How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Even In a Recession

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By Terria Fleming
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wild turkey

Gathering together with family and giving thanks for our many blessings is a tradition that has been celebrated in the United States for nearly 400 years now. When the pilgrims gave thanks for a good harvest, due in large part to the advice and help of the local Native Americans, they invited those same Native Americans to a Thanksgiving feast. The Native Americans not only showed up in large numbers for that first Thanksgiving, but they provided a large portion of the food for the feast.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Delicious Meal

Don't spend more on the Thanksgiving meal than you can afford to. Thanksgiving dinner in a recession doesn't have to be a huge expense for anyone. If you're having guests, then ask everyone to bring something. Most people love to make a special dish for the holidays and for those who don't there's always beverages or packages of dinner rolls, or pies from the bakery to contribute.

Don't wait until the last minute to get the ingredients for your Thanksgiving meal, but instead look for sales on the items you'll be purchasing. Many grocery stores put cans of olives, cranberry sauce, and stuffing mixes on sale during the holidays so buy during the sales and never pay more than you have to.
Step 2

Natural decorations

Turn to nature for frugal and beautiful Thanksgiving decorations. Go for a walk or a drive in the country and collect pretty leaves, pine cones to put in baskets on the table, acorns, and the like to use as decorations.

Be creative and flexible and try not to buy any Thanksgiving decorations at all, except possibly pumpkins, squash, and gourds, which can all be either eaten or used in crafts after the holiday is over.
Step 3

sunrise

Be thankful in spite of your financial situation this year. Remind yourself often that there are many people around the world with nothing at all to eat on this day. You are well and truly blessed to live in a country where we have so much.
Step 4

Travel for Thanksgiving as frugally as you can. Take a bus or a train rather than flying to family if that is possible.

Driving to a nearby Thanksgiving celebration dinner should be carefully thought out so as to use the least amount of gas, and money. Take food and drinks along with you in the car so you won't be tempted by fast food or gas station deli food.
Step 5

Dining

Entertain guests frugally. The focus should be on family and blessings and not on spending a bunch of money you can't afford doing things you really don't want to but feel you should.

Play board games, or charades, or card games, put together a jigsaw puzzle, or go for walks together. These are all fun family activities that cost nothing and are a good way to spend some fun time with the children in the family.
Step 6

Use real plates, cups, silverware, and napkins. Avoid throw-away anything. They're expensive and bad for the environment, not to mention the fact that real plates and napkins look so much more festive on a Thanksgiving table.
Step 7

Share what you can with the needy at Thanksgiving. Maybe you'll be able to help serve a holiday meal at a homeless shelter together as a family. It's good for your children to get involved in helping other people at an early age.

Often the Thanksgiving meal at a shelter will be held on a different day than your own Thanksgiving dinner so it won't interfere with your own Thanksgiving celebration plans to help others out in this way, and sharing what you have with others exemplifies the true spirit of Thanksgiving.