The holidays are fast approaching, and youve volunteered to host the traditional Thanksgiving dinner for all your friends and family. While it can be exciting to host your first Thanksgiving meal, it can also feel a little daunting and cause a fair amount of stress.
Stress is the last thing you want or need to feel on a holiday like Thanksgiving, so we've come up with some useful tips to help get you through your first time hosting the big event. After utilizing these tips to help you host your first holiday family gathering, you will feel like a pro.
Rule Number One
While it can be tempting to go all Lone Ranger and run the entire show yourself, that can also quickly become exhausting. So, if you have people that are willing to help, either by bringing a treasured family dish (such as these delicious Thanksgiving desserts), bringing drinks, or even simply bringing things like plates, cups, and extra ice, don't turn down the helping hands!
You handle the turkey, gravy, and stuffing . . . and let your family and friends contribute the rest. This can make the holiday so much more enjoyable too, as everyone goes around taste testing all the different dishes.
A good rule of thumb when delegating: whatever aspects of planning a Thanksgiving meal stress you the most, hand those tasks off to other people with smiles of gratitude.
Rule Number Two
Take your time and cook ahead. You can make certain dishes a day or two before, or even just prep foods, so they are ready to be cooked on Thanksgiving Day.
Things like peeling potatoes ahead of time, boiling eggs for deviled eggs or egg salad, and baking cookies and desserts the day before, all can alleviate stress the day of the gathering. You can even make yummy casserole dishes ahead of time, and they often taste even better warmed back up.
Rule Number Three
Prep your home early on. Maybe you have fancy dishware that you want to use for the holiday that needs to be unpacked, or maybe you are still in the process of putting up Thanksgiving dcor. Perhaps you need to make sure you have enough napkins, garbage bags, extra cups, and plates.
There is plenty of prep that goes into planning a Thanksgiving party, totally unrelated to food. Much of that prep can all be done the day before, or even throughout the week before your big event. Whatever you can do ahead of time, do! It will help to make your Thanksgiving gathering fun and enjoyable not just for your guests, but for you as well.
Rule Number Four
Grocery shop ahead of time. Make out a list of all the things that you need, as well as a list of all the things others may be contributing. That way you know what's what. Once you have your list of things that you need, you can pick them up a few days before, so you wont have to do any last-minute shopping. There's nothing worse than battling grocery store lines and other last-minute shoppers because you're missing a key ingredient like flour or sugar.
Rule Number Five
Don't worry about appetizers. In fact, consider skipping them altogether. If you do want them, just put out a simple fruit and cheese tray adorned with some crackers. You don't want everybody to fill up on appetizers while waiting for the main course. Since the main course is the feature of the gathering, youll want to make sure everyone is hungry and ready to eat when the time comes.
Rule Number Six
Be prepared, everyone will want to take home leftovers. Since there is usually plenty to go around, think about this ahead of time and purchase disposable containers to give out or get big freezer bags that people can take food home in. Even after giving much of the leftovers away, youll probably still have plenty remaining to feed you and yours for days. You can even use the leftovers to make a delicious turkey pot pie!
Remember, Thanksgiving is about enjoying time with your friends and family, and being grateful for all the things you've been blessed with. The meal itself and the time you're spending with loved ones is a gift. Whatever you can do to facilitate fun and relaxation for both you and your guests, that's what will make your Thanksgiving party one for the books.