How to Have a Slow and Intentional Thanksgiving This Year

We all can feel it. Thanksgiving has somehow turned into a marathon of grocery runs, overloaded schedules, and the “ smile for the photo” moments. It all seems so performative and stressful these days.  We are all trying to “win” Thanksgiving rather than enjoy the celebration of thanks. 

So, what if this year, we hit pause and brought back the old-fashioned and slow Thanksgiving that we all used to love and enjoy? 

This year, the goal is to bring back the calm, cozy rhythm this holiday was meant to have. After all, it is a celebration of thanks. 

So let’s make some good old space for peace, pie, and the people we love. Here’s how to host or attend a slow and intentional Thanksgiving without the stress, comparison, or burnout. And you’ll actually enjoy yourself.

Simple Ways to Have a Slow and Intentional Thanksgiving

1. Cook at Home, But Only Make One or Two Things from Scratch 

Cooking at home is almost non-negotiable on Thanksgiving. I mean, this is an awesome way to slow down and do something relaxing instead of going to the store and waiting in line for the giant TVs.

But you absolutely don’t need to make everything from scratch. That is how you end up overwhelmed, and hating on Thanksgiving. Just pick one or two dishes that make the house smell amazing and your heart feel full. It doesn’t need to be hard or frustrating. Maybe you roast a simple pan of carrots with maple and thyme or bake a loaf of bread. 

If you’re hosting, focus on the dish that means the most to you, or something you genuinely enjoy making. Then let go of the rest. Store-bought pie still tastes great. And having a potluck kinda dinner is also great. 

RELATED: TOP THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES

2. Let others Help You

This is particularly important if you’re hosting. There’s a bizarre modern idea that Thanksgiving is the job of the hostess. The hostess has to cook, set the table, and clean up afterwards. This is entirely misguided and part of the reason Thanksgiving isn’t what it used to be. 

A slow and intentional Thanksgiving isn’t a one-woman show. Allow guests to bring a dish, assign someone to mash potatoes. Don’t be shy to ask for help. Your guests also want to feel helpful. Hosting doesn’t mean doing everything yourself. 

Let go of that pressure to make Thanksgiving feel effortless. Genuine warmth comes from togetherness, not presentation. Letting others help creates a sense of shared ownership, a connection.

Kids can help set the table. Friends and family can bring food. Just let go of the idea of “doing it all” and embrace “doing it together.” That’s what Thanksgiving is about. 

3. Plan Ahead

Like much in life, if you want your slow Thanksgiving to be smooth,  you need to plan. A little prep goes a long way. 

Write out what needs to happen, and when (nothing fancy, even a sticky note will do), and make sure you have everything you need to make the day happen. If there’s anything you need, whether it is kitchen essentials, table linens, or things for overnight guests, get them early so that you don’t feel rushed later. 

If you can, create a loose timeline to help you move through the day with more ease. You know, a simple timeline like when the turkey needs to go in, when you should start the rolls, and such.

4. Use What You Have for Decor 

We’ve somehow convinced ourselves that we need a new turkey centerpiece from Pottery Barn with matching Fall placemats every year to celebrate Thanksgiving. This is just modern consumerism speaking to you. 

Thanksgiving is about gratitude. And real gratitude is about noticing what is already abundant around us. So, no, you don’t need to spend a ton of money. 

Just think about it. November is rich with things that cost exactly nothing and will make for great decor if you DIY. Bare branches outside, the last stubborn leaves on the oak tree, pinecones in your backyard, pumpkins selling for a dollar because we are done with Halloween. It’s unbelievable what’s already provided by nature. 

You can even go simpler: a few apples in a bowl, a mason jar of dried flowers, and a plaid scarf as a table runner. 

And if you don’t feel like doing any of it, that’s okay, your home is already enough. No one will judge you because you don’t have a giant Fall wreath or Fall-themed salt and pepper shakers.

5. DON’T Shop on Thanksgiving, Don’t Even Plan to Shop

It’s unfortunate that Black Friday is immediately after Thanksgiving. Really unfortunate and probably the main reason for a ridiculous culture where we spend a few hours being grateful for what we have, and immediately after, we are in a frenzied hunt for more stuff. Never satisfied, it seems.

If you can help it, let the sales wait. Keep your focus on gratitude. 

Black Friday will still be there tomorrow. And when you let go of the need to “get” something, we make the room to simply be with what we already have.

And this isn’t a moral stand against capitalism or consumerism, far from it. I understand you might want to start your Christmas shopping early, get the best deals, and save a few coins, and you should do that. 

I just mean to let it go for Thanksgiving and get back to the shopping tomorrow. After all, Thanksgiving is the one day a year set aside for giving thanks; don’t start the shopping season on that day. Let’s allow gratitude to have its day. Let’s choose contentment. 

6. Take a Break from Screens 

Phones down. Eyes up. Keep your devices off the table, and if possible, out of the room. 

It’s just one day. Let the notifications wait. Allow yourself to actually connect with your friends and family and have deeper conversations. 

Sometimes we don’t even realize how much our attention is split. Our phones make it almost impossible to have real, genuine moments and gratitude. If you’re busy scrolling through other people’s “perfect” Thanksgiving posts, how will you appreciate what you have? How are you going to be thankful if you have a front seat view to seemingly “better” tables, food, and families? 

This year, go ahead and create little tech-free bubbles for the day. 

No phones while cooking, during dinner, or when sipping coffee and eating dessert, and even when playing some fun Thanksgiving games.

7. Embrace the Season, Don’t Just Rush Through it. 

Thanksgiving sits at the tail-end of Autumn. Beautiful time that rarely gets the credit it deserves. 

There’s something beautiful about the bare trees against gray skies, something grounding about the rare opportunity to stay indoors, put on some cozy socks, and light candles at 4 PM.

Yet most of us don’t get to enjoy this period. We allow the holiday madness and the December rush to outshine November. This is a disservice to Thanksgiving and November.

Gratitude requires presence. It requires you to actually be where you are instead of looking forward to where you’re going.

So, let Thanksgiving have its moment. Then we can get started on Christmas. 

8. Actually Give Thanks 

I don’t know what happened to us. I really don’t. It seems so obvious, the day is actually called “Thanksgiving.”  It’s self-explanatory. It is a chance for a genuine attitude of thankfulness. But alas, that’s not the case. 

Thanksgiving is now a performative holiday filled with fake love, fake gratitude, fake posts, and a lot of family drama. That’s why I ask..what happened?

This year, let Thanksgiving be about gratitude. Genuine, from-the-heart gratitude. Like it was meant to be. 

Whisper it to yourself in the kitchen. Write a few notes in your journal. Hug someone a little longer. 

Be thankful. For the chance to gather. The meal. The company. For life itself. Be thankful. 

RELATED: GRATITUDE PRACTICES TO START THIS THANKSGIVING AND HOLIDAY SEASON AND BEYOND.

9. Bring Out the Family Heirloom or Tradition

One of the core themes of Thanksgiving is togetherness and connection. It is the perfect holiday to dust off that old gravy boat or that used tablecloth that’s been passed down. Even the tiniest nod to family history can make the day. 

Don’t have any heirlooms. No problem. It is the perfect day to revive a lost tradition, or better yet, start one. Maybe it’s playing a certain record while cooking, maybe it is starting a gratitude jar, perhaps it is playing a fun, friendly Thanksgiving game. All these little touches can turn a simple meal into an unforgettable memory.

And it doesn’t need to be sentimental or showy, just something that reminds everyone this isn’t just another Thursday. 

10. Do Something Outdoors, Even Briefly 

A slow and intentional Thanksgiving is about gratitude and togetherness. And doing something outdoors, even briefly, is a good way to practice this. Without a doubt, spending time outdoors really grounds you. You acknowledge the season, the weather, and life in general, and realize exactly why you should be grateful. 

Maybe it’s a slow walk around the block, a family game of tag, or just sipping some mulled wine on the porch, wrapped in blankets and telling jokes. 

It doesn’t matter. Nature has a way of slowing us down and making us feel more present. It is a great way to anchor the day.

Final Thoughts 

We’ve turned Thanksgiving into a show. Perfect tables, perfect pictures for our socials, and exhausted hosts. But we don’t have to. In fact, we have to stop.

A slow Thanksgiving is about doing less for the sake of it. It is about doing what matters – and letting the rest go. 

You don’t need to prove anything. You don’t need to make it perfect. What your people will remember is how they felt: welcomed, cozy, and loved. And that’s what matters. 

Happy Thanksgiving, my loves. Until next time.