This Thanksgiving, Give Thanks for Less Stress

It's already November. Personally, I can’t believe it. Despite that, I am eagerly looking forward to the holidays, first of which is Thanksgiving! As great as Thanksgiving is, it can also be pretty stressful- from traveling to cooking to family, there is a lot going on. At CrowdCompass by Cvent, our job is about making other’s lives easier and less stressful with our mobile event apps. We want to help you have a stress-free Thanksgiving this year by providing you with some simple ways you can stay organized and impress your guests this holiday season.

Apps

Our lives revolve around apps. Or do apps revolve around our lives? Either way, apps make our lives a lot easier. Here’s a selection of apps we think you could (and should!) use this holiday season:

• Timer+: I love my phone’s built-in timer, but with the sheer volume of holiday cooking its single timer doesn’t cut it. I need to keep track of two different pies, a turkey, and stuffing – all of which need to be turned and checked at different times. Even using the oven timer, my phone, and my microwave timer, I can’t keep up! Timer+ is a great solution. I can set up multiple unique timers and keep track of everything much easier!
• Allrecipes: Did you just find out your 14-year-old niece is now a vegetarian and your cousin’s toddler is lactose intolerant? Do you still need to plan a holiday meal reminiscent of the Thanksgiving's you all remember growing up? If yes, Allrecipes is a great option for you! Set the dietary restrictions, number of mouths you need to feed, and any time constraints you have, and let it provide you with recipes that fit your criteria.
• Instacart: It is almost inevitable that you will have forgotten at least one crucial ingredient. Similar to Postmates and UberEats, simply order what you want from the app and have them delivered to your front door! Now you can continue making that pie while you wait for your ingredient(s) to arrive.

Put Down the Phones

Our phones and the plethora of apps they provide us with are great, but the holidays are all about spending time with friends and family. Make sure you remember to put down your phone and live in the moment with some of these suggestions. Thanksgiving is one of the few days where it isn’t just acceptable, it is expected that you will eat your weight in mashed potatoes and turkey. Feel a little bit better about this by going on a Thanksgiving Day run or walk! There’s hundreds of local Turkey Trots out there for you to register for, and most support local charities. Feel better physically and smile knowing you supported a good cause. The idea of having a big family meal is wonderful until you remember your dining room table comfortably fits six, and eight is really pushing it. Folding tables are your friend – grab a few from Target or Costco and a few extra chairs to have a place for everyone! While plastic tables aren’t very nice to look at,  you also don’t want to spend a lot on fancy table decor. Instead, use butcher paper and lay some crayons around the table with a prompt for “what are you thankful for?” My mom did this a few years ago at Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! From the little kids to the grandparents, everyone had fun writing down what they were thankful for and then coloring and playing tic-tac-toe with their neighbors. Bonus, no one cared when stuff got spilled on the table either! Do you have any favorite Thanksgiving celebrations or apps you use to stay organized during the holiday season? Share them below.