You look forward to Thanksgiving each
November. Your mom, aunt, or even your sister always seem to pull it off
without a hitch. But now you have your own home, and you've been picking up
some subtle vibes that maybe, just maybe, could you host this year? Well, don't
sweat it. You can do it – and make it look effortless.
Invite early
The key to a stress-free Thanksgiving is to plan early. Once
you commit to hosting, the first thing you need to do is invite every single
person you want to come. Even if your friends and family are spur-of-the-moment
types, they very likely commit to Thanksgiving dinner plans by the first week
of November, so start putting feelers out there ASAP. And don’t make
assumptions, actually invite. Invite anyone you would want to have at dinner,
and then let them tell you if they can make it or not.
Be
organized
Planning and organizing isn't just
nice, it's imperative to make sure you don't find yourself with missing
ingredients, a house that’s a mess, and three hours of cooking still to be done
when your guests arrive. That means making lists of everything you need to do
for your dinner, preparing a schedule for the weeks leading up to dinner, and
writing shopping lists before you head to the store for ingredients and
supplies.
Plan your menu sooner
rather than later
Thanksgiving will be here before you know it, and you need a
plan of attack. The first step? Figure out what’s on the menu. And decide if
you’d like your guests to bring something. Chances are your guests will want to
bring things… you just have to tell them what you need. And when your vegan
friend asks what you’re going to be serving, you can show her the menu and ask
if she would like to bring a vegan dish to share with the group.
Cook in advance
Don’t stress out by trying to cook everything on
Thanksgiving day. Create a timeline, and figure out what can be made ahead of
time. Casseroles can be premade. Vegetables can be chopped and ready to steam.
Obviously some things can’t be cooked early, like the turkey, but almost
everything else in the meal can be prepped and ready to just pop on the
stovetop or into the oven.
Serve what you really
love
Turkey and mashed potatoes are classic Thanksgiving dishes,
but aren’t necessarily everyone’s cup of tea. Why not start your own tasty
tradition? If everyone loves Aunt Betty’s lasagna, then serve lasagna alongside
the turkey!
Set the table(s) in
advance
As long as you don't have to worry
about pets or small children destroying your dining room table, set it several
days before the holiday. That way you won't be scrambling to find the best
china that's somewhere in the basement; cleaning the dust off the wine glasses
that are on that high shelf in the kitchen; and counting the flatware only to
discover you don't have enough right before the first guest rings the bell.
Offer snacks before
dinner
Tasty appetizers benefit the cook as much as the guests.
They stay busy munching while you finish up in the kitchen! Try nuts, crackers
and cheese, crudité or hot apps.
Keep the kids busy
For children, it seems like Thanksgiving dinner takes foreveeeer
to land on the table. Keep 'em occupied with cute and crafty projects they can
assemble with a favorite relative.
Move
the decorations off the table.
Free up prime dinner-table real estate
by moving oversize arrangements to the buffet. And don't bother with elaborate
floral fantasies. Just go "shopping" in your backyard for branches of
holly, crab apple, or bittersweet berries. Then bring in-demand items — butter,
gravy, cranberry sauce — to the middle of the table.
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