It’s been quite a year, but that doesn’t mean the holidays have to be cancelled! Your table may look a bit different but you can still make the best of it. Normally, for Thanksgiving I try to fly home to be with some of my extended family celebrating and eating. This year I am spending Thanksgiving with my boyfriend’s immediate family in Oregon. Even though we can’t all be together, we can still be thankful for what we have and where we are. Here are some tips on how to make the most of Thanksgiving this year! And who knows – maybe you’ll start some new traditions!
Dinner’s Ready
Let’s start with one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, the food! You may not be able to have every single dish on your table this year, but you can still have your favorites! There are several recipe converting sites out there to help you divide or multiply ingredients based on the amount of people at your dinner table. This way you can still enjoy your favorite foods without an insane amount of leftovers.
Check these out:
It’s Your Turn To Set The Table
If you love detailed decorating, beautiful plating, or elegantly setting the table, you still can. This is a holiday you get to celebrate if you decide to. So make it work in your home. Pull out those dishes and serving plates you only bring out for special occasions and set them up. As an alternative, if you want to make it fun but don’t want the extra work, here are some inexpensive suggestions to keep on theme.
- Paper plates and napkins – Spice up your space with themed plates and napkins. It’s an easy design and easy clean up. Take a look at some options at Target, Michaels, Party City, and Walmart.
Holiday Shopping
Looking to save on some holiday gifts, household items, or even a TV this Black Friday? Well luckily you still can! Whether you head to the mall immediately after saying goodbye to your family or snuggle up in your pajamas and hop online, the deals are still there! I know it’s crazy but I love the atmosphere of Black Friday shopping and normally I go in person that Friday. I’ve never been on Thursday night but I want to see the craziness first hand one year. This year I plan on making a list ahead of time so that on Friday I can curl up on the couch with a good show (or Hallmark Christmas movie) and get into the spirit by adding gifts to my cart. Dealing with the anxiety of holiday shopping on a twenty something year old budget is a problem for another time. Not sure where to start thinking about your holiday shopping? Don’t get overwhelmed, here are a few sites that already have a list of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals!
Nap Time
The post dinner full belly nap is still real. If you’re spending Thanksgiving with you and your closest friends, family, or just your significant other, take advantage of that time and get a quick snooze in. Less people + less work + less mess = more time for you. Plus, the quicker you let your mind slip into dreamland, the more awake you will be for the sales! Here are some comfy finds to help you fall asleep wherever you are.
- Bread Pillow – You may think i’m kidding but this is seriously one of the most comfortable pillows I own. It goes with me every time I travel! I don’t care how many looks I get at the airport, it’s better than your average neck pillow.
- Themed Socks – Whether you decide on fuzzy or regular, you always need a pair of socks to top off the cozy vibes.
- Pjs, Joggers, or a Onesie – You know why.
- Cozy Blanket – You can’t go wrong with a blanket! I’ve heard this is a dupe for the barefoot dreams one and is super soft.
Game On
Like me, I’m sure you’re going to be missing your loved ones extra this holiday season. I would love to find a way to still be able to see them even if it’s virtual. There are multiple ways you can facetime, zoom, or video chat in general but what’s something a little more fun?
- Digital Games – Since quarantine there are more games you can play together online. Let’s start with a version of the loved board game Cards Against Humanity called All Bad Cards. If you love Pictionary then you’ll love this. See how bad…or good…your loved ones are at drawing with a mouse or guessing while playing Scribbl.io (we played at work and it was a lot of fun!). The most recent online game/ App trend is Among Us! A game where you have to win by staying alive before the imposter among your friends kills all of the characters.
- Online Trivia – Create a family trivia game and have everyone play together! Now you can see who really pays attention to everyone’s stories.
- Virtual Dinner – I love video chatting with my parents while we are both in the kitchen cooking. It makes me feel like we are together even when we are far away. If there is space on your countertop, add your computer and leave it on while you cook dinner, set up appetizers, or maybe stir up some holiday cocktails. Even if you’re not talking to each other every second it will be nice to hear the noises coming from the other room. Trust me, it will make you feel better about not being together.
- Movie Night – Thanks to Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. we can all watch movies together. If possible, set it up so everyone can press play at the same time. Even better if you can keep the video chat going while you watch! I can’t wait to take advantage of this to watch cheesy Christmas movies with my mom In December!
No matter what you are doing this Thanksgiving, I hope you are happy, healthy, and know that it will get better. Hopefully you are able to take part in some of the activities I wrote about above with your loved ones. If there is something you are doing that I haven’t mentioned, definitely write it in a comment below! I would love to hear about what your plans are for Thanksgiving this year. Remember, it’s a strange time in our history but you’re not alone. Take it one step at a time, every day is a new day. I’m thankful for you all!
everydayzandy.com 
This is the best!! You better believe I am going to be clicking on all of these links to help me with my holidays!! I may have to add the bread pillow to my wishlist…
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