This year has flown by fast, y’all. But now it’s time to think about the next round of holidays before the year concludes. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’re planning as much as possible, especially when it comes to new family traditions. Whether your family’s coming from far away or down the street, this is the year to make Thanksgiving the most memorable event of the season. Here’s my list of tips for hosting Thanksgiving for the first time.
Set Up a Timeline
I can’t stress this enough, y’all. You must have a game plan for how you will host Thanksgiving from beginning to end. When setting up a timeline, shoot for two to three weeks of planning the menus, where you will host the event, and what time you’ll start eating.
The process is tedious, but having a planner, calendar, pen, notepad, and anything extra can help ease the process to create a fantastic event. Before you start rolling the dough out for your pies, make a group chat with all your friends and family and plan out who’s bringing what dish. Then, you can start grocery shopping.
Plan Out All Dish Volunteers
There’s a chance that grandma might slip in and try to take over the entire process. If you want things to run smoothly, let her down easy by telling her to only bring her famous pumpkin pie. This way, she won’t need to cook all day. To make planning your menu easier, create a rule that states the person who mentions a dish will be in charge of bringing it to the event.
Implementing a rule like that can help plan dishes and help others communicate better. For example, if my mom said she wants cranberry sauce, she will make cranberry sauce. That’s what I like to call easy planning, y’all.
Side note—if you want one person to designate one course, such as dessert or appetizers, you can do that as well.
Keep Your Recipes Close
If grandma can’t make her famous pumpkin pie this year, ask her to give you a copy of the recipe so that you can make it for everyone to enjoy. Also, having your recipes nearby can help you remember exact measurements and what ingredients you need to stock up on.
Don’t Forget Leftovers
Thanksgiving leftovers are the epitome of a rich, tasty feast that you can DIY into basically any recipe your heart desires. So, as we get down to the final stages of planning, we need to think about leftovers. While you’re out shopping, consider buying foldable plastic containers that will allow family members to take leftovers home.
As you plan for your first Thanksgiving, don’t forget to make a holiday chore list and complete it before your guests arrive. Follow our tips for hosting Thanksgiving for the first time, then get ready to gather for a delicious feast and make memories, y’all.
