reader question of the week #1:
"We just bought our first house and I CANNOT wait to host Thanksgiving there this year. I will be inviting 14 adults and 19 kids!! I am going to have my hands very full. Although I will be doing most of the cooking with my mom and sister I have some guests that would love to bring something to share. I am wondering how I could incorporate their 'assignment' in a cute and fun way into the invitation. Also, any fun game or crafts the kids could do while we clean up and the men folk watch football? I would love some fun ideas. Thanks! -Cassaundra"
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4 comments:
Thanksgiving at our house is always a zoo. A complete zoo. But---a couple ideas:
-plan for two "meals" - the big Thanksgiving meal at, say, 2 pm, and then a meal before everyone leaves at 7, 8, 9 --the snacks part. Have someone bring extra buns and use them for turkey sandwiches with the works toppings.
--play a game of broomball outside - or kubb, or croquet, or something fun to get the blood moving after all that food!
Although the fun part of Thanksgiving can be the leftovers, it's nice to be able to not have a fridge crammed with everything after all the guests have left. Remind everyone to bring tupperware.
You could make harvest-themed ornaments for hanging on windows until the holiday decorations go up. And I'm a huuuuge fan of making turkey hand prints.
When I was growing up a friend of ours had a Chinese New Year party every year. In her invitations she would include a recipe withOUT a title. One person would make a sauce to go with an entree someone else would make. Or two people would make parts of a dish that were then combined for the final produc. It was great fun to see what everyone made and how they went together. I've always planned to throw such a party, but have yet to do so!
Thanksgiving is a little more KNOWN, but you could find old recipes or new ones that are a little unusual and slip them in the invites to freshen the planning. Someone could be responsible for a great vinaigrette while someone else brings the veggie or salad, or one person could make a caramel sauce for the ice cream or pie that someone else makes.
have fun!!
First I have a question?
Why are you cleaning up?
If the women are doing all the planning and cooking and preparing and decorating, then wouldn't it be wonderful if the 'men folk' took the children and together led them in cleaning up everything, showing them thankfulness for the feast that was just created for them by the women who make their lives so full of love. They could be such amazing examples for the children, and make it a happy, positive, loving, giving, sharing time? To show them that real men give also? I know this sounds so 'liberated', but there is a real meaning here. This is family, and family means anyone at the dinner table. Everyone gives, everyone shares, everyone is honored.
Afterwards, everyone can truly enjoy old family movies, Grandparents stories, the memories are better when everyone is a part.
This may not seem to answer your question, but it is the answer that works well for us.
At about 6PM on Thanksgiving night when the kids are getting hungry again I have them watch "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving" and serve them what Charlie Brown serves his friends.....popcorn, pretzels, jelly beans, & toast. They love it, it's easy and fun!
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