The holidays are here! It should be a fun way to spend time with family and friends, but it doesn't always turn out the way we want it to. Thanksgiving kind of gets overlooked, as people somehow move straight from Halloween to Christmas, but Thanksgiving is my favorite. Way less pressure, and great food!

The Insider has some tips for surviving  family get togethers during the holidays, and that starts out with Thanksgiving. Don't even think about doing the following things, if you want to have a peaceful and stress free Turkey Day. Cheers, and good luck, y'all.

 

  • Don't give a time that the food will be served, then serve it two hours later. Not only will people fill up on snacks because they weren't prepared, but the probability of them drinking more alcohol is also pretty great. And we are hungry!
  • Don't bring someone who wasn't invited. Not only is it rude, but they probably weren't invited for a reason. And there might not be enough place settings or food.
  • Don't make Jello Salad - just don't. Too many other delish options out there for you to pull this dinosaur out for a special holiday.
  • Don't talk politics - definitely not this year. There's bound to be a fight, and you know it
  • Don't ruin the main dish - you still have time to get on youtube and learn how to properly cook and carve your turkey.
  • Don't drop by unexpectedly - this is so rude, and again, there might not be enough food. People stress out enough about Thanksgiving being perfect, don't make it harder just because you didn't call before you came
  • Don't talk about your diet all day - we don't care. And this is the one day when we all might cut ourselves a little slack, and we don't need you on your high horse making us feel bad
  • Don't overeat - this could kill any activities you have for the rest of the day. And feeling bloated or sick is never fun.
  • Don't bring your brand new girlfriend or boyfriend - nobody likes to feel awkward, and if they are that new, it might not last until next year anyway. No need to get Grandma all excited and talking about marriage when you hardly know this person
  • Don't bring something different than what you said you were going to bring - most hostesses have done extensive planning for this festive meal, and you don't want to ruin it
  • Don't wait until the last second to go to the grocery store - not only is everyone buying all the same things, and shelves might be depleted, but you'll just add more stress to an already stressful day. Be prepared, because a lot of stores won't even be open on Thanksgiving
  • Don't go too far off the grid with the menu - now is not the time to whip out that recipe for lemon caper turkey, or gluten free salmon dishes. Stick to the basics, it's what people expect and love about Thanksgiving. A little twist never hurts, though.
  • Don't serve cranberry sauce right out of the can. This might be a little controversial, but you can always spruce it up a bit, without it looking like you just dumped it on the plate.

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