Thanksgiving is just days away. I figure at least 1/5 of the families who celebrate Thanksgiving in this country also play host — that’s a lot of stressed out folks wondering if they have forgotten an ingredient… or Grandma’s gravy boat.
So we at Renovate Your World have assembled a helpful Holiday Host Emergency Kit list for all those households out there preparing for the hungry herd of in-laws and their offspring:
1) Hydrogen Peroxide. For wine stains on rugs or dresses. (It’s Thanksgiving. Spills happen. Accept it and just be prepared to deal.) And this removal tip gets a five-star rating from readers.
2) CLR toilet and sink de-clogger. Let’s face it, a mid-dinner toilet clog is worse than burning the turkey.
3) TurkeyTimer iPhone App: Any excuse to whip out the iPhone, right? This App will help you determine how long it takes to cook your turkey and track your turkey’s brownness. It will even prompt you to baste.
4) A good game. Novice hosts will need a good 2-hour distraction when they realize the bird isn’t even CLOSE to being done.
5) An extra place setting. When a neighbor or long-lost cousin stops by unexpectedly, right before you’re sitting down to eat. Forget formal dining — just have some sturdy paper plates on hand.
6) Ingredients for an Old Fashioned. “Mad Men” fever has taken over. All the gents of drinking age will want one.
7) A Jigger Cube to mix the above.
8) Exit Strategy: Some coordinated movements by the host family that say “Okay, Thanksgiving is over. It’s time for everyone to leave!” As a last resort we suggest someone sneak away and pull the main breaker, interrupting power to the whole house. Nothing ends Thanksgiving faster than no heat or electricty.
9) A dog. While they might hop on guests, they make clean up less of a chore. Don’t have a Rufus to call your own? We’re sure one of your neighbors underestimates the value of a hungry hound.
Got anything to add to the list? Share it in the comment section below!
