How To Host an Exceptional Thanksgiving- My Plan

With Halloween behind us, we settle back into fall and get ready for Thanksgiving. Last year (2020) threw many of us off of our game, but I am ready to jump back in this year!

It is my turn to host, plan, and organize a memorable dinner, and this is how I plan to do it.

(Shout out to my Gramma, who has passed much of this knowledge down to me.)

Start with Lists

How can anyone ever be organized without a list?? I do NOT know. I’m making my lists, and I’m checking them twice.

Lists will keep you organized and prepared, which takes the stress out of party planning. And Thanksgiving is the ultimate dinner party!

A few weeks before Thanksgiving Day, make a list of how many people will be coming over for dinner. Be sure to ask everyone if they have any special food requests or dietary needs.

Next, make a list of the traditional and/or non-traditional foods you plan on eating. (Notice I didn’t say “cooking”)

You’ll want to make a grocery list once you know exactly what you will be making. Don’t forget to include snacks!

And then a list of your decor ideas, party supplies, and miscellaneous items. Table cloths, dinnerware, turkey display platter. Bags of ice, beverages, paper towels, hand soap in the guest bathroom… keep your list handy and add to it as things come to you over the weeks. 

List of List’s 

• Guest List
• Menu list + who’s doing what 
• Grocery List – Food, Drinks, Snacks, Misc
• Decor Plan List- Tables, Chairs, Dinnerware, Centerpiece, Table Decor, Misc
• Timeline Checklist                                                                                                                                                  Check the bottom of the page for my personal timeline checklist. 

Work as a team!

Now that you have your guest list and your food figured out, it’s time to start divvying up the cooking responsibilities. Gone are the days of one person (traditionally Mom and/or Grandma) spending a week of prepping and cooking food for the entire extended family!

I am not trying to do all that work. Let’s avoid getting overwhelmed.

It might be a good idea to start a group chat but you can also call each person individually like my gram does and tell them what they will bring to the table, literally.

Traditionally the youngest 18+ family members are asked to bring simple stuff like rolls, premade pies, drinks, or canned cranberries.

The more experienced cooks in the family can volunteer for the dish they want to bring. Maybe they have a special recipe they would like to make. Add a name next to each food on your list to make sure it is all covered. Adjust as needed. 

My list looks like this. (It’s in progress. Gotta finish this article first:) ) 

• Oven-Baked Turkey (Me)-Husband in charge of buying, I will cook.
• Honey Baked Ham – use Honey Baked Ham gift card from husbands job
• Sweet Potatoes– Me
• Mashed potatoes– Mom 
• Mac and Cheese– Me 
• Broccoli– 
• Green Bean Casserole– 
• Gravy– Mom
• Stuffing- Mom
• Deviled Eggs– Me (boil eggs the day before. Find a plate to put them on.)
• Cranberries– Terrell 
• Rolls-Me 
• Pumpkin Pie– Tyler and Lin
• Apple Pie– Tyler and Lin
• Extra Veggie Dish– Terrell 
• Jalepeno Poppers– Alonzo

Make your Grocery List 

This is THE most detailed list you will make. Be as thorough as possible. Once you know what YOU will be making, make your grocery list. Separate the items you can buy ahead of time and purchase those items at least two weeks before.

I am going to start an online grocery order and add to it for a couple of days before placing order to be absolutely sure I don’t forget anything. You should take stock of your kitchen and be sure you have plenty of the items you will need, like spices, cling wrap, aluminum foil, chicken stock, cheeses, cooking oil, cooking spray, butter, eggs… you get the idea. 

Buy your fresh produce and any other last-minute items, two to three days before Thanksgiving.

The Turkey

Who is going to buy the turkey? If you are buying a frozen turkey, be sure to purchase it at least two weeks before to get the best selection. You could also order from somewhere like Honey Baked Ham and pick up your fully cooked turkey the morning of Thanksgiving. (If you do this, send SOMEONE ELSE to pick up the turkey while you prepare at home.)

Usually, the host buys and cooks the turkey to ensure the overall quality. At least, that’s my plan. 

FROZEN TURKEY- TAKE THE TURKEY OUT OF FREEZER THREE DAYS BEFORE IT’S TIME TO COOK IT!

Cooking the Turkey

To make sure your turkey gets the recognition it deserves, do some research beforehand and decide on a recipe/method for cooking.

About six years ago, I spent weeks watching cooking shows and youtube videos of different chefs’ methods and my research paid off. By the time Thanksgiving day rolled around, I was excited to show off my skills and make my fancy turkey. The process felt so festive and novel. I remember every minute of it.

And it came out perfect! It was juicy and flavorful. Hopefully, I can pull that off again this year!

Tables and Decor

Seating Arrangments

Consider how many people you are hosting and where everyone will sit. Since many Thanksgiving dinners tend to have a larger group of people, they may be spread out in different seating areas, which is okay.

If you prefer everyone at one table, there are options. You could use long folding tables and cover them with nice table cloths. Use fold-out chairs, and if you want to get really fancy, you could rent chair covers from a local event center.

Table Settings

Avoid the last-minute scramble (my specialty) and figure out your plan for dinner plates and silverware. I plan on using the fancier disposable dinner plates and fancy plastic silverware. This will save considerable time on the clean-up efforts.

You will also need cups and/or glasses for everyone. Bonus if you set them up on the table along with the plates and silverware set up.

If you feel like being extra, consider decorating the table with fresh flowers, mini pumpkins, rosemary sprigs, or candles, etc. Whatever you have on hand or are willing to buy.

I highly recommend getting your seating arrangements and table settings set up the day before. You will be soooo thankful you don’t have to worry about carving out time to get everything just right at the last minute. Time is precious on the big day.

Drinks

Don’t forget the drinks! With all the focus on the food, the drinks can be overlooked. Making a themed cocktail would be really fun, but it doesn’t have to be that fancy.

My husband’s family makes enormous coolers full of sweet and unsweet tea, which is always a big hit. Easy, cheap, and classic.

To carry on an old family tradition, I plan on hosting a champagne toast where we can all express gratitude.

Entertainment

Kids Activities

Will kiddos be running around? Of course, they can usually entertain themselves, but it would be fun to give them a memorable activity to do. I think I am going to do a turkey-themed scavenger hunt, and maybe have them paint some small pumpkins!

Football TV

Hosting football fans? Football is a big deal for a lot of American families. Don’t forget to reserve your TV time for all-day football to play in the main living area, garage, or any other place you have a TV for guests.

                 Bonus points if you have a football that guests can toss around outside.

Music

Set the mood with some fun music! Whatever gets you hyped. Music facilitates memorable moments and a festive atmosphere. Set the volume at a background level so that you can still comfortably communicate.

Family Game Time

Our family plays Left Right Center every year with one-dollar bills. Tell everyone to bring ones to the party, at least 3, and gather around the table. It is a dice game that is all luck and no skill, but it’s a fun way to energize a crowd and have some fun banter. Winner gets the jackpot! Here is the amazon link to purchase Left Right Center (LCR) if you want to join the fun!

 

Clean up crew

Anyone who didn’t cook is first up on the clean-up crew. Usually the teenagers and college-age kids. They can pack up leftovers, load the dishwasher, wipe the counters and take out the trash.

As the host, I will be cleaning up as I go to keep our work area neat. Clean-up usually goes quick, and then everyone can relax. 

TIMELINE CHECKLIST

Warning: Don’t let the length and depth of this list put you off!

If you’re like me, you shut down seeing a long list like this and think “three weeks ahead, yeah, OkAy. And never look at it again. I regret all of the times I tried to wing it, and I am turning over a new leaf.

Do it with me! We got this. 

Use what works, add what you need, and remove what you don’t. 

Three Weeks Before

• Make your lists!
• Organize your meal plan with your family.
• What are you gonna wear?
• Consider what kind of pans, and serve ware you may need (gravy boat, pot warmers, a pan for the turkey) Try Ross or Marshalls for these items!

Two Weeks Before

• What’s the plan for tables and chairs? Make sure arrangements are in place.
• Buy/plan for your table decor. Keep it simple, or go all out. Either way, follow-though!
• It’s a good idea to practice any new dishes you might be trying to ensure they are worthy of Thanksgiving dinner.

One Week Before

• Make grocery orders or head to the store for non-perishables and forgotten items. 
• Check-in with everyone and confirm they are bringing their assigned dish or miscellaneous items.
• Make a note that you need to thaw turkey in a couple of days. Thaw turkey THREE-FOUR days before it will be cooked.

Two Days Before

• Hopefully, you moved your turkey to the refrigerator to thaw yesterday! If not, do that now.
• Make your last-minute grocery run for produce. 
• Clean and tidy up the house.

One Day Before

• Set up the table and chairs.
• Decorate and set the table.
• Prep what you can, like boil potatoes, boil and peel eggs, and any other prep you can get away with.
• Triple-check for any missing ingredients.
• Pre-cook baked goods and desserts.

Thanksgiving DAY!

• Start the turkey early! It will take 3-4 hours to cook and half an hour or so to rest. 
• As soon as your turkey is in the oven, get started on the rest of your cooking.
• Make sure you give yourself enough time to break away and get dressed and ready for dinner!
• Put some snacks out. Cheese, crackers, olives, that kind of stuff.
• Relax, and enjoy your day and your family.