Don’t Stress Remember Why We Celebrate Thanksgiving & What’s Important

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Buca di Beppo® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Thanksgiving is about spending time with friends and family enjoying one another’s company, not bickering back and forth because everything changed last minute.  I don’t think a person should be stressed out on Thanksgiving, but how often does that happen?  Last year I wanted to toss the turkey at someone, grab my baster and leave!  I didn’t care where, I just didn’t want to be stuck in my HOT house, overran with people, and the incredible two-day notice I was given from my mother.  Yup, not even a full two days before the holidays things changed and suddenly I was hosting Thanksgiving AGAIN.  Normally I wouldn’t mind, but two days I didn’t even have a turkey because we were supposed to be celebrating elsewhere.

Until last year, I didn’t understand why people went out to eat on Thanksgiving when they could do something with the family at home. Well, I get it now, it’s easier to relax, have fun, enjoy time with your happy family and eat good food.  Oh, and don’t get me started on the mess you will miss cleaning up because let’s face it, nobody ever cleans up just because they said so.  Truly, it shouldn’t matter what you do for Thanksgiving, where or what you eat as long as you are with those you care about.  If making reservations at your favorite restaurant is what you want to do, DO IT.  I used to feel like I had to impress everyone when I hosted, but it’s so not true, my family gathers because we want to spend time together.  Sure the food is a plus, but we would all get together regardless.

After last years fiasco, I understand why people eat out for Thanksgiving.  It elimates so much of the unnecessary stress so you can focus on the important things – time with the family!  Not to mention how much time eating out would save!  I don’t even know how much time it would save; I typically start preparing WAY in advance when I host any holiday.  Making reservations is a hell of a lot easier and saves a ridiculous amount of time, not to mention it’s less messy to eat out at one of your favorite restaurants like Buca di Beppo.

Buca di Beppo for Thanksgiving

If you are thinking about making reservations somewhere this year for Thanksgiving rather than cooking a turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, you may want to check out Buca di Beppo.  It’s a great place that offers authentic Italian cuisine in a remarkable eclectic, vintage setting.  They have family style dishes that are great for groups of all sizes and perfect for celebrating with family and friends.  Oh, and my favorite part is that you can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with your loved ones, conversate, and enjoy one another’s company and NOT STRESS the dishes and clean up!  Tell me that’s not awesome, lol.  We typically host holidays at our home, and the mess is something I never look forward to, and people tend to sneak off quickly after everyone eats, so they don’t have to help lol.  Maybe that’s not why, but it sure seems like that at times.

Buca di Beppo offers Thanksgiving Feast Reservations at Buca di Beppo as well as a Thanksgiving Party Pan Feast.  All you’ll need to do to enjoy a hassle free Buca Style Thanksgiving Feast by making reservations and showing up hungry and enjoy the day with family and friends without dishes!  If you decided to try Buca di Beppo Thanksgiving Feast Party Pans, there is a convenient curbside pick-up at most of their location. 

What comes in the Thanksgiving Feast?

I have to admit I am impressed with everything that is included in their Thanksgiving Feast.  It’s several classic Thanksgiving dishes we already love but with an Italian twist, such as:

• Choice of sliced white meat turkey
• Homestyle gravy
• Roasted garlic mashed potatoes
• Spicy Italian sausage stuffing
• Green beans
• Cranberry sauce
• And of course, pumpkin pie!

They all sound amazing in my opinion, especially the slice white meat turkey.  It’s almost been a year since I have had Thanksgiving style turkey and it sounds GREAT!  If you’re not interested in the Thanksgiving Feast, you’ll be happy to learn that Buca’s regular menu will also be available on Thanksgiving Day, and locations will open at 11:00 AM.  Be sure to make Thanksgiving reservations.

Buca di Beppo would have been the perfect solution to last year!  I was so stressed and sleepy because there was so much to do, looking back it would have been less stressful and a whole lot more fun to eat together as a family.  Last year made me realize that it wasn’t my mom’s late notice that screwed things up; it was me and my frame of mind.  I was focusing on everything the holidays are not about when nobody cared what we had, how the house look, or if I pulled out the right plates for dinner.  NOBODY CARED and they would have been there no matter what!  The holidays should not be stressful, and they shouldn’t take up days of your time.  You don’t have to be Suzie Homemaker while friends and family are around!  You need to make yourself available, talk, laugh, and enjoy spending time together!