We’ve decided we’re going to simplify Thanksgiving. Not copping out completely, just embracing the true spirit of California – good food, close friends, and a whole lot of gratitude for the place we call home.
We’re over it. And by “it” we mean all of it. All of the events that have turned into social media advertisements about how great our lives are. Promposals, College Decision Reveals, Gender Reveals, Engagement Announcements, and (gasp!) Holidays. On the whole, the stress of creating an elaborate event out of every one of life’s special occasions is just too much this year.
Californians are known for their casual, go-with-the-flow, beach bum vibe. So it’s not too hard to get us stressed out over fancy stuff. For this reason, we’ve decided we’re simplifying. Not copping out completely, just embracing the true spirit of California – good food, good friends, and a whole lot of gratitude for the place we call home.
Here’s how we’re doing it…
1. Wine in a can
Now, don’t mock wine in a can just yet. Have you tried it? Individual cans (like soda), that feature amazing wines, and a lower environmental impact.
To simplify Thanksgiving, we’re getting out the beach cooler, loading it up with ice, and filling it with wine, beer, soda, tea, and water.
Self-serve, no glasses to wash, something for everyone, and the post-dinner nap can be followed up with a good old-fashioned can smashing!
If you’re not familiar with canned wine, here’s an article that will help you find a good fit. Make sure you pick a wine that hails from California!
2. Simplify Thanksgiving with Appetizers fit for a Toddler
Of course, we did say simplify Thanksgiving. Let’s think back to basics here folks. If a toddler won’t eat it, we’re not serving it. Cheese & crackers, cut fruit, veggies & dip, are all simple, easy to assign someone who asks if they can bring anything, and for the most part allergen friendly.
You might want to grab a box of gluten-free crackers just in case. But focusing on real (not processed) food without a list of ingredients is the best prevention for most dietary restrictions.
3. K.I.S.S. Your Turkey
Keep It Simple Sister! It really doesn’t need to be a full 25lb bird roasted and basted to golden brown perfection. Simplify Thanksgiving with an alternative approach. Some options:
- Throw that bird on the barbecue
- Set up a turkey sandwich buffet
- Try grilling turkey burgers for a change of pace
- The turkey taco bar is certainly appropriate in California
Get creative, and get over the idea that everyone will hate you if you don’t prepare a traditional meal. And if they do? Well, the good news is you probably won’t have to feed them next year!
4. Salute To Sides If You Intend To Simplify Thanksgiving
Make your side dishes a gracious salute to the rich cultural history of the Golden State. This is also a great area to ask your guests to help out by bringing something. In our experience, such a diversity of cultures may just surprise you with your new favorite side dish. Besides, asking for help is always a great way to simplify Thanksgiving.
We’re big fans of Elotes (Mexican street corn) and stuffed queso fresco banana peppers that can be done on the grill. Both are meant to be eaten with fingers and fully customizable for the size and preferences of your particular guest list.
Need a recipe? Then check out our California Thanksgiving Pinterest board for our favorites. Super easy, and a million variations sure to please everyone.
You can also get some great grilling ideas if your kitchen oven and stove are doing overtime already on Thanksgiving.
5. Dare To Be Different Desserts
Everyone loves dessert, so it’s hard to make anyone too angry with this one – unless you just skip dessert altogether. That might cause a riot, and we don’t recommend it!
We DO recommend, however, skipping the pie. In our opinion, the only people who would get mad about you not having made pie – are people who have never made a pie. If they’ve never made a pie they don’t get a vote.
Here are some alternatives to consider:
- Cupcakes
- Donuts
- Ice cream sundae bar
- Cookies
Homemade or store-bought, it doesn’t matter. Many bakeries and artisan shops will have gorgeous decorated desserts, so even the simplest cookie will impress.
One of our contributors bought each guest at her Thanksgiving table their own ice cream pint of their favorite flavor and put name labels on all of them. Clearly nobody should be complaining about that!
6. Simple Tablescapes That Still Say Effort
In California, the green approach is actually on-trend. The most elegant table settings can be the epitome of simplicity.
We listed a few ideas to get you started with decorating your dinner table.
- Mini succulents add greenery down the center of a table and can be used throughout the home all year.
- Do you have rosemary bushes? You can collect pine cones with the kids, or even pick lemons off a tree (or the local grocer), It can all be artfully arranged.
- In our house, we were lucky to have linen napkins (a ton from a restaurant closeout) so the rest was just changing up ribbons or twine. When the white linens begin to show their age, we just dyed them.
- If you really are a free spirit, you can collect random plates from the local thrift store. We had to do this one year during a move. One of our kitchen boxes went missing so we just had fun with it.
Need more inspiration? Head over to our Pinterest board California Thanksgiving to find everything you need to create an easy, yet stylish table.
7. Simplify Thanksgiving By Embracing the Kinship Spirit, Drop the Need to Please
In reality, if you try to make everyone happy, you will be miserable, guaranteed. When it gets overwhelming, opt for the potluck approach.
One of those chaotic Friendsgivings a few years back we asked everyone to bring their family favorite for all to enjoy. We took on the turkey and wine but left everything else in the hands of friends. Honestly, it was one of the more delightful Thanksgivings we’ve had. In fact, the result was a collection of food that was as diverse and eclectic as the group gathered around the table.
Whether you go all-out to embrace simplifying this year, or you just learned an idea or two to make your life easier, we’re truly thankful that you stopped by our blog to see what we had to say. From all of the contributors at Savvy Cali Girl, we hope your Thanksgiving is filled with love, laughter, and gratitude.
