Mentally Preparing to Host Thanksgiving Dinner Without Losing Your Mind

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a big deal, whether it's the first time you've done it or the fifteenth. Thanksgiving Day dinner can be a joy remembered throughout the year, and one of the primary benefits to hosting Thanksgiving is that you get to (somewhat) control the course of the day. However, channeling the following emotions will serve you well as you embark on Thanksgiving Day preparations.

Acceptance: The dinner is in your home so in theory you can control what goes on the table and when. Now that you've gotten that idea in your head, let it go and prepare for chaos to ensue. Aunt Hilda to bring lime Jello instead of pumpkin pie, both of your children will pick today to learn to play catch inside the dining room, and the gas grill will run out of propane mid-cooking. The sooner you purge the ideal of a perfect Thanksgiving dinner from your mind, the more likely you are have less stress and a wonderful day.

Patience: Just because you clearly stated that the Thanksgiving meal would start promptly at 4 p.m. and asked that people arrive 30-60 minutes prior, does not mean this will happen. Likewise, you will probably have too many or too few cooks in the kitchen. Take a deep breath, big gulp of Beaujolais Nouveau, and/or a minute to yourself and calm down when things inevitably do not go according to plan.

Sense of Adventure: The holidays are wonderful because they combine good eating with family time. But the holidays are also stressful because they combine good eating with family time. Many family members don't get together regularly and this can make for some tense conversations as the evening wears on. Likewise, many individuals don't cook large-scale meals on a regular basis so the food may not turn out as planned. In both instances, a strong sense of adventure (and humor) will make the Thanksgiving dinner run smoother.

Happiness: It is not every day that groups of friends and family get the opportunity to spend time together. Thanksgiving Day may be one of the few meals during the year that many friends and family gather and eat together. Take whatever arises in stride and be happy with the little things that make everyone smile. In a few years no one is likely to think about a slightly dry turkey but everyone will remember laughing about how Uncle Bill ate almost the entire apple pie.

By channeling Thanksgiving Day stress into the more helpful emotions of acceptance, patience, sense of adventure, and happiness, you can fully enjoy the dinner, and all of the bumps that come along with it.