Thanksgiving is a time when family and friends gather and celebrate. While these are joyous occasions, they can also be stressful and chaotic. We all want to get through the holiday with grace and style, and hopefully, without the desire to stab anyone with a dinner fork or the need to add copious amounts of bourbon to the gravy boat. And since there are plenty of places to turn for recipes, tips on turkey brining and prep, wine pairings, and the perfect pie crust, we thought we’d assemble a different kind of holiday blueprint. We hope this will help guide us all through a lovely and happy Thanksgiving.
Let’s start in the dining room. Those who embrace feng shui believe a cloth-covered table has the ability to absorb any negative vibes. Anything from the heirloom lace to that large square of material with a cool pattern you never could figure out what to do with. We can’t promise, but it might even stop your Aunt Ethel from mentioning for the fourteenth time how she likes your natural hair color better than this new color you’re sporting. Keep centerpieces low so your guests can see and talk with one another across the table. Go natural here with a pretty scattering of colorful gourds, acorns, pinecones, or fall flowers with tea lights instead of tapers. Better yet, give all the decorating materials to a couple of the teens and ask them to design the table with their best artistic flair. It is sure to be original and they will be proud of the all compliments they receive. Plus, it will give you time to catch up and enjoy that glass of wine with your favorite cousin that lives too far away for regular visits. The lighting in the room will make all the difference in creating a cozy, warm atmosphere that lifts everyone’s spirits. Natural lighting and soft side lighting with lamps and candles instead of those glaring overhead light fixtures will set a calm and happy tone. A wonderful way of sharing gratitude and creating a new holiday tradition is to cover a side table or buffet with a plain white tablecloth and supply Sharpie markers for your guests to write what they’re thankful for and any wishes or Thanksgiving blessings with their names and the date on the tablecloth – like a guest book. Use it year after year so your family can reflect on past Thanksgivings and guests. Remember that time Uncle Harry said he was thankful for Tom Brady?! Bring on the deflated ball jokes!
When it comes to the scale at the holidays, most of us just want to throw it out. We survive on black coffee and kale salads for the weeks leading up to the biggest eating holiday of the year, just to be able to put on our fat pants that morning and belly up to the table without feeling too guilty. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of using regular flour in your pies, muffins, and cookies, substitute flax or almond flour when possible. Use root vegetables like yams, carrots, and beets, and less calorie-heavy veggies to replace the old starch laden choices. Steam vegetables instead of preparing them in casseroles with cheese and cream bases. You can cook and bake using smarter, healthier choices that will make Uncle Rico, the fitness freak, proud, and still have a Thanksgiving dinner that everyone will enjoy! But c’mon now, let’s be honest, despite any healthy intentions, we know that your brother’s favorite green bean casserole, the mashed potatoes and gravy, and Mama’s mac & cheese aren’t ever coming off the holiday menu. So approach the table with more of a “sampling” mindset. Intentionally take small portions of everything. And save that second helping for later, because we all know that no matter how much you ate earlier, you ARE going to have a turkey sandwich and piece of pie sometime before midnight.
Thanksgiving is known for its palette of orange, yellow, rich browns, and greens. When planning your menu, add those colors to the table in the dishes you serve. Don’t go overboard and dye the mashed potatoes but add brightly colored, edible garnishes with complementary flavors to casseroles, and dull-looking dishes. Skip the sprigs of rosemary and opt instead for chopped fresh herbs and add texture and flavor with toasted nuts or seeds. Serve a vibrant fall salad with cranberries, walnuts and oranges that even that picky little munchkin at the kids’ table will eat. Your linen selections and table décor will highlight the colors of the season, so keep your plates white to be the perfect neutral canvas for the beautiful food you prepare.
We all know the Norman Rockwell painting with the big, plump, juicy turkey, but it only looks like that for a few minutes when you pull out the roaster, so there’s no need to display it on the table. Go ahead and get your strut on while you proudly parade that succulent turkey before your guests right when it comes out of the oven. You might even impress your snobbish mother-in-law with your cooking prowess, but bring the bird back to the kitchen until you’re ready to carve. To show off perfect technique and avoid hacking the turkey into messy chunks, pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store before the big day to practice your skills. (Bonus – you won’t have to cook on that day!) Pretty up the serving platter by laying the sliced turkey on a bed of decorative greens and add an assortment of colorful roasted vegetables. Be sure to have plenty of that crispy, browned skin showing. If the turkey turns out a bit dry (it happens to even the best cooks, really!), baste slices with a little broth before serving. Grandma Fanny will never know the difference.
What to do while the bird is cooking and the hostess has banned everyone from the kitchen? Get your games on! We don’t mean sitting around and watching the Lions or Cowboys play while you snack. Get outside. Ask Uncle Harry to start a family game of touch football in the yard before dinner. If football isn’t a part of your Thanksgiving Day (gasp!), take the kids to the playground or stroll around the village to the pier and back. Toss a Frisbee around. Then again, we do live at the beach, so take advantage of that and bring the bocce balls or some shovels and pails. There’s nothing cuter than a picture of the family making memories as they build a sandcastle together.
Family pictures are a great idea while you’ve got everyone together for the holiday. While it’s easier these days to snap great shots on the fly with digital cameras and iPhones, to get the best “posed” family photos, you should really have a plan. Things to consider: where and how to pose, any props you might want or settings you’d like. Involve the family in this planning, and they may (no guarantees!) be more engaged and willing to cooperate. Except Cousin Dinah, she always hates having her picture taken (there’s always one.) When planning times to shoot the photos, schedule to take them when the kids are the happiest. This will never work with the sullen teens, but catching infants and young kids after nap times or meals and during their normal routine is your best bet. A photographer saying “Cheese!” is no match for a cranky toddler overdue for a nap.
There are so many fabulous locations around here for photos, but it’s key to remember that the people are the focus of the picture, not the setting. Use dunes, open fields, a rustic wood or brick wall to keep your photos free of background distractions. And speaking of distractions, matching outfits can be just that. You can try coordinating outfits with complementary colors instead. But take it from us; be flexible, because inevitably someone will show up in red when you said blue or black. (Looking at you H.S.!) Since the people are the primary focus, you want to be able to see everyone’s faces clearly, so get closer than you think you should to take the shots. It may seem awkward, but it is much better than cropping from wider shots. Over-posed shots with family members awkwardly placing their hands on the next person’s shoulders just look uncomfortable and unnatural, so let everyone be themselves (yes, even persnickety Cousin Dinah.) With these things in mind, get out there and take some killer family pictures for your Christmas cards or great gifts for the grandparents! And remember, you’re family, so lighten up and just let it happen. And trust us, the best photos are taken when plans go astray.
Not all of us have the luxury of staying in our lovely Golden Isles for Thanksgiving. If air travel is part of your holiday plans, of course, the main rule of thumb is to get to the airport early. If you don’t have to check luggage, don’t. A carry-on bag is always your best insurance policy against missing luggage, so make sure to have one bag with you with the absolute essentials and clothing to get by if your suitcase doesn’t make it off the plane for some reason. Pack survival gear in that carryon. No, we’re not talking Swiss army knives, but the stuff necessary to preserve your sanity. The tablet is a no-brainer; load it with photo galleries to show the relatives, downloaded TV shows and movies to keep you and the kids entertained just in case there’s no wireless access and/or you lose service, and a few good books. Make sure to remember your chargers too! Keep snacks and protein bars in your purse/carry-on, just in case. Wear good shoes for walking. Not only for exercise to work off that extra piece of pumpkin pie, but because taking a long walk can help you escape the frustrations that come from long hours of sitting in traffic, flight delays, and hours spent with annoying Aunt Myrna. And on that note, travel bottles of alcohol ARE permitted. Those little bottles of booze can turn an unexpected delay into a pleasant cocktail hour or make the sleepover with the cousins at Gramma’s a lot more festive.
If do you end up stuck in an airport somewhere, make the best of it and go have a great meal. There are some surprisingly good restaurants in airports these days where you can try some local flavors and spirits. Or, if the delay is going to be a long one, play tourist and explore the area nearby. Most importantly, keep your cool. Gate agents, flight attendants, and not even you can control the weather. Being understanding and asking politely for restaurant suggestions or other conveniences will often lead to discount coupons or vouchers. As the old saying goes, “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar,” and everyone appreciates someone who keeps a positive attitude when surly, aggravated travelers are the norm.
Wherever and however your Thanksgiving is spent, we hope our little guide helps you make it through the holiday with good cheer. We are thankful to be a part of this wonderful community and hope your holiday is a safe and joyous one. Happy Thanksgiving from all the gang at Elegant Island Living!