What Dishes Are You Dreaming Of For Thanksgiving?
We have barely made it through Halloween yet and I’m already craving my favorite dishes for Thanksgiving! Over the weekend I got an email about a prepared Thanksgiving feast from a local restaurant, and while it looked delicious, there are a few things that my family makes that just wouldn’t be the same from somewhere else! Obviously turkey and dressing are a given and most people add in a cranberry dish of some kind and some pecan or pumpkin pie. Green bean casserole is a pretty standard staple as are mashed potatoes and gravy. But now that I’ve started thinking about it, there seems to be a unlimited supply of “try this dish for Thanksgiving this year” articles everywhere I turn. I’m getting excited just thinking about it!
A Little Something Different
In our family we love Brussel sprouts but while I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, I have to say my mom makes them the best! Just a little salt and pepper and a nice coat of butter and roasting in the oven makes them so delicious. They pair up so nicely with creamy mashed potatoes but they work with dressing as well.
The All Around Standard
Speaking of dressing, it seems like there’s a plethora of recipes this year for “new” kinds of dressing. My grandmother was a huge fan of oyster dressing, but since she passed almost 10 years ago we have collectively phased that out of our dinner plans. Literally nobody else in the family liked it but nobody wanted to tell her! So what does your family do? Dressing or stuffing? Cornbread or white bread? Turkey stock or chicken stock? It seems every family has their own way of doing things!
The Necessary Extras
For me no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without deviled eggs! It’s simply a must! And several years ago I tried a homemade cranberry relish recipe that went over so well my family asks for it every year now. The funny thing is, even if I make it my mom still insists on putting out that can of jellied cranberry sauce every year and every year it gets eaten as well. I guess there’s just no going against some traditions.
Be sure to vote for your favorite Thanksgiving food with our Ultimate Thanksgiving Food Fight!
15 Ways to Help You Host this Holiday Season
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Are you ready to host this holiday season? Don’t stress. We are going to help.
I was definitely one of those people during the pandemic that put my Christmas decorations up entirely too early. My family needed it. Studies show that holiday decorations improve your mood, and it definitely did the trick those years.
Psychologist Deborah Serani told TODAY that holiday decorating creates a neurological shift that can produce happiness.
“I think anything that takes us out of our normal habituation, the normal day in, day out … signals our senses, and then our senses measure if it’s pleasing or not.”
Scientifically speaking, decorating for Christmas will make you feel good because it gives you a spike in dopamine. That’s the chemical that tells your brain, “Yeah. This is good.”
Why do Christmas decorations trigger happy feelings?
There are several different reasons:
- The bright lights
- The colors
- The excitement that comes when you light the tree for the first time.
We all remember this scene from Christmas Vacation. When those lights came on, it was magical! Until it wasn’t. But let’s not focus on that …
Family
You know what else releases dopamine? Spending time with people you love. It’s one of the benefits of the holidays! Your loved ones get together to eat and drink, catch up, and laugh.
Here we are now, a couple years out of the COVID “shut down” and life seems to be more hectic than ever. Having those couple of quiet years has made me more and more frustrated with the hustle and bustle of life at full speed. And what better way to improve your mood and to do a little decorating and spend time with those you love. Hosting for the holidays always seems like a good idea until it stresses you out. Let this list help you to enjoy the holiday season with less stress.
Please note that items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time we published this list. Have an idea for a fun theme for a gift idea list you’d like us to create? Drop us a line at [email protected].
Michelle is the producer for the Austin Rhodes show afternoons from 3pm-6pm on WGAC. She's known and been friends with Austin since they were both starting out in their 20's. She's been in the Augusta market on News Talk, Top40, Country and Rock radio on morning shows, middays and afternoons for many years. You also may have heard her in Charleston SC, Columbia SC, Savannah GA and even Des Moines Iowa! Michelle likes to focus her stories on local history, local happenings and local animals in need. She loves spending time with her rescue dogs, her horses and listening to fun new music.