My work schedule has been insane – meaning that preparation for this holiday weekend has been zilch – so when I woke up this morning I had an “oh sh-t” moment. I haven’t bought any of the ingredients to make Jillian’s stuffing, haven’t packed any bags for our drive down to Santa Barbara, and don’t even know what goes into the post-Thanksgiving Turkey-Andouille Gumbo that I have now promised everyone (I admit it, I was trying to show off). But to keep things in perspective, I thought I’d share my coping strategies for tomorrow. Let me know if you have any I can add to my list so we can all share in a “serenity now” moment.
- Prepare your Body: There is no doubt about it, tomorrow is about gorging yourself. And I expect everyone to do just that. Since I have been working long hours, drinking more than usual (lots of work dinners, I swear!) and working out dramatically less than my usual routine, I think preparing my body -and yours – for the big meal is key to the day’s success. So, in order to not over analyze every morsel you put on your plate and repeat “I’m so weak” as you go for a second helping of pumpkin pie, make a commitment to workout tomorrow morning. Don’t start thinking of all the excuses of why not to do it, just carve out some time – 30 minutes is all you need – to go on a bike ride, walk or run. Even better, join in a local Turkey Trot! My family does it every year and not only does it help get your family into a festive mood bright and early, you get to raise money for a good cause! Active.com can help you find a trot near you.
- Prepare your Mind: If you let your crazy relatives get the best of you, you’ll have wasted the precious extra time off that you so rarely get and so desperately needed. So turn off your Blackberrys and completely disengage from work (I’m mostly talking to myself), have a few funny stories of shared past memories in your back pocket (so everyone will focus on the good times!) and most importantly, compile a good playlist so you have sweet jams to set the mood. Here are some playlist suggestions from Bon Appetit and Associated Content.
- Stay Organized: Make a list as soon as you get up so you know how to prioritize your day. Check prep, cooking and resting times by reading each recipe thoroughly and plan your day accordingly. Most importantly, have a timer on hand. Once the first bottle of wine is opened and your guests start pouring in, its easy to forget your pumpkin pies in the oven!
*Image courtesy of Demenhams, where you can buy this jazzy timer!
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Christina, thank you for the great tips – I definitely plan to go for a long, long walk tomorrow morning before the chaos ensues!
One more tip that I’d like to throw in there, keep in mind that this is really just from my own personal experience…from last night actually. Do not let your boyfriend/husband/significant other accompany you at the grocery store to pick up all of the T-Day goods, especially if they are afflicted with any sort of ADD (mild or severe – in this case I will say halfway in between the two). Although it may seem like a fun and cute couple-y thing to do, the real matter is that now I am multiple items short and must head back for round 2 – not quite sure how that happened since my lists were thorough and complete. Anyways, just a though – please feel free to omit this from your list of holiday preparations as I’m sure that this does not apply to all
Happy Thanksgiving!!
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