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Friday, November 5, 2021

Unofficial Thanksgiving Day Survival Guide

 


Hello, dear friends.  I just have to tell you that I got the sweetest note from one of my readers.  Jane gave me permission to reprint it and tell you about her November tradition. 

 

Every day this month, I am thanking someone who I am thankful for, and today it is you! I love your blog and have read it since you started. Thank you so much for sharing your ideas, books, clothes, series, and EVERYTHING you write about. I look forward to every new post and can't wait to read them. Please know you give so much joy to me and your many readers. Hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Thankful, Jane 


I love that idea... thanking someone every day in November.  This touched my heart so much that I will start going out of my way to thank people who are special to me.

Today, I think I will start with Jane.


Thank you, Jane, for the lovely idea as well as your kind words.

xx

Katie



Last week, I read an interesting article about family tension during the holidays.  Did you know that a lot of the stress is brought on by high expectations?  It's not your weirdo step-twin cousins, after all!

This post started off quite differently from how it ended up.  I began with the idea of a Friday Files/Thanksgiving Edition.  But when I got going, I began to have so much fun with it that it ended going entirely off the rails. 



When Uncle Joe starts talking about his last gastro surgery at the Thanksgiving table, you can politely interrupt by reciting the history of the Thanksgiving Day parade.










Do you have any Thanksgiving family traditions?
Have you heard of frozen turkey bowling?
How about my favorite, Ragamuffin Day?
You can read about the strangest traditions here.

If none of these tickle your fancy, here are some suggestions that seem a bit more civilized. 
Btw... I vote for the two that are pictured.


I'm tossing the tree skirt and basking in the baguette this year!










You just arrived at your Brother and new Sister-In-Law's house.
SIL greets you by looking at her watch because you are half an hour late.  You then realize that you forgot to bring your side dish.
Mashed potatoes are overrated, anyway!
You apologize profusely and then call your SIL by your Brother's first wife's name.

It's time for a signature cocktail.









Ought oh...
Aunt Lulu has indulged in too many signature cocktails, and she is now sharing her conspiracy theories.
Never fear!
Thanksgiving Trivia is here. 








Is it your first time hosting Thanksgiving?
Here are instructions from the experts.




Shocker: I've never cooked a turkey.
This just made me realize why.







Here is the simplest method to carve a turkey.




When in doubt, you can always try one of these.











Speaking of side dishes, here's a non-traditional take on Aunt Ida's recipes.












Here are some Thanksgiving hacks that could help you with some sticky situations.




Spoiler alert... this is not one of them.








You just lost 25 lbs. and you don't want to gain it all back in one day. 
 



Rather than asking the hostess to prepare a special meal for you...



Here's a guide to healthy eating.









Have past family gatherings been less peaceful and harmonious than you would have liked?  Send out this list of taboo topics to all attendees a week before Thanksgiving. 

The trick is to send it to all attendees.
Otherwise, Uncle Ralph and Cousin Serendipity will think that they are being targeted.
 


Sometimes it's easier to wear your heart on your sleeve.







Here are 40 of the best family-friendly movies to watch while digesting your meal.




Hey, it's better than listening to Uncle Joe's jokes all afternoon.







You deserve a reward for sticking to your diet and making it through the holiday in one piece.  Here is a list of what stores are open on Thanksgiving day.






Last but not least, don't forget to take plenty of Thanksgiving selfies.
You'll want to cherish those memories all year long. 

Have a great weekend.


Until next time...




Great stocking stuffer!




BIG sale over at Sephora!







If I had an outfit that made me look this good, I would never take it off!















Linking up with:



Preppy Empty Nester
Preppy Empty Nester

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Feel free to contact me through comments and email. I love to hear from my readers!

23 comments:

  1. That Jane sounds wonderful and of course well deserved! You are a delight, a talented delight! This post should be everyone’s Thanksgiving bible, lol. Great sales round up too. Have a wonderful weekend sweetness!

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  2. I enjoyed reading this fun post on the Thanksgiving survival guide! You are lucky to have the Mister be your chef. I hope you have a nice weekend.

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  3. What a lovely idea of Jane's. And three cheers to the Mister. It all sounds delicious. I'm not world's biggest turkey fan and always glad if someone else volunteers! Usually Rick picks up the turkey and I sort of hope that there is a shortage this year!

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    Replies
    1. Jeanie... do you know that our family has never had the traditional turkey dinner in 30 years? We are such rebels! We usually have filet but this year it is leg of lamb, which happens to be my favorite. Have a great weekend.

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  4. What a great post! I'm a big fan of the dog show on Thanksgiving afternoon. It's as much a tradition as the parade. I'm glad I found you through the linkup!

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  5. We love the parade, with Parade Bingo for fun!

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  6. You’ve outdone yourself! I think this is one of the best postings you’ve ever written. I’m going to save this for so many reasons: the trivia, the cocktails, the history. Thank you so much for your research, suggestions and wonderfully entertaining writing style.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet words, Niki. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  7. You just make me smile!!!
    Such a wonderful and fun post

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    1. Chris... your comment makes me smile. Have a great weekend.

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  8. No Gilligan Thanksgiving is complete without my performance of “The Turkey Fat” song while wearing my turkey 🦃 hat from the Christmas Tree Shop. Always a showstopper!

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    1. Please video that for me this year. I would love to see it, Cookie! Have a good weekend!

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  9. This was a fabulous post. I love Jane's idea as well. I think I need to work on that one myself.

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  10. Oh my gosh, doubled over laughing! Thanks for the hilarity and great ideas. We've just been invited to Thanksgiving with our son's soon-to-be-in-laws ... so I guess I'd better mind my p's and q's. xo

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  11. Too funny Katie! Everyone has Thanksgiving mishap memories! One year my brother-in-law was carving the turkey on the kitchen counter {after 3 Bloody Marys} and it slid off and flew across the kitchen and landed on the floor! Loved the Rosanne photo!
    Jenna

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  13. I want a tee shirt that says "No I Don't Look Like I Did 20 Years Ago" That should keep me from having to speak to anyone ever again. Thank goodness my daughter has ordered a fully cooked turkey from Whole Foods this year. It serves eight and only three of us eat meat. LOL
    Hugs, Laura

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  14. I agree with everyone. This is a howling funny post, that is just right for the holiday mayhem! Thank you for all the great ideas. I will post the link to this article on my social media.

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  15. Seeing your picture of potatoes in the dishwasher reminded me of a story from a friend. She and her husband renovated a house to RENT, and did a great business, with short term rentals. They rented to a couple from Thailand (which is great, but sort of unusual in Texas), and when they went to check if the house was in good order after the tenants left, they found that FISH had been cooked in the dishwasher. Yes. True story. New dishwasher. All you need to know.

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  16. What a fun post! Thanks for the laughs! Have a great day!
    xoxo
    Lovely
    www.mynameislovely.com

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  17. Kudos to Jane for sharing that heartfelt note. Great post. I love to watch the dog show.
    Lot of giggles and more here. Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving.

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