7 Flaweless Traditions For Your Thanksgiving

As a host or a guest in a home or restaurant, these are traditions to make your Thanksgiving full of Flawelessness!

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love to cook, to bake, to host and be with friends and family and this holiday’s got it all! I’m Canadian and in Canada we have Thanksgiving in October to celebrate the harvest. In the States, we come together the third Thursday in November and even in my hometown of NYC (the city that never sleeps), we stop and feel the peace that only food, friends and family can bring.

There are two key things that have great impact on my Thanksgiving traditions:

I’m Canadian born but grew up in the States so American Thanksgiving was not an extended-family get together. My Cousins, Grandparents, Aunt’s and Uncle’s celebrate a month before. My immediate family table always included the international colleagues of my Dad who found themselves here on this American Holiday as well as back packers my Mama picked up on their way to our little towns youth hostel.
Years in restaurants. Thanksgiving in the hospitality industry means either you are working or, if your restaurant is closed for the holiday, you don’t have enough time or money to go home to be with family. In my experience, of 100 employees, 20 might be able to head “home for the holiday”. Thanksgiving in a restaurant team means a lot of people who answer the question “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” with “Oh, I’ll be here. Gotta work Friday.”

7 Flaweless Traditions for Thanksgiving

METHOD

If you are hosting: Remember, nothing needs to be hot except for the gravy. In your days of preparation your oven is working overtime. Cook your pies and casseroles the day before. Set your table the day before. Cook your turkey in the morning on Thanksgiving day and when you take it out of the oven, let it “rest” for an hour. Put your casseroles in the oven to reheat and just about the time you are asking someone “Would you please do me the the honor of carving the turkey?” you begin the gravy. Then, place everything on the table or buffet for service and once everyone is seated, arrive last with the gravy boat, steaming hot, in hand.
- Pandemic Style: In 2020 my guest list was just Frith & Jason but I still made turkey with all the fixins’! My son had to adjust to so much that year; I didn’t want him to think that Covid took away Thanksgiving too. And I still made an 18lb turkey! I mean left-overs are the best part!
If you are going to a restaurant: Smile and say “Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for working today".” Say this to your server, your bartender, your busser, your runner, the manager and maître d'; anyone who “touches” your table or serves you. Then, leave a BIG fat tip. Nothing means more than your smile and a thank you but boy-o-boy, does a generous tip soften the blow that they are not with their family on this holiday.
- Pandemic Style: Wear your mask. The service professionals serving you do not have a choice but to serve you. When they approach your table to take your order, fill your water or clear your dish, mask up!
If your a guest in another home: Bring a host present. This is not the bread or cheese or casserole they asked you to contribute to the feast, but a gift. I love to give a pine scented candle or an ornament for their Christmas tree. Sometimes, if I am close enough to the host, I will offer my clean-up services in lieu of shopping on black Friday. I give them a card that writes “Thank you for hosting! I will be back at 9am tomorrow, with spiked coffee in hand, to be your elf until your home is spic-n-span!
- Pandemic Style: Get tested and quarantine before you enter their home. You don’t want to be one of those “Thanksgiving Covid Stories”.
If you are hosting: Everyone will ask “What can I bring?”. If you are like me you have the menu already planned out so you might ask for them to bring wine or champagne. If you are hoping for a lot of of help with the feast then you are probably handling the turkey and gravy but needing your guests to fill in the rest. Whatever the case, be specific! Rather than say “bring wine.” say “Would you bring 2 bottles of Riesling from Alsace, France? It will pair flawelessly with the turkey!” Or, “Would you take care of the sweet potato casserole? Something with lots of brown sugar and marshmallows? Let me know if you need a copy of my favorite recipe.”
- Pandemic Style: Ask that they get tested and quarantine before they come and tell them you’ve done the same.
If you are hosting: Plan a pre-dinner game. You’ll need a game that is not formal so you can keep plugging away in the kitchen. My favorite, that is a hit with all ages: Print out a picture of a cartoon turkey and place a few pieces of rolled masking table on the back. Introduce your paper friend to guests as they arrive. Explain that it is their job to place the turkey on the back of someone while avoid getting turkey’d them self. It’s a hoot!
- Pandemic Style: Set up Zoom Bingo with family and friends far and wide!
If you are hosting: Send your guest out for a walk after dinner and before dessert. This allows you to exhale and change the table over for dessert. #flaweless
- Pandemic Style: Definitely a walk and if you can move the entire meal to the patio do that too!
Whatever your role: Say grace and be thankful. Give thanks for the feast, for what happened this year that you are most grateful for, for health or life or friendship. Take the initiative to start the circle of thanks. I like to say “ I’d like to celebrate being here with you today by saying what I am most grateful for. Will you take my hand and join me?”. The most flaweless moments of my Thanksgiving life came out of me having the courage to start this gratitude dialogue. Go for it!