Finalizing Your Thanksgiving Preparations

Are you finalizing your plans for this year’s Thanksgiving celebration?  Perhaps you’re hosting this year and aren’t exactly sure how to begin the preparation.  Here are a few helpful tips from Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo for all of you Thanksgiving hosts out there to keep the holiday stress-free and smooth sailing.

Remember, you don’t have to do it all.  Let your guests bring their favorite side dish that way, you don’t have to slave away in the It’s nice to have guests share and enjoy their traditional dish at your table – just like the Pilgrims!

Decorations: Make it fun for everyone—have some craft time with the kids where they can create the decorations.  You could do the classic Turkey by tracing their hands and then have them decorate the turkey.  Create a festive atmosphere with these cute Thanksgiving decorations.

Be prepared and plan ahead. Start cooking dishes or prepping them the day before.  This will make Thursday go by much more smoothly and it allows you more freedom to mingle with family and friends.

•Menu in hand, think about what order you need to cook what dish on Thanksgiving Day. Can you make your pies the day before? Your bread? Think it out & if it helps you, write down a "cooking schedule."

•Bake your pies on Wednesday. If you prepared and froze your pie crusts, take them out of the freezer and thaw them first. Cover & refrigerate the finished pies.

•Set the table on Wednesday, if you haven't already. You can cover it with a clean sheet to protect it from dust.

•Make your salad; cut up veggies for a relish tray if you haven't already. If you're making any gelatin molds, make them a day ahead and refrigerate.

•Check your grocery list one last time to make sure you aren't missing anything. Stores are usually closed all or most of the day on Thanksgiving.

Things to do after Thanksgiving Dinner. There’s nothing wrong with just sitting around and talking.  Some may find, though, that the more restless of their relatives may need some activities to get them talking and sharing and opening up. 

•Reinvent “game day”.  Post dinner; fight the tryptophan sleep urge with a round of old-school parlor pursuits – from charades to Old Maid.

•Go for a walk. I know simple, but sometimes we forget the simple things. Is there a child or spouse you have not spent much time with lately in all the flurry of activity? Invite them along and talk about the dinner or the day or even swap Christmas lists or wishes.

•Pick a movie to go see in the theater. This is a great way to unwind after a long week, and face it; the cook probably needs some time off her/his feet!

•Play touch football. I think this activity is even more fun for those of us who are not usually coordinated or sporty. Anyone can toss a football a couple of feet and run and there is little danger of injury if you stick to the “touch not tackle” rule.

It’s Thanksgiving, so enjoy the day with your loved ones because whatever you do, will be time well spent!  Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Cinderella Carpet One.

I bet you didn’t know that Martha Stewart put Cork flooring in her kitchen?

Yes, she did and it was a member of the Carpet One family that was able to help her choose and install her new cork flooring.  Watch a segment of the Martha Stewart Show, as she shares information and tips on cork flooring as a sustainable/green design alternative.

Cork flooring isn’t a new concept.  These floors have been used in the U.S. since the turn of the century.  Recently, the appeal of green or environmentally friendly products has prompted a renewed interest in cork flooring for the home. 

Best For: Traditionally, it’s been used in libraries and churches for noise control but now you see it everywhere.  It is especially good for kitchens, family rooms, living rooms. 

Benefits:

Comfort & Softness:  The air trapped inside the cellular structure of cork provides a natural shock-absorbing feel to the floor.  It’s great for applications where you are standing a lot providing relief for your feet, back and legs.

Beauty:

Cork has a natural beauty rivaled by few other natural materials. It comes in many colors and different manufacturers provide various tile shapes and patterns as well.

Noise Reduction:

The same structure that makes cork so comfortable also reduces noise and vibration.  Unlike hard surfaces like tile and wood, cork is quiet and reduces impact noise.

Healthy and safe:

Cork has natural properties that are anti-allergenic and resistant to insects.  Cork is naturally resistant to rot and fire and it has natural properties that are anti-allergenic and resistant to insects. 

Helping protect the environment is everyone’s business and at Cinderella Carpet One in Salinas and San Luis Obispo we offer products that help make our environment cleaner, greener and healthier.  Visit us today at our showroom at 6 Rossi Circle in Salinas and we will introduce you to our Montado Cork flooring made from a naturally sustainable resource.