Thanksgiving dinners are fun but hosting one can be very stressful. The latter is especially true if you have never hosted Thanksgiving dinners in the past. Often, you’ll be too pressured to put together the best dinner but won’t have any idea where and how to start.
Hosting a memorable Thanksgiving dinner requires a lot of responsibility, but things can get easier as long as you start early. When you have enough time on your hands, you’ll feel calmer in the kitchen, allowing you to welcome your guests with the right demeanor during Thanksgiving.
Here’s a comprehensive guide for hosting a memorable Thanksgiving dinner:
- Make A Plan
Hosting a memorable Thanksgiving dinner starts with a good plan, so get some paper and a pen before anything else. As a host, you should figure out the number of guests, their dietary restrictions, and where the meals will be served. You should also determine whether you’re cooking meals for the guests or buying food elsewhere.
Don’t forget to plan out your decorations, as well. If you want floral centerpieces, start looking for florists in Seattle or from your locale to avoid the holiday rush. If you’re fond of making DIY decors, list down the materials and schedule a trip to your local craft store ASAP.
- Order Your Turkey
Turkeys are a staple in every Thanksgiving dinner, so make sure to order yours early and freeze it. The demand for turkey will skyrocket during the Thanksgiving season, and not placing your orders early will likely end up with a turkeyless dinner.
To find the perfect-sized turkey, consider the number of guests. Ideally, you’ll need 1 ½ pounds of turkey per person. This will leave you with enough leftovers for a couple of days. When it comes to thawing the turkey, pay attention to its size—every four pounds of turkey should be equal to one day of thawing.
- Accept Help
As a host, don’t be too proud and attempt to do everything on your own when you know that you can’t. You won’t be able to showcase your Thanksgiving outfit if you’re still occupied in the kitchen as your guests start to arrive.
If a family member offers help in moving furniture around the house, say yes. If a friend wants to bring some beer and wine for Thanksgiving dinner, let them. Accept any offered help as this will surely make your life as a host easier.
- Set The Table
Setting the table a few days before the actual Thanksgiving dinner is important because it can help you identify issues early. By setting the table early, you’ll know whether you have enough tableware for your guests or if you need to buy more.
Aside from the tableware, don’t forget to check your decorations when setting the table. It’ll be easier for you to assess if your decors are too much or too little when everything is placed on the table.
- Clean Your Home
Before going out to shop for groceries, deep clean your home first. This is important to help you stay organized and on top of all the chaos. Hosting a Thanksgiving dinner can be stressful if you can’t find what you’re looking for because piles of clutter are all over your home.
Although you will likely have guests dine in your kitchen, this doesn’t mean that you should skip cleaning other rooms of your house, especially if some of them plan to stay the night. Exert time and effort to make every room spotless to impress guests and leave a positive impression.
- Buy Your Groceries Early
If you decide to cook, make a grocery list and visit your nearest supermarket as soon as possible. Shopping for groceries early will give you a lot of time to prepare the dishes that can be made ahead and run back to the store for items you forgot to buy during your first trip.
Regardless of how stocked the shelves in your supermarkets are, never put off grocery shopping until the last minute. Products will fly off the shelves once the season sets in, so getting everything you need as soon as possible is important.
- Don’t Forget Beverages
Beverages are an important part of Thanksgiving dinners, so make sure to stock some ahead of time. Ideally, you should have different beverages at home to ensure that all of your guests will have something to drink.
If your guests will bring their children, stock up on non-alcoholic beverages, such as fruit juices. For adults who like to drink, you can buy bottles of wine or make cocktails from scratch.
Have Fun
Thanksgiving is all about being grateful for what you have, so make sure that the holiday is celebrated that way. Don’t too much pressure on yourself to become the best Thanksgiving host. Instead, do your best and make the most out of the occasion by bonding with friends and family!