Thanksgiving Preparation Checklist and Tips

This holiday season, I'm feeling slightly uneasy about hosting a house full of guests for the holidays. I need to plan ahead and make sure we all enjoy our time together. No more talking about the election or the economy... Let's get back to just being together and enjoying a holiday meal. If you feel like I do, then check out my Holiday Meal Prep Guide to plan ahead. Once you have the menu under control, then you can tackle keeping your guests happy and focused on fun. Here are some of the easy, fun things I have planned for my visitors on Thanksgiving Day. I tried to select some games and activities that involve my guests being mindful towards each other. The best part is that these are things everyone, any age can enjoy together: 

Games:

• Thanksgiving bingo and or Pictionary are great games! All you need is a pad and some markers to play either. Pre-select a bunch of easy words that your guests can draw (such as "Pilgram", "corn", "pumpkin", "turkey", "cranberries" for examples). 
• Turkey Tag is super fun and silly! Players split up into teams with paper feathers. Pre-make the feathers in advance with construction paper and designate one color feather per team. Teams then try to tape the feathers onto other teams backs without the players noticing. The team with the most amount of feathers taped "unnoticed" wins! 
• Karaoke!! Everyone loves a great sing-along...even those of us who can't sing a note (guilty)!!

Crafts:

• Decorate Thanksgiving cookies! Simple sugar cookies with icing and colorful sprinkles are fun as well as delicious. I like giving everyone a designated person that they have to decorate a cookie for! It encourages care, thoughtfulness and participation. Wink! 
• Create a "Thankful Family Tree" together. Make the tree by drawing a blank tree without leaves on a large piece of oaktag paper. Then have pre-cut leaves on colorful construction paper, large enough for loved ones to write on. Have each guest write a "Thankful message" on the leaves and tape it to the family tree. This is another great time to designate persons to each guest. Wink, wink.

Get Outside:

• Go for a walk, run in a Turkey Trot, or go on a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. Fresh air and connecting with nature are extremely healthy for everyone and soothe the soul!