Whether you are serving five or 25 guests, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner is a lot of work. In my case, it is usually closer to 25. So after the first few years I realized that I was never going to enjoy the dinner if I single-handedly served it. That’s when I came up with a plan to get all the guests involved with the process (it makes everyone feel at home and a part of the family), delegate jobs I really didn’t need to do (and because the jobs are small the kids don’t mind them either), spend a little time with everyone in the kitchen (so that I don’t feel like I never got to see some people by the end of the night), and finish the day with enough energy to really be thankful!
The plan is simple:
- Map out every task from putting water in the glasses to serving dessert (see my list).
- Choose a guest to complete each task.
- Choose a task manager to rally little taskers and remind older ones (this keeps you focused on dinner rather than running around).
- Post the list so all can see it.
Since I formulated my plan, iMOM has come out with the Holiday Helper Cards which are great to use with your kids for prep before the guests arrive. And last year our family tried the Sharing Your Heart at Thanksgiving story cards and unanimously voted to make it a tradition every year.
