Well, Thanksgiving has crept up on us once again.

In lieu of this holiday, we thought we would touch on 5 hot topics!

 

1. Thanksgiving Recipes

With the impending food coma lurking, I thought why not share a few of our favorite recipes here at BALI Construction.

Butternut Squash Soup (Giada De Laurentiis)

Soft Frosted Pumpkin Spice Cookies 

Most people don’t think of soup when they think of Turkey Day. However, I think it’s a great way to change up the tired Thanksgiving food traditions we are almost all a little sick of. My family members responded positively to the addition, and since have requested it each following year!

We don’t have a favorite stuffing recipe around here, but this list wouldn’t be complete without a Thanksgiving staple dish. So, here are some super yummy looking stuffing recipes from Pinterest! (Not taste-test approved)

 

2. Thanksgiving Traffic

Word to the wise! San Francisco Bay Area residents, leave town before 2:00 PM on Wednesday or wait until after 6 PM to leave. Traffic is supposed to be smooth sailing on Thanksgiving Day, if you can wait until then. I don’t know if this is surprising or not, but the traffic is said to be worse this year. Doesn’t it get worse every year? Hmm…

More information on this week’s traffic 

 

3. Thanksgiving Fitness 

If you don’t want to feel like a stuffed turkey on Thanksgiving, I recommend spending a little of your day off getting outside and enjoying the fresh air. Even if you aren’t a runner, just taking a brisk walk will keep you feeling refreshed later when your day gets a little hectic. (Can you say extended family?) The roads are quieter in the morning on Thanksgiving Day, which also makes it nice to be outside early.

There is usually a local race on Thanksgiving called the Turkey Trot. If self-motivation isn’t really your thing, sign up for a local race! Walking the race is always an option as well. That tends to be more appealing after all since getting dressed and cooking after running a race is not ideal. If you are into that, more power to you!

Although we are lucky in the SF Bay Area to not have to worry much about dressing for freezing weather, those early morning winter activities require some extra layers when getting dressed. Check out these cold weather workout gear ideas !

 

4. Thanksgiving Decorations

There is something satisfying about making something yourself. I guess being in the construction business makes us a little biased! But, when it comes to seasonal decorations, it is popular to DIY (do it yourself) these days. It probably has something to do with the fact that these seasonal decorations are just that. They aren’t around the house for more than a few months at the most.

So, here are 15 DIY Thanksgiving decorations you can make just in time for Thursday!

 

5. Black Friday

The amount of money people save by shopping these crazy deals the Friday after Thanksgiving is pretty awesome. But, waking up at the crack of dawn is the major downfall. Some people even leave to get in line on Thanksgiving night! To each their own, right?

What’s cool is that a lot of retailers are already giving the same discount that they offer on Thanksgiving. They aren’t making us all fight for that cheap sweater in the store! Rejoice!

But in all seriousness, this link has great info on who is offering what discounts, both in store and online!

If you are passionate about shopping local and at small businesses, definitely check out what deals your local stores are offering. A lot of small businesses are now participating in what’s called Plaid Friday. The deals aren’t promoted as much online, but if you’re out shopping this Friday, don’t forget to stop at a small business! (Again, we might be biased!) But, it is true that you can find some more unique items in these stores. Apparently some of the participating stores will be giving a discount to customers wearing plaid. How awesome is that?

What Black Friday deals are you going to take advantage of?

 

 

What are your family traditions for Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comments!