The Best Holiday of Them All

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

There are no presents to buy. No scratching your head to figure out what to get for your friends and family. No wrapping and shipping and fighting the lines at the post office.

The decorating can be simple. A nice tablecloth on the table takes care of it. No lights, no hauling boxes of ornaments and garland out of basements and attics.

Thanksgiving is all about the food and gathering with family and friends. It's about enjoying each other's company and celebrating all of our blessings.

And even if you're in charge of the feast, the food is pretty easy to prepare. Throw that turkey in a roasting bag, mash some taters, make a little gravy and put a little something green on the table (roasted asparagus is one of my favorites). Throw in a pumpkin pie and bada bing bada boom. You've got Thanksgiving covered.

Mmmm...we do love our mashed potatoes around here!

Of course you can go all out, but your guests will appreciate even a simple meal. And if you do screw it up -- and you have a sense of humor -- you and your family and friends will have a story to chuckle over for years to come.

My favorite Thanksgiving story came from a former colleague of mine. She loved to tell about the year she bought a new covered roaster before Thanksgiving. It happened to be a beautiful shade of blue. She washed it up, popped in her bird and when she took the cover off her roaster to check the bird it was blue.

Not slightly blue. Vividly blue. Like a pair of denim jeans.

And not just the outside. No siree. That bird was blue through and through. Her kids thought it was the funniest thing ever. So they all had a good laugh and every year they repeat the story.

So see? Something good can come out of even the most disastrous Thanksgiving meal!

Of course, if you're still feeling a bit overwhelmed, you can always call in reinforcements to help with the meal prep.

I just happen to be lucky enough to have a fairy on hand...

...and she's always happy to help make mashed potatoes!

Wishing you a Thanksgiving full of good food, laughter with family and friends, and, of course, mashed potatoes!

Christy