I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year for our family members and I’m looking through my cupboards to decide what I’ll need to prepare for the holiday. Special occasions call for a little bit of shopping in my book! I actually have found a bunch of items to help you host an unforgettable Thanksgiving celebration and a majority of them are incredibly neutral and can be used year round! The Thanksgiving meal is an important one and having the right items makes the whole thing a lot easier and less stressful! Make your guest list and let’s get prepped for a Thanksgiving party!
Here’s what’s in my cart:
For the Table
This is the category that I think matters the most, as all the action takes place here! Having the right nice tablecloth, dinner plates, serving dishes and extra silverware are all essential for the dinner table. I love a neutral linen tablecloth, I think it’s great for any occasion! It’s an investment I’m willing to partake in because it gets so much use in my own home. Good food and quality time will always be the main event of Thanksgiving Day. But the table is the first thing people see, especially before all of the food is out. This is the category that should not be the last thing on your list. Place settings on a Thanksgiving table are usually full of creative ideas for an intimate gathering. A great place to start is your favorite dishes to serve your traditional turkey on. Plates, napkins and decor like pine cones and candles make for not only a beautiful table, but the perfect setting for Thanksgiving dishes.
If you don’t want to have to deal with a ton of cleanup, they make really nice disposable plates these days! There is nothing wrong with that, if anything, it’s the most efficient option. Cloth napkins are also a go-to for me. I like to change those out for each holiday. I think it’s a fun way to decorate while having them as a necessity. A few must-have items for me are candles with candle holders, some kind of holiday-themed decor and simple things that can be used for any occasion.
Where to Begin
For instance, place cards are a fun, holiday-themed way to set the table. Additionally something like chair covers with a bow could make for a personal touch in the planning process. It can all depend on the size of the gathering, but I like to begin with an inspiration piece and work my way from there for my dinner party.
To Help Serve
I have to say, this is an entire category that I sometimes forget about until right before. Sometimes I look at the table and focus on decorations that I forget about having a cute pitcher to fill with water, decide between stem vs stemless wine glasses, cocktail items, casserole dishes and the perfect charcuterie board. I think a great idea would be to plan out your Thanksgiving menu as soon as you can, so you are able to plan ahead and figure out which serving items you might be missing or in need of. Side dishes are another small thing that is an important part of the holiday meal! They can be used for appetizers, pumpkin pie, fresh fruit, extra mashed potatoes or anything really. Think realistically about this because you want items you will definitely get use out of for years to come.
Miscellaneous
I’m not exactly sure what to call this category because this can be so many things. First and foremost, to-go containers are a necessity. If you get anything for a stress-free Thanksgiving, it is this! Everyone can have a helping hand in taking the leftovers and you can even use them for yourself to store some if you run out of tupperware. But it’s kinda a fun hostess gifting opportunity- the have containers ready to send your guests off with. A few other items you might look into are a cute bar cart, festive fall wreath, large cutting board and fall decor for your Thanksgiving checklist.
Children’s Activities
I am so excited to share some holiday themed activity sheets created by Kristina from Curiously Curated Creations! These are perfect to keep the kids busy during Thanksgiving dinner and give them something fun to do! She even made a pumpkin bread recipe! Here are the links to download them, enjoy!
This post was originally published November 11th, 2022 and has been updated since*
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