buy the pies! How many exclamation points can I add to this? Their pies are huge, inexpensive, and yummy. Buy them early to avoid the lines and freeze them until you need them. Buy cans of whipped cream. The kids love to squirt their own.

Tradition – Of course there are always those little things that kids remember with joy. Have the family agree on a favorite and make that one dish.

Pass off cleanup – No games, no dessert, no fun until the dinner dishes are done and the food is put away. That chore is way more fun when everyone works together.

There is no way around the fact that some work needs to go into making the holiday special for your family. I once went to a friend’s house for Thanksgiving and everything came from a box. We had pressed turkey loaf, powdered potato flakes, stove top stuffing, and canned veggies. At the end of the meal we were all salt-loaded and felt ill. But rest assured, there are steps that you can skip without anyone noticing.

Some of the hints above won’t work for every family. But some are worth trying to see if they ease some stress from your shoulders.

I’m for sure instilling some of these ideas so I can leave the kitchen and get back to praising the Lord for His many blessings. Who knows, maybe Thanksgiving will become one of my favorite holidays again!

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1