This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gallo Family Vineyards. All opinions are 100% mine.
The very first time I attempted to make my own Thanksgiving turkey, I stood at the kitchen counter staring down the barrel of a 16 pound bird, as I tried to figure out what - and where - the giblets were. It was our first foray into hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and the experience was equal parts mixture and trepidation. After unsuccessfully deciphering the diagram, we made an emergency call to the queen of holidays, my mother. It pretty much all went downhill from there. It turns out giblets require a thorough exploration of the turkey's cavity...one that my weak stomach was not able to handle. Needless to say, I now only participate in Thanksgiving by bringing along a ton of side dishes and desserts. Desserts are my specialty anyway, what was I thinking?!
That wasn't the only lesson I learned that first Thanksgiving either. From then on, I no longer waited until the week before the holiday to do my holiday grocery shopping. THINGS SELL OUT.
We also learned that deep frying requires constant supervision if you don't want a mess in the garage - although that's another story for another day. The biggest lesson I learned was that the holidays are a serious amount of work and chaos for those hosting them. We took for granted how spoiled we were to be able to just show up and eat at family gatherings! We had thoroughly underestimated just how much work went into preparing the meal, coordinating schedules with family members, and then hosting the event itself.
But the moment our family gathers around the table to break bread and catch up on all the year has brought us, the chaos and the stress seems worth it...but now I just let my mom and dad do the hosting, or everyone once in a while, my cousin who lives nearby. What can I say...life is easier for me that way, and I always try to help clean up afterwards!
So what if you show up and realize that you forgot the pumpkin pie or left the mashed potatoes a little lumpy. The mashed potatoes still taste amazing and the frozen chocolate pies makes an even better dessert than pumpkin. Yes, there, I SAID IT.
Plus, chocolate goes better with the Gallo Family Vineyards Pinot Noir I recently tried. Life's all about looking about the bright side, especially during the chaos of the holiday season.
Gallo Family Vineyards is a brand that was created by an American Family (Gallo) for American Families and has been around for over 80 years! I'm loving the Gallo Family Vineyards’s core varietals, including that delicious Pinot Noir that comes in 1.5L. Just so you know, Pinot Noir tastes amazing all on its own, while you're preparing all of your Thanksgiving dinner menus - whether you're hosting a party or just bringing your own dishes to a family-style potluck, or just showing up with a bottle as a hostess gift!
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