Tips for Hosting & Enjoying Your Thanksgiving

11/22/2017

The countdown is almost complete, and in less than 24 hours your family will be gathered around your table enjoying a great meal and being thankful for all of the great things that have happened this year. Of course, this doesn't come without its share of challenges because while you're probably thankful for your family being together, you also have to not only prepare your home for visitors but then clean up after they leave. Here are 5 tips to help you keep your sanity as you host Thanksgiving this year!


Make a Gameplan

It's go time, and if you haven't completed a game plan with recipes and ingredients, it's time to get it wrapped up and finalized. Keep in mind that while your family is excited for food, they are mostly excited for family, so if you find something stressing you out - cut it out. Before the holiday gets started, take a walk through your home, straighten up little areas that have been getting used the last few days, spray some room spray or light and candle and get ready!

Stick to the Basics

While having an extravagant menu and ornate decorations straight from Pinterest is always the "goal" when hosting your family for a holiday, keep in mind that the basics are the most imporant. When you find yourself getting wrapped up in the details and stressing out about which serving utensil goes with which dish - take a breather and go back to the basics. Your family wants to visit, have fun, and eat. They won't care if little signs are made for each dish or if you remember to set the decorative pumpkin on the front porch. Food, family, fellowship - that's the most important!

Set Your Thanksgiving Timeline

One of the biggest questions you'll be asked during Thanksgiving is "when's dinner?" Every family has a different timeline for the event, so find what works for you and stick to it. In the hectic planning of the main meal, don't forget that your guests will want to grab a few bites to eat throughout the day, especially if you'll have overnight guests before Thanksgiving. Plan a very simple egg-based breakfast, think omlets or quiche. If you serve a later dinner around two or three o'clock, plan on serving an appetizer around lunch time. You don't have to fix a full meal, but spinach artichoke dip and beer pretzels should keep everyone quite content. Finally, plan what time you want to serve your main meal, and then plan for dessert a few hours later, just so everyone's food has time to settle.

Label Serving Dishes

With all of the family coming in, you will probably be asked several times "how can I help?" It's easy to say that you've got it under control, but with a bit of preparation you can make it easy for your family to participate in preparing the meal. Once you've decided on your menu, take a few moments to label your serving dishes with sticky notes. When someone asks to help, you can point them in the direction of the serving dishes and have them start plating everything up!

Plan Ahead for Leftovers

Finally, leftovers are an obvious occurrence every single Thanksgiving. Instead of trying to figure out what to put everything in, and how to send leftovers with others without losing all of your Tupperware, buy some aluminum pans with lids, or cheap plastic containers. You can send leftovers back, and still keep your containers - everyone is happy!


Happy Thanksgiving from John Elliott Interiors

We love to help you create the perfect home interior design at the Lake of the Ozarks for just this reason. Using your home to host holidays, gather family, and enjoy time together. We want to help you create an interior for your life, and that is exactly what the holidays bring about. If you've been considering updating your home's style lately, let's get started! We provide incredible luxury furniture at the Lake of the Ozarks, along with other accessories, faux plants, and more. Stop by and see us, or give us a call to learn if we have just what you're looking for. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Let us help you create an interior for your life.


2265 Bagnell Dam Blvd.
Lake Ozark, MO 65049

573.365.7057

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