5 TIPS to Make the Most Out of Thanksgiving
Let's get started...
1. Put down the phone.
Okay, okay. You can Snapchat the turkey, the table decor, maybe a selfie or two in your holiday attire, but when it comes to dinner time around the table with friends or family, ditch the phone. Incoming texts, notifications from Snapchat or Instagram can wait. The importance of Thanksgiving dinner is to spend it with those around you, and not virtually. I think this one is far important because even as a social influencer, I find it really hard to do this myself. The constant notion of updating my followers or checking social media is something that I do nonstop (as a job), but that's still not an excuse for Thanksgiving dinner table etiquette.
2. Write down what you're thankful for.
This year, I'm using these Swoozie's toast cards (remember my Friendsgiving post here?) to write down things that I'm thankful for. I think that we're all in need of constant reminding, and writing things down really helps with that. Diving into the holiday season can serve as a reminder of all the things we've accomplished, struggled with, and overcame, and frankly, that is something to be thankful for. Not only that, but make small talk with family and friends and discuss what you're thankful for. Hearing words from others can encourage you to change your mindset to truly understand the importance of giving thanks during this holiday.
3. Help around the kitchen.
Yes, I actually mean it. Whether you're cooking or baking the day of Thanksgiving, or the day before, you should help out your family or friends in the kitchen. And by this, I mean... ask to assist, run the dishwasher, clean the plates, set up the table, etc. There's so many things that you can do to help out. By doing this, you're interacting with family and friends. I think one of the most important aspects of Thanksgiving is to interact with others face-to-face. Not virtually, not through a screen, but actually in-person. By helping around the kitchen, you're able to make conversation and even lend a helping hand.
4. Dress up (or just wear something nice)
When I say "dress up," I don't mean whip out a fancy holiday dress. By all means, you can...
But by "dressing up," I mean wear something nice. Thanksgiving this year might be in your home, and you may feel the need to just wear leggings and a sweatshirt because hello, Thanksgiving food feast, but even so, I would recommend putting on a nice sweater, pullover, (this pleated blouse), etc. Besides, dressing up has always boosted my mood because of the look good, feel good theory. It doesn't hurt to try.
5. Prep for dinner talk.
Maybe you haven't seen your family in weeks or months and you probably have a lot of things to talk about. Okay, that's fine. But if you already caught up with family and don't really have much to say, except, "Mom, this sweet potato casserole is really good" for the 50th time, then you might want to think ahead of topics that you may want to talk about around the dinner table.
P.S. don't forget to tell your Mom that the sweet potato casserole is really good though... you might even get a second serving of pumpkin pie...
[the items marked with 'via' can be found in the Cameron Village shopping center located in Raleigh, NC ]
