We all love Thanksgiving, but sometimes this holiday can be one of the most hectic holidays. The choice and purchase of suitable gifts, trips, receiving guests, and meeting with relatives whom you have not seen for a long time cause excitement in every person. The sheer amount of food your family expects can overwhelm even the most level-headed mom. With a few easy tricks, though, the day can go so smoothly you’ll actually have time to sit back and watch some of the game with your family.
1. Make a plan
Hope for the best, but be prepared that something can get out of control. Consider what you can do if your anxiety rises to de-stress Thanksgiving, such as relaxing practices to reduce your stress. And follow the established plan, regardless of the degree of anxiety and well-being.
Remember that worrying and asking for help is normal. If the holiday is hard for you, tell friends and family that you may need extra support. Ask for a hug, a walk with you, or anything else that can help you to make a peaceful Thanksgiving.
2. Do what you want, not what you have to
People often feel the stress of celebrating such big holidays as Thanksgiving. This is especially true when it comes to holiday traditions that can captivate you. Pay attention to how often you do what you should, and then follow this one of the most useful Thanksgiving tips: “If you find yourself doing too often only what you must, stop and ask yourself:” What do I really want to do?
There are some traditions that may seem undeniable, such as festive dinners with the family. But if any habits turn into bleak obligations, it’s okay to put them aside or change them to make them more enjoyable. Follow this tip, and you can de-stress Thanksgiving.
More: 7 Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Side Dishes
3. Make your health a priority
Try not to forget about your needs during the Thanksgiving preparations. Otherwise, it can negatively affect your health. Instead, take daily self-care. It reduces anxiety and improves overall well-being, and in general, can de-stress Thanksgiving Day.
Remember that physical self-care includes everything that maintains or improves the condition of the body. For example, food, sleep quality, amount of water you drink, habitual end of the day, and mobility can seriously impact your Thanksgiving Day.
4. Take breaks to relax
Another valuable tip for a peaceful Thanksgiving is to rest. When you have a huge to-do list, this one of the most helpful Thanksgiving tips may seem like the wrong thing, but it’s essential to make time for rest. Relaxation is not a waste of time. Allow regular breaks to unwind, do what you enjoy, and recharge. Taking short breaks work wonders for releasing a weary brain and making you feel like you’re ready to tackle whatever you have to do again.
Whenever you feel tired, irritated, or overwhelmed, give yourself 5 minutes to let go of the situation or task and do something that can distract or calm you. Therefore, scheduling such a de-stress Thanksgiving exercise for recovery is essential to your physical and mental well-being, so make taking care of yourself part of your to-do list.
Go for a walk, listen to music, or sit quietly. Try special relaxation techniques, such as breathing. Take a deep breath and count to three; repeat three times, but on the third time, breathe in long, and your body will relax. De-stress Thanksgiving, taking into consideration this easy tip.
5. Yoga and Meditation
Yoga has always been known as a way to calm the mind through a combination of movement and breath. Yoga can be a powerful way to control stress when used on its own or with other stress relief techniques such as meditation.
A few minutes of peace and quiet amid the hustle and bustle of the holidays will help get rid of stress. In just 10 minutes, yoga and meditation will relieve you and de-stress Thanksgiving.
6. Be grateful
Another appropriate way to relieve stress is to be thankful to others. Gratitude stimulates the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for managing stress and pleasurable sensations.
You will feel much better if you are grateful for the little things in your work. So praise your family and friends, say “thank you” and help those around you. As a result, you will certainly de-stress your Thanksgiving.
7. Prioritize
During Thanksgiving Day, it can be easy to find yourself in a situation where you need help understanding what you want and what you can do. Therefore, it is necessary to define what cases can wait clearly.
To de-stress Thanksgiving, you can make a list of significant things to do, rank them in order of importance, and focus. But don’t forget to be realistic! This will help you focus your time and energy on the things that really matter to you and reduce the pressure on your to-do list.
8. Start cooking in advance
One of the most useful tips for a restful Thanksgiving is to start your cooking the night before. Now, this doesn’t just mean making sure the turkey is thawed. By getting your prep work and other smaller dishes out of the way the night before, Thanksgiving Day will be much easier.
An excellent trick for speeding up the time you’ll spend in the kitchen is to boil and mash potatoes the night before and let them sit in a crockpot with all the mix-ins overnight. All that’s left the next day is to turn on the heat and let them warm up. Therefore, considering this piece of advice, you can de-stress Thanksgiving.
9. Think of your side dishes
Most of your side dishes for peaceful Thanksgiving can be started the night before as well, removing the stress of prepping from three in the morning till noon. For example, roasted vegetables can be peeled and chopped the night before. Green bean casserole can be mixed the night before, leaving just the topping off.
Veggies for a side salad can be cut and stored in a large Ziploc container. Do you want to sneak some extra vegetables onto your kids’ plates? Slice some Brussels sprouts and bacon brown in a pan the next day and top it with parmesan cheese. This dish will taste so good they’ll forget they’ve got Brussels sprouts on their plate.
10. Desserts
Likewise, desserts are easily prepped the night before. For example, an apple pie can be thrown together with a spritz of orange or lemon juice to help the apples stay crisp, ready to be baked the next day. Rather than putting out a plate of cookies, bake your favorite kind of cookie the night before and serve them as ice cream topping in martini glasses.
Put together a ring mold of juice and fresh or frozen berries to put out in a punch bowl. And to spice up a Thanksgiving favorite, try a pumpkin cheesecake rather than the classic pumpkin pie.
More: 7 Tips for Hosting an Unforgettable Thanksgiving Dinner
11. Invest in a large roaster oven
As for the day off, most of your work should be done for you. The biggest struggle, of course, is the bird itself. One of the most valuable Thanksgiving tips is to invest in a large toaster oven that can sit on the counter instead of taking up your entire oven with the turkey.
The only prep work that will require counter space the day of is stuffing the bird, and then everything else will just need to be cooked. Although the skin won’t be as crispy in a toaster oven, the meat will be twice as juicy. And after the turkey starts cooking, all that’s left is to figure out when to place everything else in the oven.
So, instead of spending this peaceful Thanksgiving a slave to your kitchen, do your prep work the night before, give yourself time to enjoy the day with your family, and be thankful for everything in your life. Do you have any tips for a stress-free Thanksgiving Day? Share them with us, please!
Below, we have compiled a list of the most interesting questions about quick fixes to de-stress Thanksgiving:
Why is Thanksgiving so stressful?
How can I stop stressing over Thanksgiving?
Finally, give thanks to others and try to awaken gratitude in children. Teach them to focus on what they already have, not what they want to have.
How do you make Thanksgiving easier?
Then, buy previously non-perishable products. This way, you will only purchase perishable products at the last minute. Also, prepare the menu and pay attention to the preparation time of each dish. And keep it simple. Thanksgiving is not a competition for the best gift, the cleanest apartment, or the most exquisite table. Don’t try to make everything perfect
