Thanksgiving is Here!

 

Photo by Caleb Wood on Pexels.com

It’s November and the holiday vibes are beginning to set in. Are you hosting this colorful holiday and have no idea what to do? Here are 3 very simple holiday ideas.

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  Picture by Pintrest

  Set up a bar~ this classy yet easy task is a great way to establish a relaxed mood and get the party going. Even if you do not drink, letting your guests know that they have the option to is nice. Create a rack from the furniture at your home or buy a cheap container from Walmart or install some shelves, and set up a fancy display of glass and bottles. Maybe even add a few holiday snacks in. If you want to get more fancy here are some options for Thanksgiving Holiday Cocktails: 

~Cranberry Gimlet:

-2 oz citrus vodka

-3/4 oz fresh lime juice

-3/4 oz unsweetened cranberry juice

-1/2 oz agave nectar

-Lemon twist or fresh cranberries

~Juicy Pear Martini:

-4 parts pear vodka

-3 parts pear nectar

-2 parts simple sugar syrup

-1 part fresh lemon juice

-ice

~Fire Brandy Punch:

-1 1/4 cups of water

-1 1/4 of packed dark brown sugar

-2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

-4 whole cloves

-14 inch long strip orange peel

-2 750 ml bottles dry red wine

-1 cup fresh orange juice

-1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

-4 cups of brandy

-1 whole nutmeg

Other options:  Manhattan, Bourbon Punch, Boozy Maple Orchard, Rosemary Concord Shrub, Frozen Turkey, Cider Spritz, Pumpkin Martini. Recipes here –> Thanksgiving Cocktails

• Have Dessert~ we all know that Thanksgiving equals turkey and mashed potatoes or if you are me then Thanksgiving equals tamales or pozole, but regardless of your preference for the main meal it is key to have something to complete the dish and this is where dessert comes into place. With the beauty that is the internet there are hundreds of recipes that you can look up and follow but here are 5 amazing dishes that the channel Tasty provides:

Picture by Pintrest 

Salted Chocolate Truffles:

 

-Crumble Graham crackers while still inside bag by

-Pour crumbs in a plate and fully crumble large pieces

-Pour 1 cup of mini chocolate chips

-Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of salt

– Put in 1 1/2 cups of marshmallow fluff

– Mix all items into bowl

– Roll all the dough into small balls

– Freeze for 15 minutes

– Dip balls into chocolate pudding

– Add sprinkles of salt

– Chill until served

• Create a Playlist~ last but certainly not least, make a playlist. We have all had that one awkward moment in a family gathering or friend get together where there is sudden silence and everyone feels uncomfortable. Avoid this and put some soft tunes in the background. Because Thanksgiving just so happens to be the only big holiday that has no music specifically for it then just put a list together of your favorite artists and songs. If you want to be more inclusive then go out and research a little bit and find out what kind of music your guests enjoy. If you know little kids are coming to the gathering than put some kid friendly music or if your family only listens to a certain type of genre pop that on, or maybe you are lucky enough and you and all your pals enjoy the same type of jams so then you can have even more fun and put a song playlist together. You don’t have to go the extra mile, the most important thing is that you do what works best for you. The advantage with this tip too is that it can help you set the tone for the evening and it gives you more of a upper hand in organizing the party. The music can be either blaring or background noise, whatever you feel most comfortable with and the best part with all this is that there are so many different apps, devices, and forms of technology that can help you play your music. Whether you chose to spring on a playlist you have on Spotify, use devices like Amazon dot, ask Alexa or decide to use old schooled dvds or records, just remember to play some music and enjoy the event.

If the list above is not enough, jot some thoughts down and don’t over complicate things for yourself. Take out some board games, teach others a few card games. Play Uno and find out who the sneakiest family remember is! Watch a movie, tell stories, do anything!  You icons may have noticed that this blog does not have as much tea as the others and considering previous blogs is very short and the reason is because I don’t want to make the holidays seem like dreadful occasions that you have to be driven crazy over preparing for it. Holidays should be fun and for the most part are, unless you get holiday depression, but that is a whole another story sis. Don’t stress it and after your preparations are all done, relax. Just do it. You are here, you are alive and you going to be able to eat as much as you want without judgement for a good solid day. Make the most of it! I hope that all of you have a lovely Thanksgiving day! Until next time…