Nervous about hosting Thanksgiving dinner this week? Never fear! Daphne Brogdon of How to Be a Mom is here with tips for your Best Thanksgiving Ever! Daphne says Thanksgiving is a time when moms get to shine. I don't understand how the rest of the video relates to this statement. I was expecting a makeover scene where "Mom" spends the day at the spa and emerges looking relaxed and gorgeous. Whatever. Anyhoo, Daphne's vision of the perfect Thanksgiving is totally achievable ... depending on what your idea of perfect is. You see, there is Thanksgiving fantasy, and then there is Thanksgiving reality. Daphne shows both.
1. Start early! Set your table two days before the dinner. Fantasy: Table stays exactly how you set it for two whole days. Reality: Your table gets totally messed up because you live with people, specifically your children.
2. Get up early to cook that turkey. Fantasy: Turkey is ready on time. Reality: You may have to camp out in front of your oven at 5:00 a.m.
3. Make homemade meals simple ... by ordering delivery. Fantasy: You order delicious take-out. Reality: You order delicious take-out. Wait, actually, there doesn't seem to be a downside to this so long as no one finds out.
4. Have suggestions for what your guests can bring. Fantasy: Everyone can and wants to bring what YOU want them to. Reality: People bring whatever the hell they want. Hope you're up for three different ambrosia salads.
5. Make place cards. Fantasy: Everyone gets along and enjoys themselves. Reality: Family feuds that last decades originate at your table.
6. Play a friendly game of flag football. Fantasy: It's fun and everyone works up a healthy appetite. Reality: It's cold/rainy/snowy. Kids whine. People get hurt.
7. Engineer memories. Fantasy: Because you took pictures only when people are having fun, they won't remember everything that went wrong. Reality: They'll never get the stink of burned turkey out of their nostrils.
8. Go around the table and let everyone say what they're grateful for. Fantasy: Everyone delivers beautiful tributes to the bounty that is their lives. Reality: You're giving these people a venue for public speaking? Better rethink that.
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
Does your Thanksgiving dinner live up to the fantasy, or is the reality a bit messier?
Image via CafeMom Studios/YouTube