You may feel like you’re a little over your head if this is your first year hosting a proper Thanksgiving dinner: you have the turkey, the décor, the pacing, and about a million other specifics to remember before the big day. Don’t fret while the depression is setting in. We tapped Amanda Shine, whose New York-based business helps customers plan one-of-a-kind experiences.
| Meet the Expert Amanda Shine is the co-founder of The Setting, a boutique creative agency that curates elevated activities using the entertaining talents of the founders’ experts, among its many services. |
We knew that Shine would be the perfect person to help us plan a charming but un-stuffy event for family and friends because The Setting’s motto is “entertaining should be easy, but elevated.” “Keeping yourself organized in advance enables you to enjoy your friends and family’s company,” she says.
Shine’s tips for hosting a memorable Thanksgiving dinner can be found below, along with an outline of what to do in the days leading up to the last Thursday in November. A sigh of relief can now be let out!
Plan Your Menu For Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is all about feasting, so you need food to begin with. After you’ve set the number of guests you’re going to have, create a preliminary menu and choose the dishes that you definitely want to make to impress your guests. Know, during the big meal, you will want to do your best not to run out of food. It’s easier to have leftover extras than not to have enough day-of-days.
Make Room For Your Haul
For all of your groceries, there’s nothing worse than coming home and finding you have nowhere to place them. Shine recommends that you take the time to clean your fridge and cupboards in order to make space for all the food you may need to prepare. You’ll want to clear a space in the refrigerator, too, so you can store some drinks.
Head To the Market
We certainly don’t recommend delaying your shopping trip until the last minute just to find out that some of your main things are out of the store. To make it super quick, go a few days before or schedule a grocery delivery (and to avoid lugging a turkey up a few flights of stairs, in some cases). Having a Thanksgiving dinner list and buying in advance gives you time, Shine says, to pick up any last-minute things you might have missed. And don’t forget to prepare drinks for the holidays, too.
Decide on Your Décor For Thanksgiving Dinner
Shine says, “The most important thing about décor is to make your guests feel comfortable in a room that you have made special and unique.” By highlighting seasonal scents and colors, you will accomplish this. Get some warmly scented candles, holiday florals, and cozy throws to make your guests never want to leave, creating a welcoming atmosphere. If you have no ideas for Thanksgiving dinner decorations, refer to these fantastic Thanksgiving decor ideas.
Prep as Much as Possible
The day before is the time to plan until you can no longer prepare. Make sure you’re clean with all your dishes and dinnerware, and chop up vegetables or cook up pie crusts, so it’ll be a breeze tomorrow. Shine says, “Before your guest’s arrival overnight do not forget to prepare beds or wash linens.’’
Arrange the Decorations
Changing your Thanksgiving dinner decor a little bit every year can be fun. Now’s the time, including your tablescape, to set out everything. Need a few ideas for fun? “It can be as easy as painting tiny pumpkins in different metallic colors to line your dining table or injecting seasonal blooms such as wheat” Shine admits. Try adding cranberries to transparent vases to bring a splash of color to the table, she suggests, if you’re in a last-minute bind.
Set the Thanksgiving Dinner Table
“Although it is important to have a beautiful presentation, by setting the Thanksgiving dinner table with your favorite dinnerware, let your imagination and character show through, whether or not it suits,” Shine says. If you want to feed your family-style guests, you can put dishes in the middle of the table on a cutting board or marble slab and add a few rosemary garnishes for a festive vibe.
Get the Main Dish in the Oven
According to Shine, timing is everything. The amount of time the main dish requires to be cooked should be taken into account (the rule of thumb is that when you have a larger bird, you should calculate one and a half pounds of turkey per guest and prepare for two pounds per person if the bird is 12 pounds or smaller). You should concentrate on preparing the sides while the turkey (or its substitute) is cooking.
Set the Mood
“You want your visitors to reach an atmosphere that is peaceful, cozy, and inviting,” Shine reminds us. Start by lighting in the living room some scented candles (opt for unscented candles on the table because you’re obviously going to want your guests to be able to take in the heavenly smells wafting off the delicious food). To ensure ultimate freshness, pick a playlist that fits the mood and set out any last-minute touches like florals that you might have purchased earlier today.
Lay Out Snacks and Drinks
“Have snacks and drinks ready to enjoy on Thanksgiving dinner when the guests arrive, while the main course ends in the oven,” Shine says. This means that no one can get hungry, and warm cocktails will shake off the cold as they come in from outside. Make sure that the mocktails are on hand for those who don’t want to drink alcohol (and so the little ones don’t feel left out).
Enjoy Yourself
The most important part of every holiday is to be able to relax and enjoy a moment with your loved ones. Of course, it doesn’t always go as expected, so shrug it off if there’s a hiccup and keep going. “Remember, there’s plenty to say for a nice meal and good company, so be sure to indulge in this period,” Shine says.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these tips will help you have a great Thanksgiving dinner with your loved ones. If you have any suggestions or interesting tips, feel free to share them with us.
