Surprise + Delight Your Guests
Red Stamp, November 2013
We’ve been counting down the days, and there’s just one day left! What we love about this year’s uniquely combined holiday is that it blends giving thanks, gratitude + great food. Both Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are about gathering our families around us and taking stock of the past year, what we’ve been through and where we’re going. How are you planning to surprise and delight your guests? Read on for ideas + inspiration!
Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Thanksgivukkah this year, we encourage you to join with us as we share 1,000,000 Surprise Moments and plan something extra special. It doesn’t mean hours of extra time in the kitchen or missing the Thanksgiving Day Parade or football game. It doesn’t mean extra stress. We think this year’s festivities can be about the sweet surprises that will make the day oh so special and even establish some new traditions along the way!
Here are some ideas we have in mind:
Ask everyone ahead of time what their favorite holiday dish is so you can be sure to have it at your celebratory meal. Surprise each family member with a recipe card of that favorite dish, so they can make it all year long.
Give Thanksgivukkah a try and serve your traditional Thanksgiving meals while using Hanukkah decor! Think: menorah centerpieces, dreidel favors, Star of David plates…find all sorts of classy and festive decorations here.
Going around the table to share what you’re thankful for is a Thanksgiving classic. This year, give it a twist and have everyone bring an object that represents what they’ve been most thankful for. Giving thankfulness a physical representation makes gratitude more tangible for everyone!
Pull out a family photo album or old home videos, and promise to look at a different one each year. It will be fun for everyone to see glimpses of their former selves and remember all the sweetness of years gone by.
During dessert, pour some bubbly and let each person share their biggest accomplishment of the year, toasting along the way. Celebrating what each person is proud of in their lives is a small way of seeing what is important to them, and you can remember to encourage everyone in these areas throughout the year!
These are only a handful of ideas, ways that you can bring together your families and friends + set apart some sweet times for memory-making. And if there’s someone special you won’t be seeing this year, surprise them with one of our digital cards, include a photo to make it even more special! Do you have any long-standing traditions, or new ways you’re planning to surprise everyone with an unexpected twist this year? We’d love to hear!