Guide to Hosting Thanksgiving

Is it your turn to host Thanksgiving this year? Since Thanksgiving is a significant family gathering centered around food, it can be quite overwhelming. Whether you opt for a traditional menu or a mix of dishes to please everyone, the task may seem daunting. However, there is no need to worry. By planning ahead and starting early, I assure you that this experience can actually be enjoyable. As someone who travels to our ski house three days before I host Thanksgiving, I really know how to plan and prepare. My aim is always to ensure that I am overly prepared so that I can also enjoy the day. Here are some valuable tips and an organizational approach that I have acquired throughout my years of hosting!

A month before Thanksgiving

One of the first things to do is to determine your guest list and the number of people attending. Whether you decide on a formal invitation or a more casual text is entirely up to you. A convenient and simple method I prefer for creating invitations is using a website called Canva or Paperless Post. It's a great tool for crafting beautiful invites with minimal effort. Also, make sure to acknowledge a dress code. Personally since it's a festive time, I think it's great fun for everyone to dress up. The next decision to make is whether to have a sit-down dinner, a family-style meal, or a buffet. There is no right or wrong choice in this matter. Personally, I lean towards a more formal setup, but if the guest count exceeds 10, I tend to go for a buffet to simplify things. In the month leading up to the event, it's crucial to plan seating arrangements and to ensure you have enough chairs, glassware, and tableware. If you are using your typical plates and silverware, I still recommend buying paper plates and silverware because you will run out of plates fast. They're great for things like appetizers and dessert as well as fewer dishes. It's essential to do this well in advance as it can become quite complex as the event date approaches.

Next, prepare your menu the month before as well. It's definitely not a time to try and experiment with new recipes, trust me. Stick to what you know, especially when having so many dishes to make. I like to write out exactly each dish I will be serving, starting with drinks, appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts. Once I have all that written out, I then write out my grocery list, adding everything that will be needed to make each recipe. Make sure that you order your turkey in advance. The rule of thumb is to have 1-1.5 pounds of turkey per person. If you want leftovers, definitely lean more towards the 1.5 pounds per person.

The last thing I do a month in advance is plan the decorations. This is the fun part for me. Being able to have a beautiful table-scape. Whether you are going for a more fall look or a mix between Christmas and fall, Pinterest is a great way to get table inspo. For me, having a tree up at Thanksgiving is a must and makes it feel a lot more cozy. I don't mind mixing the two holidays together as decorating is a lot and the longer it stays up, the better. Another small touch I love to add is personalizing and getting each guest a little gift set on their table that also serves as a name place. Last year, I purchased an ornament that reminded me of each person. Of course, if you have a lot of people joining, that isn't as realistic; however, you can do something fun like holiday poppers on each plate. Below, I will show you my last year's table-scape.

One week before Thanksgiving

Now that there is a week left until Thanksgiving, it is time to start the grocery shopping process. I like to make sure I have a full week because there are usually multiple grocery stores I need to go to in order to get everything on my list. Your perishable items can be picked up later in the week, but I find they are always good for 5-7 days when stored properly.

My absolute favorite is decorating. I enjoy arranging the table and putting on a full trial setup well ahead of time to ensure I have all the necessary items. The week before the event, I reassemble everything and leave it set up for the week. If fresh flowers are involved, I suggest waiting 2-3 days before the event so they appear at their best. I also wrap all the gifts and place them on the table based on each person's seating arrangement.

When you have guests arriving by air and staying overnight, ensure that their rooms are prepared to make them as comfortable as possible. I recommend providing bath towels, stocking all bathroom essentials, and placing a small basket in the room with water, phone chargers, toothbrushes, and other necessities.

The day before

The day before Thanksgiving is when I do most of my work. All of the chopping, peeling, or anything that will not go bad for the next day. I make all of my desserts and any appetizers as well as peeling potatoes, cutting green beans. Anything you can think of, do it the day before. I promise your life will be so much more relaxing. We always go out to dinner the night before, so I make sure to get up early and get started. I am usually cooking all day until it's time to go to dinner.

Another great thing to do is set up a drink bar. Set this up somewhere aside from the kitchen as there will already be a lot going on. This helps alleviate any extra people in there. I also always pick one person that is going to be my right-hand man. For Thanksgiving, it's usually my sister as she loves to cook as well and makes the best air dough bread! Even if your person doesn't like to cook, having someone to offer drinks, serve the apps when they're ready, or even something as silly as guiding your guests to the restroom makes all the difference.

Thanksgiving Day

Today is the big day! Hopefully, you're feeling positive and prepared after keeping things organized throughout the past month. However, don't be tempted to sleep in – it's time to rise and shine! You should be feeling more relaxed and looking forward to the day ahead. Make sure to communicate clearly about the schedule for your guests' arrival and meal times. Keep the atmosphere lively with music, candles, and lights when guests show up. I stress this point because I want to avoid any uncomfortable silences that might make guests feel unwelcome. If theres a football game on, Thanksgiving day parade or the dog show, make sure to have it no and silence it but something for people to be entertained. Be firm about who can enter the kitchen to prevent chaos, and don't feel bad about it. That's why we arranged the bar and appetizers away from the kitchen in advance. Consider having a fun cocktail ready at the bar for guests to help themselves and some appetizers already set out on the table before they arrive. Nobody likes feeling hungry or thirsty when visiting someone else's home. Above all, have a fantastic time and cherish the moments with your loved ones!

Happy hosting!

xo Carlin