By Tia Cristy
Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday filled with gratitude, family, and, of course, an abundance of delicious food. While preparing a grand Thanksgiving feast can be rewarding, it can also be overwhelming, especially if you’re tackling it all on your own. Letting others help on this holiday can make the experience more enjoyable and less stressful, while also creating a sense of shared accomplishment and community. Here are some helpful tips on how to gracefully and generously accept assistance in and outside the kitchen to make the most of your Thanksgiving preparation:
1) Plan ahead and assign roles
Designing a game plan is key to creating a successful Thanksgiving dinner, especially if you have multiple people helping. Make a list of all the dishes and tasks that need to be done, then assign roles and divvy up tasks based on skills and preferences. Some guests might be better suited for certain jobs—whether it’s stirring, mashing, baking, or setting the table.
Actionable tip:
Make a shared list: Use an app or a sheet of paper, but make sure it’s a list that everyone can access. List out the dishes, who’s making them, and any recipes, special ingredients, allergies, or specific instructions.
2) Be Clear and Specific About What You Need
When someone asks, “How can I help?” the natural response is often to say, “Oh, I’ve got it!” But remember, if people are offering their help, they most likely want to contribute. Be clear about specific tasks that would genuinely lighten your load. For example, “Can you bring the green bean casserole?” or “Could you handle carving the turkey?” You don’t need to be the hero of the day. Trust me, everyone already knows how much credit you deserve for bringing the holiday together. So, let them help you.
Actionable tip:
Have a list of helper tasks ready: Break down specific responsibilities so you’re ready to delegate when someone asks to pitch in. For example, pour the wine, start the microwave, or wipe off that counter.
3) Encourage signature dishes
Allow guests to bring their own “specialties” to the table. This adds variety to the meal and lets your guests feel like they’ve contributed something meaningful that you know they’ll enjoy. Plus, it lightens your cooking load. Every year, I bring a dish that no one else wants to make, but everyone is happy when they see it hit the table.
Actionable tip:
Create a potluck-style sign-up sheet: Before the big day, invite people by group email or text to sign up to bring their signature dish or try out a new recipe. No one loves group messages, but it helps to do it this way so no dishes are duplicated.
4) Set Up Stations for Easy Collaboration
A cluttered kitchen can be chaotic. Make it easier for others to help by creating “stations” for food prep, serving, or dishwashing. This prevents people from stepping on each other’s toes (literally and figuratively) and allows everyone to work in harmony.
Actionable tip:
Organize prep areas: Set up a cutting board station for vegetable prep, a mixing area for baking, and a plating station to finish up the meal.
5) Trust Others to Handle Their Tasks
It can be tempting to micromanage every detail, but letting others take the lead on their assigned tasks will make everyone feel more involved—and it gives you a break. Trust that your cousin will cook the potatoes perfectly or that your friend will make a great salad, even if it’s a bit different than how you’d do it. If you find yourself not doing anything at the moment, breathe and absorb the love that surrounds you, so you can understand the true meaning of the holiday at hand.
Actionable tip:
Release control: Allow for flexibility and creativity from your helpers. Thanksgiving is about togetherness, not perfection. Who cares if the biscuits are a little darker than usual as long as they are still edible?
6) Ask for Help with Non-Cooking Tasks
Sometimes, the hardest part of preparing Thanksgiving dinner isn’t the cooking but all the other tasks—like cleaning, setting the table, or organizing the drinks station. These are perfect tasks to delegate.
Actionable tip:
Divide non-cooking responsibilities: Have someone set the table, another person in charge of beverages, and another on music or entertainment. It all contributes to the festive atmosphere. And I mentioned wiping down counters before… It’s not a bad idea to have a designated wiper. It can be fun for them and an asset to you.
7) Create a “Post-Meal Plan” for Cleanup
No one enjoys tackling a mountain of dishes after a big meal. Create a post-dinner cleanup plan that includes everyone, so that cleaning up is quick and painless. Assign dishwashing, drying, or packing up leftovers to different people.
Actionable tip:
When it comes to leftovers, my family has baggies on the counter, so everyone fills the bags of what they plan on taking home. Then, we put it into grocery bags for each person with their names on them and stack them in the refrigerator. Whatever is left over goes into containers for the refrigerator. Next, I recommend having a dishwashing rotation: Rotate people for washing, drying, and storing leftovers, so everyone shares the load, and cleanup gets done in a fraction of the time.
8) Express Gratitude and Enjoy the Process
It’s important to remember that Thanksgiving is about being together and giving thanks—not just about the food. Make sure to express your gratitude to those helping and enjoy the moments of connection.
Actionable tip:
Take a moment for a toast: Before dinner, raise a glass to thank everyone for their contributions and for making the celebration a collective effort.
And a bonus tip:
If your partner wants to deep-fry the turkey, be supportive, but have safety precautions. Deep-frying a turkey is as exhilarating as the hunt for some men, so let them have their moment in the holiday. However, make sure everyone is aware of all directions, safety, and where the first aid kit is if needed.
Caution:
The number one cause of accidents when deep-frying a turkey is the turkey wasn’t prepared for the oil. Make certain there are no frozen or wet areas left on the bird. Water and oil will never mix.
By sharing the load and embracing the help of others, you can ensure that your Thanksgiving dinner is not just a delicious meal but a joyful, shared experience. We are wishing you and yours a beautiful and stress-free Thanksgiving this year!
Tia Cristy
The most important thing about Tia is her way of cutting through the white noise and oversaturation of data to provide the most efficient and trusted information to others. Tia has been a radio personality for over 20 years. She’s the founder of Tips from Tia and CEO of Ready Speaker One, as well as an International Best-selling author, national speaker, and TEDx alumni. She has humbly earned the title of Personality and Tips Expert in Health, Family, Lifestyle, Home, and Beauty through radio, television, and print.
