It’s About People, Not Perfection: A Thanksgiving Sanity Pledge

I pledge to make Thanksgiving about people, not perfection.

That means:

• I’m going to choose the least stressful, rather than the most impressive, way of organizing furniture and setting a table. Less to set-up and less to take-down make the day easier on everyone involved.
  
• I’m going to use dishes and silverware no one has to feel bad about breaking or bending.
• I’m going to set things up ahead of time, so guests can spend their time talking together rather than rushing to carry out last-minute tasks. But…if I forget something, I’m not going to give up one minute of enjoyment to stress over a detail that doesn’t matter. Misplaced cloth napkins or less than three varieties of corn does not a disaster make.
• I’m going to sit and eat and talk rather than jumping up to clean or put things away prematurely. People only gather from time to time. Cleaning will be there later.
• I’m going to let other people help with cleanup. Tablecloths and napkins into the laundry, dishes into the sink…many hands make light work.
• I’m not going to insist things be done a certain way, as long as they are done. Striving for someone else’s version of perfection is a bad way to spend a holiday.

What other things are you going to do or let go of to make your Thanksgiving about people and not perfection?