My Top Tips For Hosting Thanksgiving

Today I’m sharing my top tips for hosting Thanksgiving. Get my best tricks to remove the stress and make Thanksgiving a day of enjoyment!

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I’m here to share a few different ways you can remove the stress of hosting.

Having hosted Thanksgiving in our home several times, I know just how fun it can be… but also how stressful you can feel trying to get it all done!

Not only do we have the actual meal to worry about, but we try to make sure our home is in tip top shape for guests and visiting family. We’re setting the table, finishing last minute to-do list items and then prepping food. It’s a wonderful holiday, but semi- stressful as the host.

But… it doesn’t have to be this way!

Over the years, I’ve found several tips and tricks that make getting ready (and hosting) much easier, which makes it much more enjoyable!

My Top Tips For Hosting Thanksgiving

Because there’s so much to get done, I’ve broken these down into different days. It makes it easier, and less stressful, to have a few days to get everything done.

To go with these tips, I’ve also created a helpful checklist for hosting a stress-free Thanksgiving! Get it right here:

A Week Before Thanksgiving:

• Set down and plan out your menu.
• Let family and friends bring certain items to help compliment the meal! Not only do they want to help, but it makes things easier for you.
• Make your grocery list.

By making your menu and grocery list a week before Thanksgiving, this will give you time to add any last minute items to the list. You can also get your grocery shopping done early. It’s one less thing to stress about, and the stores won’t be as busy!

I also like to make a list of other related things I want to get done. This may include switching out the hand towels in the guest bathroom, or buying a new serving piece for the table. Writing them down helps me remember to fit them into my overall schedule.

Go easy with this list. I can assure you that even though you think something needs done, or if there’s something you’d like to add or change about your home, your family and friends won’t know the difference!

Three Days Before Thanksgiving:

• If you’re using cloth napkins, iron them. Now they’ll be ready when you want to set the table.
• Plan ahead for oven space! I’m lucky to have double ovens, which makes it very easy to be cooking multiple things, but if you don’t, plan ahead for what items you can make ahead of time and which items need the oven on the day of Thanksgiving.

Two Days Before Thanksgiving:

• Do a deep clean of your house. Clean the bathrooms, living room and any other common spaces you’ll be using. With all of the hefty cleaning out the way, it’s easier to do a quick pick up the morning of hosting.

One Day Before Thanksgiving:

• Start baking. My family is big on pies, which works beautifully because they can be made in advance, taking one more thing off the to do list.
• Set the table! When I host, I always set the table(s) the night before. It gives me time to think through how I want the table to look, but eliminates the stress of pulling it all together as guests are starting to arrive.
• Set out your serving pieces & dishes (utensils too!) the day before, especially if you have several of your items stored in closets, hutches, or deep in cabinet drawers. We don’t use those serving platters, gravy boats, drink dispensers, etc. on a regular basis, so it’s helpful to have them out ahead of time.
• Wash any serving pieces that may have collected dust.
• Set out any recipes you’ll be needing the next day.
• Designate a serving piece for each recipe item, plus have one or two extra available for any last minute items, or if a guest brings a dish that needs one.

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My Favorite Serving Pieces

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Thanksgiving Day:

• Do any last minute cleaning. Encourage your family to help with this!
• Start cooking! Enjoy this time and don’t stress if things aren’t perfect.
• Enjoy your day. I can’t stress this enough. If you feel frazzled and grumpy, everyone else will pick up on your mood and it changes the atmosphere.

I hope you find these hosting tips helpful! Just remember, the most important part of the day is enjoying your time with family and friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!