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Thanksgiving Prep {& $200 Target Giftcard}

This is a sponsored post. Thank you for supporting SITC.

This post is sponsored. Thank you for supporting SITC.

As the kids grow older, each year the anticipation for the upcoming holiday seems to start brewing earlier. I remember getting a Halloween catalog in the middle of summer, and the kids choose their costumes immediately. I ended up ordering their costumes by September 1, and I recall carrying the box upstairs on the elevator, with surprised reactions by friendly neighbors who thought it was so early for costumes. Now with Halloween behind us, it’s all about Thanksgiving prep. Thanksgiving for me is the kick start to the holiday season, gearing up for the new year, and taking part in all the fun traditions we share together as a family. The kids are on their best behavior as they wait for Santa, especially with the help of our “Elf On The Shelf” (actually, Elves on the Shelf in our house), who make their debut on Thanksgiving night. I have to say that the holidays have come even earlier this year with wreaths and lights already strung throughout the streets of NYC- it feels like it’d never been decorated this early.

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The holidays are probably some of the most memorable experiences for kids, and they make for some of the most fulfilling moments as parent. The sparkle in their eyes is just so magical to watch, and the excitement is something that only happens during this time of year. I’m proud to say I have hosted Thanksgiving dinner, but Thanksgiving is typically spent at my parents house, and they love every minute of cooking it up!

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I may not be in charge of making the actual turkey, but there are tons of side dishes and desserts that I look forward to preparing for this festive day. Some of my favorites are: Butternut Squash Soup, Homemade Cranberry Sauce, Stuffed Artichokes, and this year, I will be attempting Chocolate Chip Scones!  And, at this age, the kids are really into helping me prep and bake.

Another big thing we have planned this year is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We have only seen the floats in person when they were grounded, while being inflated, the day before the parade.  It’s something I’ve always wanted to experience, and I feel this is the year all three kids will really appreciate it.

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This weekend, we took the kids to Target, to start our Thanksgiving and holiday prep. While it was too early to shop for the food for Thanksgiving, we were able to stock up on just about everything else. Target was in full-on holiday mode, and they had plenty of holiday decor for the celebrations ahead. The kids were in their absolute glory as they each chose a fun character ornament for our Christmas tree. We picked up the sweetest Advent Calendar, a new Angel for our tree, the perfect Thanksgiving garland to hang on our mantel; and I even found new duds for our “Elves” Chippy & Snowflake. The trip totally got us all into the holiday spirit, especially when we took a walk down the toy aisles…the kids were practically screaming out their Christmas lists.

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If you need a little help getting into the holiday spirit, I am giving away a $200 gift card to Target that will certainly help you get there! Follow the rafflecopter below & Good Luck!

Target $200 Giftcard

Thank you Target for sponsoring this post. 

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50 thoughts on “Thanksgiving Prep {& $200 Target Giftcard}”

  1. Mine is an all-year event, in that I like to make gifts. I can save a lot buying supplies on sale, and take my time making things. I also keep looking for new recipes to try ahead for the holidays.

  2. This year prep is all new as we are in our new home! So it will be filled with days of food prep snd decorating!

  3. My kids and I prep the night before as far as food goes. We find at least two new recipes to try out and we bake as a family. I get up before them and start them they join in and help me cook other dishes and new recipes. We also go to inlaws and help them cook too. Busy day. We also see float inflation day before and hope to see the thanksgiving day parade this year.

  4. Thanksgiving is a big deal in my family. We were supposed to go to my parents, but my inlaws are now hosting us in their apartment in Queens. We’ll go up to their house upstate to spend the long weekend.

  5. We have my parents over for Thanksgiving dinner. We prep a couple of weeks before, buying everything we need for the dinner. Then after Thanksgiving, we shop for Christmas, buying decorations and looking for deals for gifts online and in the stores. My kids help me decorate.

  6. For the actual dinner:since hubby is the cook, I focus more on the decor and entertaining aspect. So that means planning a festive tablescape-whether it’s buffet style or sit down. I use some pieces from years previously and incorporate new ideas- especially now that Pinterest is around! As for overall holiday prep I love to collect pieces over the years my kids and I can enjoy decorating with. We don’t have a big budget, so we love places like Target to find things that will come back out year after year!

  7. Last year we didn’t have a kitchen so we had Thanksgiving at a restaurant. We actually enjoyed the experience so much (the restaurant part, not the not having a kitchen part) that we’re going to have dinner out again this year!

  8. This year my husband and I will have baby Gabby with us for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We will be traveling to Washington, DC and Toronto. Fun!!

  9. This is our first holidays with our little one. We will be visiting family for thanksgiving. Than start to decorate for Christmas.

  10. I haven’t done Thanksgiving in a while, so holiday prep starts with looking up menu ideas that will make everyone happy…not an easy task. Food shopping list is next. It was a great suprise to find out I will be off the day before for all of the cleaning and chopping that will ensue.

  11. I am BEYOND excited for the holidays this year because I finally have an apartment I love and can’t wait to start decorating it! Since I am originally from the Midwest where the holidays are accompanied by cold weather, changing leaf colors, and snow, getting in the holiday spirit down in Florida will be quite the challenge! I already visit Target at least once a week (sometimes twice if it’s been a rough week and I need retail therapy) so this gift card would be perfect 🙂

  12. We actually already started decorating – our tree and indoor decor is up as of Sunday. I am 36+ weeks pregnant and we knew that if we waited any longer I either wouldn’t be able to help as much or I’d be busy with a newborn while my hubby and older 2 decorated!

  13. My favorite is searching Pinterest & my stacks of cook books for recipes. This year I’m going home, so I am off the hook for all cooking really, just helping… but I am bringing a pie. Oh the many pies to choose from!

  14. I’m just getting into the prep, setting up our Thanksgiving plans. We don’t do any Christmas prepping until after Thanksgiving 🙂

  15. I decorate my tree on Thanksgiving weekend. I usually do Black Friday shopping, just because of tradition. Do a lot of my shopping online. Do a little shopping at the actual store.

  16. Not much prep in this house for Thanksgiving, since it’s a tradition to have dinner over at my grandmother’s house. We usually prepare one Thanksgiving dinner side and some pre-course appetizers. But we do lots of prep for Christmas since we celebrate a few times, with different family members!

  17. I cook everything for thanksgiving and have guests bring appetizers and finger food. And as soon as the dishes are done I go into full effect for decorating for Christmas

  18. I cook everything for thanksgiving and have guests bring appetizers and finger food. And as soon as the dishes are done I go into full effect for decorating for Christmas

  19. i usually decorate the inside of my house first (last week of november) and then first week of December my husband helps me decorate the outside. that way i am not overwhelmed

  20. I am getting ready for Thanksgiving Dinner now : Planning menu, shopping list, do ahead dishes, ordering pies! For Christmas already did some shopping for new grandbaby. Lots more prepping to do.

  21. Thinking of hosting this year…hubby will make the turkey on the big green egg and I will do potatoes and some classic russian/ukrainian side dishes.

  22. Holiday prep is pretty simple up in here! We have a few standard decorations and traditions, but we like to leave room for whatever may come up each year!

  23. Thanksgiving isnt really decorating but I make all the sides and desserts and my mother in law makes the bird and a ham. Christmas is the same but I love to make all the decorations, I started small and add something new every year!

  24. Tiffany Holtzinger

    For Thanksgiving, my dad will make the turkey as usual. Since the holiday will be celebrated at our home, I will make mostly everything else. Everyone will bring odds and ends. I MUST make a detailed list this year (and preferably more than the day before). I believe we will be decorating our Christmas tree this year, on Thanksgiving as well. My birthday will most likely be celebrated that same day since it’s the day before (11/26). I can’t wait but I’m a tad bit sad that my parents are no longer together and I’m hoping for the day to run as smoothly as possible. They’ve promised it will since we have kiddos. Happy Holidays!!

  25. My kids have the whole week of Thanksgiving off, so I’m putting together a list of must-do’s to fill up our days and make memories. This year we are invited over to our friends’ home for Thanksgiving dinner and haven’t received an assignment yet. But until then, I’ll be slowly transitioning from Fall decor into Christmas decorations. By the Saturday after Thanksgiving, our house will be decked out for Christmas. And then we have so many fun traditions to keep up with, the whole month of December will probably breeze on by.

  26. Every year we go to my grandma’s house. I always make a dessert and usually my signature chocolate covered chow mein noodles. It’s always a hit! Plus coordinating the outfits for the family

  27. I plan to do most of my shopping online this year. All of my extended family will be out of town for Thanksgiving so we will celebrate, cozy & warm at home. ❤️

  28. We bring our three loves to my sister in laws house.. I am in charge if the candied yams!!
    Thanksgving is such a fun relaxed holiday all preparing us for the holiday RUSH!!!!:)

  29. We usually get together with my husbands family and prep a variety of side dishes the night before and the day of to bring and share for Thanksgiving dinner then just spend the rest of the day relaxing and spending time together. Afterwards we pull out our Christmas tree and let the little ones decorate it in preparation for Christmas!

  30. I host Christmas dinner every year, so I always begin in mid-November by decorating the house and planning my menu. In early December, I make sure to get my Christmas shopping done and the presents wrapped, so they are one less thing to do on Christmas Eve. In mid-December I begin pulling out the platters and serving ware, and I label them with post-it notes, so that I know which dish goes on which plate. From there, I wash the china, set the table, and get ready for the big day.

  31. In my family, each person is responsible for bring something, that way it isn’t all left up to one person. It makes it so much less stressful. My mother and grandmother make the turkey, and my sisters, cousins, and aunts bring all of the sides & desserts.

  32. I dont have much prep. Im only shopping for one person but would like to get her some really nice things. We are going out to eat for Thanksgiving so no cooking or cleanup! woohoo!

  33. This will be the first Christmas in our new house and my son’s first Christmas. I am prepping by trying to find ornaments that are safe (plastic vs glass) and finding him a stocking to match the ones we have 🙂

  34. It’s going to be kind of a quiet holiday here – not a lot of visitors. So we are decorating pretty simple and making a lot of crafts and gifts to send out and take to friends and family!

  35. I get ready for the holidays with my teenagers they help me get the house together and shop and I do all the cooking My girls bake.

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