We’ve got less than a week to go until Thanksgiving. This year, as we’ve been in between making lists and running errands and preparing the menu for the big feast, we can’t help but stop for a minute and just reflect on the word Thanksgiving. 

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of Thanksgiving is: a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness; the act of giving thanks; a prayer expressing gratitude. 

We are feeling incredibly thankful to be here, celebrating the holidays once again, with all of you. We wouldn’t be here without you and your support. Thank you for coming back to Ashley’s again and again for your holiday treats. You give us a place at your table again each year, and that means the world to us. 

We are thankful for our incredible staff, for those hard at work in the kitchen, turning flour and butter and sugar into amazing pastries. We’re thankful for our staff in the front of the store, serving orders with a side of kindness and a smile. 

We are thankful for our health, which enables us to be here, doing what we love. 

We are thankful for our families, for their endless love and support throughout the years. How grateful we feel to witness our own daughters being parents to their children. Time spent together is a treasure, and we are forever thankful for the moments we can be together.  

It is a season of gratitude, and I feel it deeply this year. 

Thank you for being here with us! 

Now, while it’s a great season to express gratitude, we also know it’s still a busy time of year and there’s a lot to be done. 

We can be thankful we have a family to cook for, but also feel overwhelmed.

We can love the holidays but dread the extra work.

That’s where we can help to lighten the load. Here’s a few ways to simplify the season. 

  1. Order out! Many restaurants and even grocery stores offer special meal deals. Ditch the guilt and order your turkey to go! You can also set up everything buffet style to make it easy for family and guests to fill their plates with their favorite foods. 
  2. Pick up your desserts from Ashley’s Pastries. Let us do the baking for you! Call us with your order and we’ll make sure everything is ready to go when you’re ready to pick it up. We can bake a delicious pumpkin or pecan pie, or create a festive cake as the exclamation point for your feast. 
  3. Easy does it when it comes to setting the table. Pick up a roll of brown butcher paper (Amazon can deliver!) and lay down a layer on your table before you start decorating. It’s inexpensive and makes cleanup a snap. If you want a fancier table, set out your China dishes, cloth napkins and a vase of beautiful seasonal flowers. If you want something more casual, use the heavy-duty paper plates and fun Thanksgiving napkins. You could also put out jars of crayons or markers and allow guests to decorate the butcher paper, too. Maybe everyone can even write a few things they are thankful for this Thanksgiving, too. 
  4. Take time to enjoy. Whether we’re hosting or traveling, it can be stressful to really be present and enjoy the moment. So much preparation goes into the day, and then it’s over. Take time to really enjoy the holiday, savoring conversation with family, lingering over the table after the meal, and enjoying your slice of pie with a cup of hot cup of coffee. 

From all of us, we are thankful for you. We wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.