9 Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving 2022 at Home
Are you excited about Thanksgiving 2021? If you are and you’re thinking of hosting a special Thanksgiving celebration for your family and a few friends at home, we’ve got a few tips to make it a successful (and delicious) one!
Check out our nine easy but helpful tips for the ultimate Thanksgiving shindig at home — and make this year’s Thanksgiving memorable for everyone!
Assign Seats for Everyone Invited
Assigning seats for your guests make a holiday dinner, like Thanksgiving, more organized and festive– especially if you can create holiday-inspired name cards for all of them! It may even be a greater idea to create a simple tablescape by covering your dining table in brown packing paper, grabbing a gold marker, and writing everyone’s name by their place setting.
You may feel like ditching the idea if everyone knows each other (or if you’re hosting a small group), but if you’re mixing new people, it’s the perfect stress reliever for guests to know where they should sit.
Know the Allergens to Avoid
Check each guest to see if they’re allergic to any type of food and choose a meal that doesn’t use those ingredients. This helps you avoid making multiple dishes to meet all of your holiday guests’ dietary preferences. Use premium, hand-selected ingredients to be sure. Don’t forget to make it extra special and full of flavor.
Make Some Custom Cocktails and Mocktails
Cocktails and mocktails are the perfect combos for Thanksgiving meals, so make some for your guests to sip and savor all day long. Please get in the holiday spirit and channel your culinary creativity, whether it’s hot apple cider or a batch of homemade mulled wine. Cheers!
Don’t Be Shy to Delegate Dishes
Hosting a dinner celebration can be a big undertaking, even if you’re a seasoned host. Don’t be shy to delegate dishes to your holiday guests, whether appetizers, desserts, or side dishes! It’s okay to have all of your holiday guests help out– claim the dishes you can cook and let the others take the rest. But remember to be very specific when designating meal assignments, so there aren’t duplicates.
Be sure to Free Up Space in the Fridge
Start clearing the fridge and freezer at least a week before Thanksgiving to make space for your holiday recipes and future leftovers. Doing so will save you a lot of stress on the day of the party.
Do a Headcount
It’s important to have enough food and wine for all your guests, no matter how small or big your holiday celebration is. Carefully plan your portions, and when in doubt, always prepare extra.
Prep for a Thanksgiving To-Go
People are always too excited to scarf down everything spread out on the table– until they get overwhelmed with all the food– and leave heaps of holiday leftovers. Stock up on to-go containers before your Thanksgiving celebration so you can dish up to-go plates for all of your holiday guests. You can also make it even simpler by asking your guests to bring their own storage containers.
Choose a Healthier Sweet Send-Off
Do you know what’s one of the best parts about Thanksgiving? Yes, you guessed it– it’s dessert! For this year, skip the sweet treats laden with processed sugars and artificial ingredients. Instead, enjoy more mindful dessert options made with carefully sourced ingredients and high-quality products.
Be in the Moment
Always remember that Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving doesn’t have to be perfect, and neither does any other party or celebration for that matter. Food is one of life’s greatest facilitators of friendship, fun, and good times. There may be some hiccups along the way, but that’s okay. Be in the moment and relish the feeling of being surrounded by family and friends. You have a lot to be thankful for, and after all, isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?