My Favorite Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and has been for years. I think it's the fact that it kicks off the holiday season, it's around my birthday and it's centered around food. As I've gotten older, I've begun to appreciate celebrating at home with my family even more. We usually cater Thanksgiving (I know, it's pretty wild) and I make a side dish or two and dessert.

I love spending the night before Thanksgiving getting myself together, starting to cook and putting the final touches on the Thanksgiving tablescape. There is just something so special about this holiday and it really warms my heart.

Today I wanted to just talk about a few of my favorite things having to do with Thanksgiving from food and recipes to drinks, traditions, and decor! I wanted to bring the beauty of Thanksgiving straight to Royally Pink and of course, to all of you.

Food

For the past 5 years, my family has catered Thanksgiving dinner from an Italian deli in my neighborhood. It never really bothered me because it's so delicious and it makes the holiday a lot less stressful. 

Because I'm Italian, we also have some sort of baked pasta on Thanksgiving as a first course, because clearly, Thanksgiving food is simply not enough.

I always make mashed potatoes in the Crock Pot (Because the dinner only comes with sweet potatoes) and I make dessert. We get dessert with the dinner but I like to make something extra special.

Last year I made a Cinnamon Roll Apple Pie but this year I'm going to make Hand Apple Pies. Both ideas came from Buzzfeed's Tasty and are relatively easy. I'll also probably make cookies of some kind, hopefully, I can find the Pillsbury Turkey Cutout cookies.

Drinks

I'm not a big drinker anymore; since graduating college and going on anxiety medicine, I really cannot handle my alcohol. I mostly drink wine and champagne so on Thanksgiving morning/afternoon, I love Apple Cider Mimosas. The past three Thanksgivings I've made them and they are a huge hit. You can definitely use Vodka instead of Champagne but it's so simple to make, just replace orange juice with apple cider! 

Decor

At the start of the Fall season, I put out all of the generic Fall decor; scarecrows, pumpkin, little wooden quote boards. I even decorate with beautiful, empty candle jars if they match. For Thanksgiving, I pretty much keep it the same but I put up a 'Thankful' banner I printed out from May Designs years ago and then accent that with a brown tablecloth and matching place cards. 

*Just for reference, I still live at home with my mom but I say 'I' do these things because I actually do. I'm kind of in charge of decor and making the house cozy for the holidays because I care so much about that 'feeling'. 

Outfit

When it comes to what I wear on Thanksgiving I need to be comfortable because I'm eating so much and helping out in the kitchen, but I still want to remain in the spirit. Below are a few pieces that could definitely work for Thanksgiving, just pair with your favorite pair of pants! I can't forget about my Thanksgiving Jack Rogers that I try to wear all November but especially for an hour or so (because I hate walking around my house in shoes) on Thanksgiving! 

How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

xoxo

B