My Merry Christmas

By Greta Johnson

Survive the Thanksgiving frenzy and preserve the season’s spirit with these time-saving tips designed to make Thanksgiving dinner preparation an absolute breeze for you.

The List Power --
Have you noticed how others can stay calm and composed despite all the buzz about Thanksgiving? The secret actually lies in making lists! Start your game plan with a list of the things that you have to do. Keep your list always with you so that you can consult it or otherwise add items to it anytime you want, and at the same time, tick off certain items as you go along.

Go For Meals In Minutes --
As everybody seems to be busy during the Thanksgiving holidays, it is always wise to keep easy-to-prepare meals on hand. Remember, you need not do all the holiday preparations in one whole day. You can opt for fast and easy preparations.

Pop Then Serve --
No need to slave over the turkey and all the giblets all day. You can always consider the oven-ready bird from Jennie-O Turkey Store that will save you time, cleaning, and seasoning. Just push the turkey inside the oven and it will be done in minutes. Some grocery stores, such as Whole Foods Market, offer pre-cooked side dishes as well, including mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, and bread stuffing.

Stop Then Shop --
Malls and grocery stores are swarming with people who are also preparing their own dinners for Thanksgiving, and these are most likely closed during the holiday itself. To save time, effort, and money, make a list of all needed purchases and buy them all in one shopping.

Accommodate Surprise Guests Right Away --
Expect surprise guests to pop up at your doorstep on Thanksgiving. The easiest way to entertain them is to open bags of snacks like popcorn, candies, and pretzels. For grown-ups, however, a serving of honey-roasted nuts, along with a few bottles of cold beer would be perfect.

Disposal Options --
You need not really pull out your precious chinas. Using disposable cups, utensils, and plates is more practical. This simply means less dishes to wash, all you have to do is shoot them into the garbage bag.

Clean It Up --
Make your bathroom spotless or at least look like it by tackling only the bowl. A clean toilet bowl is good enough. Nevertheless, if you still have an extra minute in hand, you can always give the sink a quick wiping. Lighting a scented candle to complete the task only takes a second as well.

Do Not Skip Getting Fit --
Although doing exercises is probably the last thing on your mind during this busy season, you need not skip it altogether. Before doing anything Thanksgiving-related upon waking up, you should try jogging in place and do a few crunches to perk you up and at the same time, boost your confidence.

Happy Thanksgiving --
Take advantage of modern technology and greet all your family and friends by sending them electronic cards through the Internet instead of the regular paper greeting cards. Aside from being time-friendly, they are cost-effective as well.

The Potluck Alternative --
If preparing everything for Thanksgiving dinner is simply overwhelming for you, assign family and friends who can bring the dishes that you and your guests can share with one another.

Pretty For The Holiday--
With all the things that need your attention, you could be forgetting how to stay pretty. Actually, you only need three make-up staples to help make you look fresh in just a minute or two. The three tricks of the trade are powder to remove oil, eyeliner to wake the eyes up, and lipstick for color.

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