Listen, it’s almost Thanksgiving and, people, it is time to get down to business. No, I’m not talking about roasting the turkey and creating your damn centerpieces, I’m talking, obviously, about getting your Turkey Hunt together. What? You think food just shows up on your perfectly landscaped table? What is this the future? You people have to work for your food. None of this lallygagging about and running to Whole Foods at the last minute, praying that they still have pumpkin pie. It’s time to lace up your sturdy boots (or zip up your adorable white ones that you scored for $15 at Old Navy!) and get out there and hunt down your food.

But, first, obviously, you need to accessorize. In the case of our young pilgrim here you might want to take your plain ole bonnet up a notch with turkey stickers and hearts because “turkeys need love too.” Gah, children!

Myself, I prefer to stick to a more traditional, gold glitter bonnet.

For the menfolk, may I suggest a traditional pilgrim hat that would probably have benefited from losing a couple of inches in height, but, nonetheless helps convey the gravity of the day. Thank goodness my handsome pilgrim husband understands the solemnity of the occasion.

Because this character clearly didn’t get the memo.

On to the hunt!

It’s important that you take care when hiding your Thanksgiving feast. You’ll notice here, for example, I cleverly used a brown paper bag to blend the brussels sprouts in with its surroundings. Take note, this is a real professional at work.

Bags of peas, whole turkeys, cans of corn – no part of the feast should go unhidden. (Or unfound. For the feebler minded among us, putting pen to paper might be a fortuitous idea so as not to misplace a bag of cranberries that you then remember in the midst of an evening sleep).

The young folk will hunt high and low throughout the badly-needing-attention landscape.

And who knew the joy one can of pumpkin could bring to a small child?

No, seriously, that can of pumpkin was as good as puppy. I’m thinking about making it my go-to Christmas gift.

At the end of your hunt, you will be graced with the satisfaction that you have gathered your food much like the Pilgrims and Native Americans did so many years ago. Now all you have to do is spend the next 24 hours of your life cooking it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Linkage:

-Martha makes the best pilgrim hats.

-Photos by my favorite Erica Bean.