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How to Host the Best Thanksgiving Dinner
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving weekend is here already! It seems like just yesterday it was the hot and sunny days of summer! Now we are into the middle of fall and it is time for Thanksgiving dinner to be served! Whether you are having extended family members over for the big day, or an intimate setting with your immediate family, you will probably want to host the best Thanksgiving dinner possible. Perhaps this is the first year in your new home or the first time you are having family to your home to host this special day. Or, this may not be your first rodeo and you have already been hosting these dinners for years. Either way, you are going to love these tips to make hosting Thanksgiving dinner a breeze!
Plan the Day
If possible, it is a good idea to plan out the day in advance. How many guests will be coming? Do you have enough chairs for a seated dinner around the table? Will your dining room table be large enough or should you set up a second one? What about seating in the living room before and after dinner? Do you have enough chairs? As for the meal, do you have enough plates and cutlery? Will washing all of the dishes afterwards be a nightmare? In this case, you might want to consider paper plates and plastic forks and cups. What will you be serving for dinner? Be sure to ask your guests if there are any food allergies before making your choices. For a full list of how to plan your day ahead of time, check out this great article!
Don't be Afraid to Ask for Help
This may seem like such a simple step, but it can be all too easy to get wrapped up in planning and cooking all by your lonesome. Sometimes it seems easier to do it yourself and not ask for help, but in the end, you may feel drained and you probably won’t get to enjoy the day as much if you are busy running around doing all the work yourself. A great way to ask for help is to have family members bring a dish of some sort, or perhaps some drinks. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your immediate family members by cleaning the house beforehand, setting the table, pouring drinks, etc. It is okay to ask for help and you will be glad you did by the end of the day.
Grocery Shop
Be sure to plan out the meal before you show up at the grocery store. Have your hand-written or digital list ready to go so you aren’t overwhelmed when you get to the store. Be sure to opt for lots of healthy options for your family as well as a few treats. Since Thanksgiving is so close to Halloween, it might even be fun to have some candy in a bowl for the little ones… or the adults! If you haven’t bought your turkey yet, make sure you do it now. It is a good idea to buy your turkey early before they are all sold out. Another great tip is to keep your menu simple. Stick to family favourites. This is not the time to be trying out new elaborate recipes that could go badly.
Try Make-Ahead Recipes
Making a couple of dishes beforehand can save so much time on the day of the big event. With a little bit of planning and the right recipes, you can make meals that still taste just as fresh! Obviously, the turkey will still have to cook on the day, but things like brussels sprouts, stuffing, salads, dinner rolls, coleslaw, sweet potatoes, carrots, gravy, even mashed potatoes can easily be made ahead of time! And don’t forget the deserts. Check out some of these tasty recipes including chocolate pudding pie, pumpkin-caramel tart, pumpkin seed brittle, no-bake chocolate cream pie, and maple sugar pie. Yummy!
Clean & Decorate
As mentioned before, it is such a good idea to recruit your family members to help out with the cleaning process. The entire house doesn’t need to be spick and span, but a quick cleaning of the rooms that will be most used is a great idea. If you feel like you don’t have time for it, you may even want to hire a house cleaner for a clean sweep of your home. That way you won’t even have to worry about it! Once your home is in a clean state, you may want to break out the fall decor. Pumpkins and leaves are some easy autumn favourites. Check out our great article on decorating your home for fall for some inspiration!
Set the Table
You may want to consider setting the table the day before the event. This way you won’t be spending precious time on this when your guests are over. This time can instead be spent catching up with family members or organizing dinner. Using a tablecloth for Thanksgiving dinner is a good idea so you don’t have to worry about food or drinks spilling. Do you have assigned seating? You may want to add place-setting name cards on each plate, or even something fun like a mini pumpkin or gourd for each guest. Don’t forget the napkins! Cute fall napkins are an easy way to spruce up your place settings. Want some fun Thanksgiving table setting ideas? Check out our Facebook page for some inspiration! If you are unsure how to go about setting a formal dinner table, check out this article with some great tips.
Enjoy the Day!
When you host your own party, the day can be stressful and a lot to deal with and it can be tough not to sit back and enjoy. With the steps listed above, you have now learned to ask for some help, plan ahead and make some meals ahead of time. This should help you to be able to enjoy the day and have some time to chat with your guests. Remember that nothing is ever going to go exactly according to plan, but only you will notice this. Your guests will have an amazing time either way and you will too! Enjoy your food, enjoy your family time and enjoy the day to the fullest, you earned it!
In conclusion, hosting the best Thanksgiving at your home isn’t as hard as it seems. Just do the best that you can and the rest will come naturally. The Susan & Moe Team hopes you have a safe and fun Thanksgiving weekend. Enjoy celebrating with friends and family and enjoy that extra day off!
If you are looking for the perfect home to host your next Thanksgiving, be sure to contact us. The market is slowing down and now is a great time to buy. If you are looking to sell your home, let us know. We will offer our best advice to help you navigate through this ever-changing housing market.
